His Story
In 1970, a student in Jim Jackson’s wood shop class mentioned that he and his father were building an actual flying airplane at home. That conversation gave Jackson the idea to build one himself — and it launched what would become a signature program at Mundelein High School: students designing, building, and test-flying real aircraft in class. He went on to build not one but three airplanes with his students, a feat believed unique among high schools nationally. One aircraft was built with a folding-wing design and water-flying capability specifically so it could be towed along on an annual summer trip, where Jackson takes students and parents fishing in Canada — giving each of them the experience of seeing Canada from the air in a plane built by their own hands.
For 23 years he attended the Experimental Aircraft Association’s week-long National Aviation Convention in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and has displayed and staffed a student exhibit there every year since 1980. His program earned him a growing list of national recognitions through the early 1990s: the Experimental Aircraft Association’s National Aviation Educators’ Award (1986), the E.A.A. National Schoolflight Project Championship for Mundelein (1988), the FAA’s Regional Award for “Excellence in Aviation Education” (1989), the General Aviation Manufacturers’ Association Award for Excellence in Aviation Education (1990), the National Congress on Aviation and Space Education’s National Wings of Fame Award (1991), and the Illinois Aviation Hall of Fame’s “Spirit of Flight Award” (1992).
At the time of his nomination, Jackson was pushing the program even further — partnering with Northern Illinois University on a research expedition to Glacier Bay, Alaska, with students building the research aircraft, working alongside university researchers, and serving as on-site historians and chroniclers of the project.
Beyond the Classroom
ackson opened his shop at night so community members of all ages could visit and even help build a real airplane alongside his students — describing the quick mutual respect that grew as students taught their own parents how to make aircraft components. He held Open House sessions from 7:00 to 9:00 PM on Tuesday evenings, drawing in students who had previously struggled with school but showed up eager for extra time to work on “their” airplane.
In his personal life, colleagues describe him as a pilot, skydiver, motorcycle racer, mountain climber, and race car enthusiast — a risk-taker whose adventurous spirit carried directly into his teaching. As one former school board member put it, “it takes courage to approach a school board and tell them you are going to build an airplane with students and fly it yourself.”
Philosophy Into Action
Jackson believed that success “lies not in being the best but in doing your best,” and that risk-taking was an essential ingredient in real learning. That philosophy showed up directly in how he ran his classroom — treating even his most disengaged students as capable of extraordinary things, and proving it by literally trusting them with his life:
“Students develop responsibility for their learning because they know that Mr. Jackson will be flying the plane they are working on. They become responsible, because Jim instills in them the fact that he is willing to trust his life to their expertise – what greater responsibility for students exists?”— Dawn Miller, Director of Field Services, Illinois Association of School Boards
“Mr. Jackson demonstrated that we should not be afraid to ‘fail’. The only action that he would consider a failure, was the failure to try to succeed.”— W. E. Balfanz, Former Student, now an FAA-certificated pilot and skydiver
In His Own Words
“We must develop methods of instruction that are creative and innovative… And yes, risk-taking is an important ingredient in successful student learning.”— from his essay, “Philosophy of Teaching”
“The outdoors does a lot for me. I’ve always felt that man must get back to basics to better understand himself and his purpose in life… Untraveled roads lead to fabulous surprises.”— from his essay, “Outside the Classroom”
What Others Said
“Rarely in my twenty years of work in the field of education have I come across a more deserving recipient… Jim has made the student the center of the learning experience in his classroom, giving his students hands-on experience that is relevant and of high interest to students at all ability levels.”— Dr. Linda M. Hanson, Superintendent, Mundelein High School District 120
“Jim is the only person in the country to build planes with high school students and them test fly them… I do not know of any teacher who has brought more innovative ideas to the classroom.”— Dawn Miller, Director of Field Services, Illinois Association of School Boards
“Not so for us and our son, Hawley. His reading and writing were a struggle… the bright spot in his day was always in Mr. Jackson’s class… Thank goodness for a teacher like Jim Jackson whose innovative realm of teaching and empathy for those whose gifts are sometimes less obvious, cause young brains to come alive to all the wonders of learning.”— Mr. and Mrs. Hawley L. Smith, Parents of a Former Student
“Because Mr. Jackson had confidence in Brian, he began to have confidence in himself… he now possesses a quiet confidence, not a quiet shyness.”— Susan Beller, Parent of a Former Student