BEULAH — After working at Beulah High School for over 20 years, Richard Brown is returning to the place that he originally called home.

Brown was officially named the new principal at Beauregard High School this past Tuesday night at the Lee County School Board meeting. Brown is replacing his father, Richard Brown, Sr., who retired earlier this summer after being the school’s principal for 40 years.

“When I decided to go into education, I really went in with a list of things that I wanted to do in the career,” Brown said. “Teaching class, being a club sponsor, being a head coach. I knew that going in that at some point, I wanted to have the opportunity to be a principal. Not just a principal anywhere, there were a couple of places in Lee County that have always picked my interest. An opportunity opened up at one of those places at Beauregard.

“I’m following in my dad’s footsteps, so to speak, in the sense that he’s been a hall of fame educator here for a while. I’m blessed to have this opportunity. I’m not sure if it’s completely sunk in. When I got the announcement, I was in somewhat of a shock. It was a career goal of mine to become a principal, and to have the opportunity to come home? Come home to my alma mater, in particular, was a dream come true.”

While there’s excitement in going back to Beauregard in a promotion from his assistant principal role at Beulah, Brown said that making the move is not easy.

“Two words: Thank you,” Brown said is the message that he’ll send the Beulah community. “I’ve spent the last two decades of my life at Beulah High School. The people of Beulah really welcomed me in 21 years ago, back in 1998 when I was much younger, hadn’t been out of college for long and they really welcomed me in. It’s a great place. It’s a great school, it’s a great community, they take a great deal of pride.”

Brown also took the time out to thank the students, former Beulah principal Jerry Southwell, Lee County School Board member Roger Keel, former Beulah principal Armand Crowder and current Beulah principal Dr. Cincrystal Poythress.

In the world of sports, Brown had the opportunity to become the head coach of the varsity baseball team and the junior varsity football team. He has produced three coaches who have played for him at Beulah, middle school P.E. teacher Jonathan Thompson and local head baseball coach Patrick Shivers at Valley High School and David Strickland at Springwood School.

“I’m very proud of what Patrick has done at Valley, and [second-year head coach] David is just cutting his teeth in the head coaching role,” Brown said. “Both of those two guys were tremendous athletes, tremendous baseball players and really good people. It makes me proud to see what they’ve done. It’s like having two pick up sons, these kids that I’ve coached and both of them stay in touch. They both pick up the phone, call, ask me about things and it’s been great watching their careers.”

While Brown will have a new office at his dream job this fall, he said that he can never forget the memories that he’s built-in Beulah.

“I can’t say that I have [a favorite moment at Beulah],” he said before taking a moment to hold back tears. “To say that I had one would lessen the million great ones that have. All of the laughs, the smiles, the wins. Seeing people being successful, I really can’t say that there’s just been one. There are so many relationships that there’s not just one.”