“As a fourth-generation union teacher, I grew up watching the hard work that the people who raised me put into teaching,” said Halls. “I heard my mother, aunts, grandparents and siblings discuss the joys and struggles of education as they navigated their careers as educators. In the grocery aisle, I saw former students approach my mother to hug her and thank her for everything they did for them, instilling in me a deep respect for the importance of teachers in students’ lives.”
Halls graduated from the Utah Valley University flight school with a degree in aviation and has been an active pilot for 13 years. While working in aviation safety research and training, he returned to school and earned a degree in History and Social Studies Education. He was hired by Nebo School District to start and teach an aviation program, which was popular enough to grow beyond capacity and attract students from other school districts to attend.
Halls has also served as curriculum and program development for other school districts and for the Diocesan schools in Utah. As a teacher, he served on the Educational Equity Committee, on the Negotiations Committee, as a Building Rep, as the Social Media Director and as the Vice President for Secondary Education, all for the Nebo Education Association.
“Because my family who were teachers were members of their respective teachers’ associations, I saw the importance that these organizations have and the trust that their members placed in them. I am excited and humbled by the opportunity to serve teachers and the Association to improve working conditions, advocate for educators, and to protect the profession and well-being of education as a whole,” he said.
Halls began his work as UniServ director in January 2022. The Woodland Peaks UniServ serves educators in Carbon, Nebo and Provo School Districts.