TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. – Career and technical education instructor Scott O’Dell’s name can now be added to the growing list of Northwest Education Services (North Ed) staff members who have gained national recognition in the past few years.
O’Dell will represent Michigan’s region at the national Association for Career & Technical Education (ACTE) Career Tech VISION conference in New Orleans, as he contends for the title of New Teacher of the Year on the national stage.
O’Dell teaches Aviation Maintenance at North Ed Career Tech, which offers 23 unique educational programs to high school juniors and seniors from throughout Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau counties.
After winning Michigan’s New Teacher of the Year award at the MI Career Education Conference in Grand Rapids in January, O’Dell advanced and won the same recognition at the ACTE Region 1 contest held this year in Cincinnati, Ohio. In addition to Michigan, Region 1 covers Washington D.C., Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and West Virginia.
He will now go head-to-head against other region-winning educators from across the U.S. at the national conference on Dec. 2-5 in New Orleans.
“North Ed Career Tech continues to build upon a tradition of excellence thanks to the work of educators like Scott O’Dell,” said Dr. Tara Mager, North Ed superintendent. “Scott’s achievement marks the third year in a row a Career Tech employee has been recognized nationally, and that reflects both the highly skilled staff and the culture of excellence that has been established. We strive to hold a high standard so that students get the very best education possible, and that is exactly what Scott has been doing in Aviation Maintenance.”
Prior to joining the staff at North Ed Career Tech, O’Dell worked in the aviation industry, where he trained new employees and discovered a passion for teaching. O’Dell started his career in aviation as a janitor at Kalitta Air, working his way up to be a certified mechanic, holding additional roles of lead technician, foreman, acting project manager and instructor. He furthered his classroom experience and later became North Ed Career Tech’s first instructor of the Aviation Maintenance program, which launched in 2023.
“Scott joined the Aviation Maintenance program at the very beginning and has developed it into a truly exciting and engaging experience for students,” said Pat Lamb, assistant superintendent of Career and Technical Education at North Ed. “His knowledge of the industry and collaboration with regional partners has created new opportunities for students to gain skills and deepen their knowledge of aircraft mechanics and maintenance. He is fully deserving of this national recognition."
Aviation Maintenance students learn about the physics of flight, aircraft flight controls and landing gear, troubleshooting and repairing hydraulic systems, airframe structure inspections and sheet metal fabrication. The program prepares students with the knowledge and skills needed to pursue careers such as aviation maintenance technician; aviation inspector; assembler of aircraft structures, surfaces, rigging and systems; and engine and machine assemblers. The program also serves as a pathway to certification as an airframe and powerplant technician.
“National recognition is certainly an unexpected honor, and I am grateful for the support from my fellow educators and colleagues at North Ed,” O’Dell said. “Teaching has been a fulfilling adventure for me, and I am thrilled that I get to go to work every day and share my knowledge and experiences with the next generation of aircraft mechanics.”
O’Dell is the fourth staff member at North Ed Career Tech to compete for recognition on the national stage. Power Equipment instructor Jared Diephouse was a finalist in the Teacher of the Year category in 2024, while Assistant Superintendent for Career and Technical Education Pat Lamb and Career Tech Guidance Counselor Karmin Olds were both national finalists in 2025, for Administrator of the Year and Counseling & Career Development Professional of the Year, respectively.
Career Tech offers more than 20 state-approved CTE programs to high schoolers. Students are educated in career and technical fields, offering hands-on practical experiences, job shadowing, career exploration and early college opportunities, along with rigorous academic integration. For more information about North Ed Career Tech, click here.
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Scott O’Dell, right, instructor of the Aviation Maintenance program at Northwest Education Services (North Ed) Career Tech in Traverse City, is in the running for national New Teacher of the Year award through the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE). He will attend the ACTE’s Career Tech VISION conference in New Orleans in December, as he contends for the title of New Teacher of the Year on the national stage.