Bruno and the Bees

Bees. Most people play a game of bob and weave to avoid their flight paths. But for Tempe Elementary Schools carpenter Bruno Cardenas, bees have the opposite effect — they make him stop and watch.

It all started about 16 years ago when Cardenas spotted a beehive in his neighborhood as he was riding his bike. He found himself fascinated by the steady movement of bees coming and going. Day after day he watched the hive grow from the size of a softball to bigger than a basketball. 

Until one day, he saw an exterminator getting rid of the hive. Just like that, the bee community he watched for weeks was gone. Disappointed that it disappeared so quickly, Cardenas decided then and there that he wanted to become a beekeeper when he had the means to buy the proper equipment.

Soon after, Cardenas’ journey into beekeeping officially began. His first purchases were simple: a suit, a smoker and hive tools. From there he turned to YouTube videos, advice from commercial beekeepers and plenty of trial and error. He jumped in headfirst, removing his first hive from a friend’s shed — a six-foot-tall colony hidden between the wall studs.

“From then on, I started learning more, doing more cutouts, hive removals and swarm captures,” Cardenas said. “There were a lot of mistakes I made along the way. I got chased a lot. I got stung a lot.”

But each experience added to his knowledge.

“As I progressed I learned a little more, and I’m still learning,” Cardenas said. “You never stop learning.”

Unexpectedly, Cardenas found his hobby to be useful on the job as a carpenter at the district when a hive was found in a tree at Evans Elementary (now Evans Learning Center). It was the first hive Cardenas removed from district grounds — but it wouldn’t be the last. 

Since that first hive, Cardenas has become the unofficial Tempe Elementary Schools beekeeper, removing hives and swarms from various sites throughout the district. And what began as a personal hobby eventually found its way into Tempe Elementary classrooms.

The opportunity came in an ordinary moment while Cardenas was working on a filing cabinet in the office of Director of Wraparound Services Michele Grimaldi. She noticed his bee tattoo and asked about it. When she learned that Cardenas spent his free time rescuing bee colonies and removing hives across the district, a new idea took shape: bringing his passion into the classroom.

With support from partners at Arizona State University, the district secured a grant for upgraded beekeeping equipment. When it arrived at the district warehouse, Cardenas couldn’t believe it. “It was like Christmas at the shop,” he said. “There were all these boxes. I had a new suit and everything I needed.” 

The equipment also included an observation hive that could travel to schools to help students get a close-up — and sting-free — view into hive life. Borrowing bees from his home colony of over 30,000 bees, Cardenas now travels to elementary schools across the district to educate students on bees: what to be cautious of, common myths, and how bees are essential to our ecosystem. 

During his class presentations, Cardenas’ passion for bees sparks a similar sense of wonder in his audience. Students who initially sit back nervously at the start of the demonstration lean in by the time the observation hive is uncovered, eager to watch the bees at work and share their own bee encounters.

Cardenas doesn’t mind the bees being the star of the show. In fact, his favorite part of these presentations is seeing the excitement on kids’ faces as they watch bee life transpire before their very eyes. It’s a full-circle moment, of sorts, echoing the same fascination that once drew him to a neighborhood hive nearly two decades ago. “Maybe some of them will grow up to be beekeepers,” Cardenas said.

A carpenter, a beekeeper, and now a teacher — all sparked from a single moment of curiosity. 

Creating similar moments of wonder is at the heart of Tempe Elementary’s mission: Inspire Excellence: Every child. Every adult. Every day. When students — and even adults — are given the right tools and opportunities to explore their interests, a simple curiosity can grow into something much bigger.

Because just like beekeeping, learning never really ends — always evolving and offering something new to discover.

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This opportunity reflects Tempe Elementary’s commitment to recruiting and retaining dedicated, highly qualified staff who have a growth mindset, as outlined in Goal 1 of the Strategic Plan.

About Tempe Elementary Schools
Tempe Elementary School comprises 21 small, neighborhood elementary and middle schools in Tempe, Arizona. We Tempe Elementary is committed to  providing a welcoming, achieving, eye-opening, and future-ready preschool - 8th grade education to free the boundless potential in each child - so they are fully prepared to embrace the opportunities of tomorrow and excel for a lifetime. Learn more about Tempe Elementary Schools.