Today, “I am Hamilton” spotlights Adam Scales, a retired engineer from TVA and a pilot who filled in as the instructor for the Future Ready Institute of Aviation at Brainerd High School at the beginning of this school year. Scales is a retired engineer but he also runs two businesses and holds a pilot’s license as part of his work with the businesses. Still, he found time to work with the teens at Brainerd in the aviation program. Scales had served on the program’s advisory board and knew of the school’s need when the program lost its instructor at the beginning of the year. Scales was able to step away from the instructor position recently as the program found a new instructor.
“I am Hamilton” spotlights the contributions of alumni, teachers, parents, students, support workers, and community members in providing opportunities for children in the classrooms of Hamilton County Schools. Better opportunities for children today mean a brighter future filled with possibilities for our graduates, their families, and the community.
“Mr. Scales stepped up to ensure that the students would continue to learn at high levels while we searched for the right person for the program,” said Glenn Perry, Jr., assistant principal, Brainerd High. “He applied to become a substitute teacher, worked through the program’s curriculum to plan standards-based lessons, created tests aligned to the curriculum in the class, and ensured that every student received the support they would need to be successful in the classroom.”
Scales set up opportunities for students to learn about careers in aviation mechanics with Crystal Air and Wilson Air. He also worked with Taylor Newman, the program’s advisory board chair who works at Crystal Air, to sponsor two students in their efforts to get a pilot’s license. The plan will also support additional Future Ready Institute of Aviation students interested in getting a pilot’s license each year in the future.
Scales completed his work with the program at the beginning of the holiday break. The new instructor will begin when students return in January. The staff at Brainerd High wanted to make sure Scales knew his efforts were appreciated before he left school. He may not be the everyday instructor of the aviation program but Mr. Scales’ influence on the program preparing graduates for careers in aviation will continue.
To nominate someone for “I Am Hamilton,” send an email to
[email protected] with the name of the person you would like to nominate, the school the individual is connected to in Hamilton County Schools, the person’s title, and what makes the individual a valued contributor to Hamilton County Schools. You can nominate a graduate, teacher, parent, student, support worker, community member, or anyone playing a role in a school in the district. Also, include your name, school or location, and title.
Photo: (L to R) Jeannette Tippett, coach, Brainerd High Future Ready Institutes; Adam Scales; Christopher L. James, executive principal, Brainerd High; Glenn Perry, assistant principal, Brainerd High
The I Am Hamilton series won a 2019 NSPRA Golden Achievement Award for school district communications from the National School Public Relations Association.
