NEWTON GROVE — Many visitors to Hobbton High School notice an electric vehicle parked inside the lobby.

It took about four months to build it. A bulk of the work was on Saturdays by a club of technology students. Due to safety regulations, the students were not able to drive it on the roads, but it’s something they hope to do next year. During a competition in April, it ran extremely well.

“Next year, we’ll take this car and modify it,” said educator Timothy “Brandon” Thompson. “We got the components to build a second car and hopefully we’ll build two full cars next year if we can get it all together.”

It’s just one of many projects Thompson is guiding the students through at the school. For his dedication and work with students, Thompson was recently recognized as one of the top three educators from Sampson County Schools.

“There’s a lot of great teachers in our district who work really hard,” Thompson said about being a finalist for Teacher of the Year. “I am honored, but I don’t necessarily feel more worthy than most of the people I meet. I’m just doing my job.”

At HHS, Thompson teaches technology and robotics. With 10 years of experience in the public school system and higher education, Thompson wanted to be an educator because he likes working with youths and their career goals involving STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

“For some of them, it’s just becoming productive citizens,” Thompson said about students’ future goals. “By teaching them how to think, how to solve problems and how to work through and develop solutions, we help them to understand society and function in it. That’s why I teach.”

He’s been teaching at Hobbton for four years. The Sampson County native began his teaching career at his alma mater North Carolina State University in 2007. Some of the courses he taught focused on robotics, underground transportation and materials processing. After N.C. State, he worked for the Lee County system for one year before joining Orange County Schools with his wife Kimberly. Following the birth of their first child, moving back home to Sampson County was more feasible for the couple. Having family nearby was another benefit and the pace of Sampson is something he enjoys.

During his career, his research on teaching technology more feasibly has been placed in international publications. He also supervises the Technology Student Association. Hobbton received NCTSA Chapter of the Year three times and received the Chapter of Excellence Award in 2015. In 2016, Thompson earned the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association and the North Carolina TSA Adviser of the Year Award. At HHS, Thompson also leads the school’s Literacy Design Collaborative, which helps educators with teaching reading, writing, speaking and listening.

While submitting documents for the Teacher of the Year process, Thompson reflected on everything he’s done throughout his career. Right now, he’s satisfied with his role at HHS.

“I was looking at my resume and, at 32, I’ve accomplished everything I wanted to do as a teacher,” Thompson said.

Looking toward the future, he wants to continue to challenge his students. One of them is Thorn Bauser, a junior at Hobbton. He worked on the vehicle with other club members.

“He’s always there to help us and he’s really good at troubleshooting,” Bauser said.

Some of the other projects include making an original board game design, cardboard furniture, concrete canoes, mannequins, wind turbines and solar panel experiments. A lot of the work involves problem solving and finding solutions.

“Regardless of what they come in with, they’re going to grow in my class,” Thompson said. “I challenge every one of them, every day.”

Thompson
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_Thompson.jpgThompson

Students at Hobbton High School spent many days building an electric car under the leadership of educator Timothy ‘Brandon’ Thompson.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_Thompson_2.jpgStudents at Hobbton High School spent many days building an electric car under the leadership of educator Timothy ‘Brandon’ Thompson. File photo

Timothy ‘Brandon’ Thompson makes sure wires are in place for an electric car built by students.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_Thompson_1.jpgTimothy ‘Brandon’ Thompson makes sure wires are in place for an electric car built by students. Chase Jordan | Sampson Independent

Technology students at Hobbton High School work on a project.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_Thompson_3.jpgTechnology students at Hobbton High School work on a project. File photo

Under the leadership of Timothy Thompson, students work on an electric vehicle. (File photo)
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_Thompson_4.jpgUnder the leadership of Timothy Thompson, students work on an electric vehicle. (File photo)File photo

By Chase Jordan

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