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“I always tell people at other schools, if you have trouble learning in a regular high school, come here. We work hard. We have fun. And we learn,” said Caden Lefevers, a sophomore at The Oaks Academy, an alternative learning environment in Cherokee County at the far western end of the state.
A good teacher knows how to get students excited about learning — you have to build relationships and tap into their interests. John Worden, a physical science instructor at The Oaks, is doing both. He has parlayed his interest in cars and all things automotive into an effective way to engage and inspire learners in this innovative setting. The result has been better attendance, a renewed enthusiasm for learning, and a sense of belonging.
I sat down with the students in Worden’s special topics class to discuss a recent field trip. A semester-long project building model slot cars culminated in a fun afternoon of racing at a local track. I discovered that the time these students have spent together has not only transformed their attitude about school, but it also changed how they view themselves and their futures.
In early April, Worden’s class traveled to the Peachtree Dragway to put their custom-built slot cars to the test. In addition to four sophomores, the students invited eighth grader Jack Moore, who had shown an interest in learning more about the course.
Worden explained what makes this group of students so special: “Jack is our adopted middle schooler. The kids noticed him stopping by class and that he was interested in what we were doing. They asked to invite him on the field trip. Jonah brought in a Mustang body as a spare that we used as our class car. Because Jack ended up having the best reaction time of the day, they decided as a class to give Jack the Mustang slot car to keep.”
Jack said he feels honored to be a part of this group: “They taught me how to set up my car and launch it. These are pretty intricate and well-designed. It was all really cool. It makes me want to come to school and get all my work done so that I can spend extra time working with Mr. Worden’s class.”
What I didn’t realize is that these students are as creative as they are innovative, spending their semester not only getting their model cars slot racing ready, but also working together to build a custom T-bucket, as well as starting a club and designing a logo.
Like Jack, Zaylen Allen, a sophomore, said this class motivates him to be better: “I want to come to school and do well in all of my classes. I know if I do that, I will have the opportunity to be pulled out to work on the T-bucket.”
These students have become more invested in learning, but importantly, they are invested in each other and in changing the perception of their school. Special topics is an elective course that students can take more than once. Except for Jack, all of the students in Worden’s class have taken it two semesters in a row, creating a sort of brotherhood.
As a result, they wanted to create a club as an offshoot of the course. To encourage ongoing participation, they designed a fully conceptualized logo, calling themselves the “Acorn Shakers,” a nod to their school’s namesake and their ability and commitment to positively affect their school’s culture. Their logo was added to trucker hats and stickers, which students earn after taking the course for a second time.
However, what is most impressive is the custom T-bucket they’ve built together. Money to purchase a car kit, extra parts, transmission, and engine was generated by the annual car show hosted by Worden’s students. When asked what they’ve enjoyed most about building a car from the ground up, they collectively responded that it’s the time they’re spending together, a lot of it spent “cutting up and laughing.”
When I told them that I had no idea what a T-bucket is, Zaylen assured me I do: “You know — it’s like a Model T,” and the class offered to show me. Known for its distinctive bucket-shaped body and minimalist design, the T-bucket is a modified and customized hot rod modeled after the Ford Model T roadster.
Worden described how students simultaneously worked on building their slot cars and the T-bucket: “We started building the T-bucket in the back of the classroom, but we could only get so far before we wouldn’t be able to get it through the door. We moved it out to the shed this winter. During the colder days, we spent time indoors completing the little cars for slot racing. I brought in some model kits from home, and we used some of our STEM money to get a couple of chassis for the kids to build their cars.”
The students explained the problem-solving involved in building the T-bucket as well as the little cars. Holding a model of a Camaro, Hunter Van Meter showed me how meticulous it is to fit the interior over the chassis, each piece hand-cut and modified. Worden added, “It wasn’t just build a model and then stick it on this car and go down the track. It’s all custom fit and built to that chassis to work on that car. Each one was done a little differently.”
Worden said the problem-solving and collaboration continued on the T-bucket: “Because a lot of parts didn’t come from the same kit, they didn’t fit. When these guys really started to work well together was when they were faced with the challenge of designing a truck bed for the car. They wanted a pick-up bed, so I said, ‘Well, let’s make one.’”
This required weeks of measuring, fitting, welding, remeasuring, and adjusting. Worden remembered the day it all came together: “It suddenly became their car, and I remember Hunter saying after class, ‘We made that — it’s ours.’ I told them no one else is going to have that bed. Forty years from now, you guys may be at a car show and see that car. It’s one of a kind. That’s a fingerprint; you guys left your mark.”
Worden recognizes that what he’s teaching these young men transcends the classroom: “There’s not a lot for kids to do in our county. The Peachtree track is a great way for them to do something constructive together outside of school.”
One student added, “I don’t go to parties or anything. This gives me something fun to do with my friends.”
The positive relationships they’ve built with each other are evident, but so is the relationship they have with their teacher.
“Mr. Worden’s family,” said Zaylen. The others nodded in agreement. Before leaving, I asked, “So what are you guys going to do over spring break?” They responded, “We’re going racing!”
