History of Amazon Valley Academy
Founded in 1958 as a boarding school for the children of missionaries, it operated on land purchased by Wycliffe and the
Un- Evangelized Field Missions of Great Britain and North America (UFM) until 2011.
Amazon Valley Academy (AVA) is the only English language international school in Pará. It is located near the mouth of the
Amazon River outside the city of Belem.
In 1999 the school became an open enrollment international school operated by the Network of International Christian Schools
(NICS). NICS is a world-wide school system of 19 international Christian schools in 14 countries. In 2014, NICS turned AVA
over to Believer’s Bridge and in July 2019, under the leadership of Gary Parker, Word of Life Brazil North became the overseer
of AVA. The campus is just one block North of BR316 on a brand new road leading into campus. AVA is easily accessible by
public transportation.
Around April 1958, Richard W. Bell, Sr., his wife Adalene, and their two children Richard Jr. and Bonnie arrived in Brasil. They
were part of what was then the UFM group, now Cross World. There was a need for a “Children’s Home” and school for the
missionary children in northern Brasil. A place where the children could live while going to school, then return to the various towns,
to be with their parents, when the school tern was over.
The original location IN 1958 was at 109 Avenida Independencia, (today 231 Celpa Magalhaes Barata), in Belem. The main
headquarters building faced the street, (part of it remains today). The children’s home was behind the headquarters house, and
the school building was behind the children’s home.
THE MAIN HEADQUARTERS AT 109 AVENIDA INDENPENDENCIA
THE CHILDREN’S HOME
The home was where the children lived while attending classes during the school year. Richard Sr. and Adalene Bell were the
house parents and Richard Sr. was the headmaster of the school.
THE FIRST SCHOOL HOUSE
The first school house was a open air building that was modified by putting a divider wall to split it into two even areas.
Drop down, retractable shutters were installed to shade the children from the early morning and afternoon sun, and rain in
the rainy season. Many children from other missions began to come to the school, and it became evident rather quickly that this
was to be a temporary location. A new location and school had to be built to accommodate the students. The mission bought
some property next to a pimento farm, (current location of AVA), and clearing of the overgrowth began. In 1960 the property
was out in the country surrounded by pepper farms, and served by a two lane road.
SHUTTERS DROPPED FOR PROTECTION
CLASSES IN SESSION
A MISS WITH HER ELEMENTARY CLASS ON OCTOBER 12, 1960.
