Peachtree – Meet John Worden, teacher at The Oaks Academy and a classic car enthusiast.
Worden teaches science at Cherokee County’s alternative school, which is part of the new Schools of Innovation & Technology. Along with things one would expect to see in a science class are a few extras, like parts to a T-bucket automobile he intends to build with his students.
The project, which he has dubbed Hot-rodding 101, is part of a special interest class. It has not only kept one student from dropping out, but has raised his grades dramatically.
The students even plan to host a second car show from 1-5 p.m. Sunday, May 5, at the Schools of Innovation off of U.S. 64 East. All proceeds from the show, and any hot rods they sell in the future, will go back into the program so each year there will be another vehicle for students to build.
“I’m giving them guidance, but allowing the students to make the design decisions on the car,” Worden said.
He believes in the kids at The Oaks Academy and wants to reshape the stigma of those attending an alternative school.
“They’re not bad kids, I want to give them something they can be proud of and help them feel as though they’re part of a team. Then they can present it to the community and get a pat on the back,” Worden said.
He said the students aren’t scholastic kids – they don’t care for the classroom setting – and he believes giving them something hands-on would help them in life and be better for them in the long run. Warden said he’s hoping his students will take an interest in other fields as a result of his class.
“The basic fundamentals of a car are important for kids to learn just from a maintenance standpoint. Maybe the kid that’s running the brake-line and fuel system will take an interest in plumbing or the person running the wiring will look at becoming an electrician. There’s so many different things they can learn from the car,” he said.
Worden is no stranger to classic cars, as he discovered his love for older vehicles at age 10. After his father had a motorcycle accident, the son would hang out with and help his father, acting as his legs while working on cars. At 16 years old, Worden hosted his first cruise-in car show.
“I love ’em; that’s all I’ve ever known. To me they’re easier to work on, but you have to maintain them more because of their age,” he said. Today, Worden owns four classic cars, one of which was his dream car before he was actually able to own it – a black 1941 Willys Gasser.
In 2005, he created Eastern Hot Rodder magazine, an annual publication that ran for about 15 years before COVID-19 interrupted the magazine’s process and brought it to an end due to a lack of help.
Worden said he would much rather work on classic cars than be in politics, as the latter is far more stressful. He ran for the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners’ District 3 seat in 2022.
“I’m kinda glad I didn’t win,” he said with a laugh. “What was I thinking?”
Married with two girls, Worden has passed down the classic car tradition. Both of his daughters, Liberty and Sage, own and work on their own vehicles.
What Worden wishes folks would realize at car shows is that, “Fingerprints are a problem. There’s a proper car show etiquette, and not touching a car is a big thing. There’s a lot of guys that spend a lot of time, money and effort to keep their cars in tip-top shape.”
Details: Visit easternhotrodder.com.