At the age of 18, Travis Adkison found himself applying to volunteer as a firefighter alongside a friend; 17 years later, Adkison finds himself teaching students the intricacies of fire prevention and fire safety at Chapel Hill High School as the new Firefighter Technology instructor.
His path to becoming a fire-safety teacher wasn’t exactly planned from the get-go. In college, he studied athletic training and coaching, and he later earned a master’s degree in education. He has a decade of experience teaching social studies, exceptional children, health and physical education.
“Many of the lessons that I teach to students are life lessons taught through the curriculum,” Adkison said. “My history background allows me to evaluate the past and to learn from those experiences; my fire-service background teaches me to have traditions and values; and my teaching background prepares me to look into the future to shape it.”
Adkison said he wants to teach his students to grow as individuals and that college isn’t a necessity–one can have a sustainable career without following the every footstep of one’s peers.
“There is a huge focus on students going to college, but it isn’t always the answer. There are a lot of jobs and careers available that do not involve college initially,” he said.
Adkison believes one of the most beneficial aspects of the school’s firefighting program is its ability to set students on a path to immediate success. If students take the course for three years, they become eligible for jobs as firefighters.
“I believe this is a good opportunity for students to learn skills that they can immediately, upon graduation from high school, obtain a great career with, setting them up for a fulfilling life,” he said.
Students in his class gain a wide range of both knowledge and hands-on experience about fire safety and fire prevention.
“Most recently, we did a water supply unit. We spend time outside with a hydrant, learning how to get water from it to flow to our fire truck,” Adkison said.
Adkinson hopes, too, to build connections between the Firefighter Technology Academy and the broader community, expanding the program and its professional opportunities for students.
“I am most excited about growing this program and creating a network of industry professionals that search out our academy members for employment,” he said.
