Consistency, Heart, and Purpose

By Editor | August 12, 2025 |

Consistency, Heart, and Purpose

Boyatt becomes first woman named Athletic Director

By Shane Gilreath

“Being the first woman in this role at Scott High is something I’m extremely proud of,” said Morgan Boyatt, already an Assistant Principal at the school. “I love this school, and I take the job seriously. I make it my own by building strong relationships with coaches and athletes, and by working to promote and grow what it truly means to be a Highlander.”

It’s hard to say that Boyatt did not grow – fiercely –into the role. It was a journey, though, that took several years, belief, and determination, but somewhere in that perseverance demonstrates a genuine heart for service and a deep dedication to the students of Scott County.

“I actually started my career as a substitute teacher in Scott County Schools,” Boyatt told SCN. “That quickly turned into helping in the office and stepping in wherever I was needed.” That approachrevealed what Boyatt was made of – at least to anyone who was watching. “During the summers, I worked with the Scott County Technology Department, helping with student schedules,” she said.

The new Athletic Director eventually moved on to work with Douglas Cherokee Economic Authority,a community action agency that helps familiesin high poverty areas in Tennessee and Kentucky, workingas the agency’s after-school county coordinator, overseeing programming at Scott High andWinfield and BurchfieldElementaries. When thefunding for that program ended,Boyatt transitioned into a role as a Special Education Teaching Assistant at both Huntsville Middle and Scott High, never losing sight of her belief or the importance of education.Whilein Special Education, she earned her Master’s in Teaching Physical Education at the University of the Cumberlands, and landed her first teaching position at Coalfield as the P.E. teacher, but it wasn’t long before Scott County called her back home, allowing her the opportunity to teach the subject while completing studies in Instructional Leadership through Lincoln Memorial University.

“After finishing that program, I was hired as Assistant Principal at Scott High. I’m now starting my third year in that role,” she told SCN.

“I want to be approachable, consistent, and supportive—someone who listens and shows up,” she said of her role in administration. “I take a lot of pride in the culture at Scott High and want to make sure our school is a place where both students and staff feel valued and heard.”

Through that approach, Boyatt seeks to make the school a place that people are proud of – just as proud, one imagines, as she herself is, a pride and enthusiasm that emanates in her voice when she talks of the students and the career that she has built.

Now, that she has become Athletic Director, Boyatt will oversee all aspects of athletic programs – from helping hire coaches to making sure the rules and regulations are being upheld and supporting the student-athletes. She may well have been lead to that role – and her philosophical approach to it – by her high school basketball coach, Fred Snow, and the impact he had on her life.

“I looked up to him not just as a coach, but as a person,” she said, assuring SCN of the kind of man and coach Snow was and the role he played in her own life as a student-athlete. “He had this calm strength about him, and you always knew where you stood. I always wanted to make him proud. He was the kind of person who showed up for his players both on and off the court, and I wanted to have that same kind of influence. I chose education because I wanted to be that steady, positive presence for young people—just like he was for me.”

If that sounds familiar, it’s always been Boyatt’s aspiration and she hopes it resonates, long after she’s gone.

“I hope students remember that I truly cared and believed in them. That I held them to high expectations—but also supported them and made them feel loved,” she told SCN. “If they remember that someone showed up for them, pushed them, and celebrated them, then I’ll feel like I did my job.”

While fewer adolescent girls than boys report low self-esteem, according to a recent Yale University study, statistics for both teenage groups can be staggering. Building on that issue also plays a significant role in Boyatt’s approach, but in turning out well-educated, well-adjusted young leaders in Scott County. “They’re incredibly capable when they’re given a chance and the right kind of encouragement,” Boyatt said, clearly demonstrated her earnest belief in the pupils with which she works. “Our students are full of potential. They just need people in their corner who believe in them and help them see what they’re capable of.”

Athletics, says Boyatt, can play an incredible role in students’ lives and developing positives, life-changing insights, just as they did for Boyatt herself. “Growing up and now in my professional role, I’ve seen how sports can shape a person’s confidence, character, and drive,” she said. “For kids, athletics provide structure, discipline, and a sense of purpose. They teach how to work as a team, how to win and lose with grace, and how to persevere. In schools, sports bring people together. They help build school spirit, connect families, and give many students a reason to stay motivated. Athletics don’t just build athletes—they build people.”

Above all else – outside of football stadiums, off soccer pitches and basketball courts – Scott County students are real, Boyatt said, crediting them with achievements and self-realizations that defy their young years. “They show up as themselves—with pride, passion, and honesty,” she told SCN. “Our students work hard, speak up, and support each other in ways that matter. There’s a genuine strength in them that’s hard to miss, and it’s what makes being around them so meaningful.”

Being able to work with them, as they develop who they are and grow into the men and women who will shape Scott County tomorrow is a role that she doesn’t take lightly.

“Being able to serve Scott High in this way is a blessing,” Boyatt said. “I hope the impact I leave is one of showing others—especially young women—that hard work and dedication can open doors. Nothing has come easy, and I’ve had to work hard to get where I am. I want to be remembered for my resilience and for helping push things forward in a positive direction.”

Boyatt’s motto as she leaves her mark. It’s easy really – or so she makes it appear. “Work hard. Stay humble. Keep showing up,” she said. “That’s how I try to lead and live—consistently, with heart, and with purpose.”