FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 7, 2006

CONTACT: Sabrina Kidwai (703) 683-9312; skidwai@acteonline.org

ALEXANDRIA, VA- The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) announces that Leslie Watkins of Paducah, Kentucky has been named the ACTE Teacher of the Year. Watkins received the award at the ACTE Annual Convention and Career Tech Expo on December 1 in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Recipients of this award are recognized for providing their communities with outstanding career and technical education programs. The award winner, selected by the ACTE Awards Committee, must have made significant contributions toward innovative, unique and novel programs that are serving to improve and promote career and technical education.

Watkins teaches Family and Consumer Science at Reidland High School where she developed Culinary and Early Childhood programs. Watkins received her National Board Certification and took classes at the Culinary Institute of America to prepare for the new programs. She develops lessons and programs that students can apply in the real world.

Before she came to Reidland, Watkins worked at a school with a ten percent teen pregnancy rate.  Recognizing the need to address this problem, she wrote a proposal for a school day care program, and received a grant to implement it. She also established “Project Graduation,” which is designed to prevent alcohol related car accidents by organizing safe after-prom and graduation activities.

Watkins has been a member of ACTE for six years and was a representative on the Kentucky ACTE board.  She is the president of the National Association of Teacher Educators for Family and Consumer Sciences, and has been a presenter at several ACTE conferences, including the 2002 National Policy Seminar.  A very observant educator, Watkins uses career and technical education to improve the lives of her students.  One colleague states that Watkins “lives what she teaches in her classroom. She is such a positive role model for everyone in the community.” 

For more information on ACTE’s award program and its Annual Convention, visit the Association’s Web site at www.acteonline.org.

The Association for Career and Technical Education is the national professional association for the field of career and technical education.  Now in it’s 80th year, ACTE’s membership numbers more than 30,000 teachers, counselors and administrators at the middle school, high school and postsecondary levels.

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