Rex Scott, Public School Educator

Rex Scott, assistant principal at Ironwood Ridge High School and 15-year resident of Southern Arizona, is Gabrielle Giffords’ supporter of the week. Giffords impressed him when she helped obtain grant funding for his school, and made a personal donation to the school. “She’s genuine,” he said. “It’s real rare. You don’t often meet someone who is so down to earth.”

Rex grew up in Athens, Ohio, and graduated from the Ohio University with degrees in political science and education. He always been interested in politics, and at age 24 he was elected to the Athens City Council.

In 1991, he moved to Tucson, and began teaching 7th grade Social Studies at Flowing Wells Junior High School. He taught there for three years, and then moved to Gridley Middle School, where he taught 6th grade Language Arts for five years.

For the past seven years, he has served in leadership positions in Southern Arizona public high schools. He became Asst. Principal at Doolen Middle School, and later became principal of Howenstine High School. For the past three years, he has served as Asst. Principal at Ironwood Ridge High School.

“Education is the most rewarding profession you can work in — you can help students advance their hopes, their dreams, and their goals,” Rex said. As a public school administrator, he particularly enjoys the opportunities he has to help others. “You can really be a problem-solver,” Rex said. “It’s a good day when you can help a student, teacher, or parent.”

Rex first got to know Gabrielle when she invited his senior class to tour the Arizona State Capitol in 2003. When the students returned from their field trip, they told Rex that Giffords was “approachable, friendly and one of those adults who doesn’t talk down to young people.” Rex was also impressed at the personal attention Giffords gave to the students. “She did not fob them off on a staffer, but showed them around herself,” he said.

Later, Giffords returned to the Rex’s school for its commencement address. “Her speech was one of the highlights of our graduation ceremony,” Rex said, “and she stuck around to offer personal congratulations to graduates and their proud families.”

Giffords demonstrated her commitment to the school and its students when she helped the school obtain a grant for landscaping. Rex also recounts that Giffords wrote a personal check to his school to help it with tax credit donations. “We didn’t even ask for the check — she just knew that we needed tax credit donations,” he said.

“Many Giffords voters cite her accomplishments in the legislature, the priorities she has outlined for her campaign or the support she has garnered throughout Southern Arizona as reasons to send her to Washington,” Rex said. “But for me, it was what she did to help out the students at a tiny school not often recognized by others that clinched my support. Gabrielle Giffords is the sort of candidate I am proud to back. She is the right person to represent all of us in Congress.”

Rex and his wife, Teri, have 11-year-old twins named Caitlin and Trent.