By Charlotte Underwood

JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF) – Teachers make a difference in their students lives each and every day. For many students, having a teacher who cares and goes that extra mile can be the difference in a successful education and graduation. We’ve all had that teacher who inspired us or helped in some way. That’s why WLAF and Eagle Tire Pros salute all of our hard working educators with a weekly feature.

This week’s featured educator is Dr. Jason Horne. He is the Secondary Supervisor for Campbell County Schools and has been teaching since 2001. When teaching in the classroom, Horne taught French and English.

Secondary Supervisor for Campbell County Schools Dr. Jason Horne is Eagle Tire Pros and WLAF’s Educator of the week. He is pictured here with his son Henry.

Originally from Gray, Tennessee, Horne found his way to Campbell County in 2003 after having taught English in France. In 2006, Horne left Campbell County and went to Greeneville, then to Bristol. He returned to Campbell County in 2018. 

Dr. Horne is also an adjunct professor at ETSU in two different departments teaching both prospective principals and teachers on topics such as instructional leadership, educational technology and the history and laws of education.

“While totally different from a K-12 classroom, that work keeps me connected to teaching students,” Horne said. 

According to Dr. Horne, he never thought he would follow a career in education, but rather “evolved into it” after he studied abroad his sophomore year in college.

“If you had asked my high school teachers or classmates if I would be a successful educator one day, they probably would have laughed you out of the room. Who knew spending so much time in the principal’s office would give me a leg up on being a teacher, a principal, and now a supervisor,” Horne said.

As a student, his biggest inspirations as teachers include his third grade teacher Mark Weber at Gray Elementary School and his high school French teacher, Lynette Lowe.

Every Thursday, WLAF’s Charlotte Underwood features the WLAF – Eagle Tire Pros teacher of the week. That educator also receives a free oil change from Eagle Tire Pros. To nominate a teacher for teacher of the week honors, please send your nomination to wlaf@1450wlaf.com.

“They made learning so much fun. I have had many inspirations since. When I was a young teacher, Chris Shouse, Ann Browning, Sherry Ayers, Jack Lynch, Lisa Copeland and David Jones were my inspirations,” Horne said.

His favorite part of his job is “the people … and spreadsheets.”

“I work with amazing people everywhere I go. I’m about 50/50 on people and spreadsheets,” Horne said.

Some positives that keep him going in his profession are seeing how hard everyone in the district works to provide an education to the children of Campbell County.

“I see how hard our students, teachers, counselors, assistants, custodians, food service employees, secretaries, nurses, bus drivers, administrators, and Director of Schools work every single day and it motivates me to give everything I’ve got to this job. Misery is a mindset: the hard days make us appreciate the other days that much more,” Horne said. 

According to Horne, being an educator is an every day job.

“Our competition is ignorance and poverty, and those competitors never take a day off. We can’t ever give up if we are going to give our students all the opportunities that they deserve.”

Every Thursday, WLAF’s Charlotte Underwood features the WLAF – Eagle Tire Pros teacher of the week. That educator also receives a free oil change from Eagle Tire Pros. To nominate a teacher for teacher of the week honors, please send your nomination to wlaf@1450wlaf.com. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 02/24/2022-6AM)