In the small Texas town of Pottsboro, population just over 2,000, the public library is helping teens launch their careers—literally.

Last summer, Pottsboro Public Library offered an innovative workforce development program called Taking Flight: Preparing for a Career in Drone Technology. Funded by a grant from Atmos Energy and Simmons Bank, this five-week course introduced local teens to real-world applications of drone piloting, from aerial photography to emergency response and construction site surveying.

Library Director Renee Nichols, who stepped into her role after a 32-year corporate career with JCPenney as an executive, saw the program as a way to fill a gap in teen services, especially for young men, and give students a head start in a growing industry.

“Once the school year starts, sports and other activities take over,” Nichols explained. “Summer is the perfect time to capture their attention and give them something meaningful to pursue.”

Pottsboro Teens Take Flight

The program combined 25% in-person sessions with 75% online instruction through MzeroA, a drone education platform that integrates real-life scenarios. Students learned from a local drone entrepreneur and trained with mini drones in the library’s tech center before moving on to larger, more advanced models. One student, Brendan Pine, even went on to earn his FAA certification, which the library paid for after completing the program. He now plans to explore freelance opportunities in real estate, construction, and media production.

Nichols talked about the origins of the program. “Dianne Connery [Pottsboro Public Library’s Development Director] always comes across these things. Over two years ago, we were working on a presentation for the Friends of the Library luncheon, talking about tech, and she came across a story about a drone program in Sweden. There was a video where a drone delivered an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) device to someone, an older man, while he was shoveling snow and had a heart attack. A drone delivered the defibrillator and saved his life. We tailored our program off of that.”

While funding isn’t currently available to run Taking Flight again in 2025, Nichols and her team hope to relaunch it in 2026. “In the grant world, you can’t go to the same well too many times,” she said. But with strong community interest—including from realtors and adults eager to join—a future iteration may be possible with help from the Friends of the Pottsboro Area Library or local fundraising efforts.

Flying Toward the Future

Programs like these highlight just how vital public libraries are to their communities. They’re more than places to check out books—they’re launchpads for learning, hubs for innovation, and safe spaces for young people to explore real career opportunities. With the support of local partners, libraries can continue offering programs that inspire, train, and empower the next generation.

In the meantime, Pottsboro Public Library is keeping teens engaged with practical skills by offering a new summer cooking class in partnership with the Ag Extension office.

From drone piloting to meal prep, Pottsboro is proving that small libraries can lead big when it comes to preparing their communities for what’s next.