IRVING, Texas — An Irving ISD teacher who has spent nearly two decades introducing students to outdoor skills has been recognized with a national honor.
Joe O’Dell, Outdoor Education teacher at Johnson Middle School, has been named the Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation (OTF) Outdoor Adventures 2026 Educator of the Year. The award recognizes outstanding educators who lead Outdoor Adventures programs across the United States and Canada.
O’Dell was selected from approximately 2,000 Outdoor Adventures educators, making the recognition especially meaningful for the longtime instructor.
“This is a pretty big deal to me,” O’Dell said. “I’ve been teaching outdoor adventures for 18 years, and it’s nice to be recognized.”
Teaching Real-World Outdoor Skills
The Outdoor Adventures program is a hands-on course designed to introduce students to practical outdoor skills and lifelong recreation activities.
Students in the program learn skills such as:
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Hunting and fishing fundamentals
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Archery safety and technique
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Outdoor cooking, including Dutch oven meals over campfires
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Survival skills and conservation practices
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Motor education and camping preparation
Students also participate in camping trips to state and national parks, where they apply what they’ve learned in real-world environments.
O’Dell was among the first 50 educators in Texas to implement the program when it launched and has continued to lead the course as it expanded nationwide.
Building Confidence Beyond the Classroom
For O’Dell, the greatest value of the program goes far beyond learning outdoor techniques.
“This isn’t something they get in a regular classroom or PE class,” he said. “A lot of these kids have never fished, cooked over a fire or shot a bow before. When they learn those skills and see they can do it, it builds confidence they’ll carry with them for life.”
One moment that stands out to him involved a student who earned her hunter education certification through the class and later applied the safety training during her first hunting trip with a family member.
Experiences like that, O’Dell says, show how the course prepares students for life beyond school.
“I just want students to know there’s life outside the city,” he said. “When they learn how to fish, cook over a fire or hit their first bullseye, they realize they can do things they never thought they could.”
Opening Doors to Outdoor Careers
The course also introduces students to potential career paths related to the outdoors, including:
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Wildlife biology
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Game warden service
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Parks and recreation
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Conservation and environmental work with Texas Parks and Wildlife
Today, the Outdoor Adventures program continues to expand across multiple Irving ISD campuses, providing students with opportunities to develop lifelong skills and discover new passions outside the traditional classroom.
