What drives an award-winning educator through their toughest days? We asked ACTE’s 2025 Excellence Award winners — who were honored at ACTE’s CareerTech VISION 2024 — to share the songs that fuel their passion, the student moments that keep them inspired, and how ACTE has supported their success in career and technical education. From power ballads to personal breakthroughs, these outstanding educators know the power of the right soundtrack.
“My students have shown me the power of resilience and curiosity in learning,” shared Nickolas Lebo, ACTE’s Teacher of the Year. “Their ability to embrace new challenges with a growth mindset has inspired me to stay adaptable and open to evolving teaching methods.”
Attend the Awards Gala at VISION 2025, Dec. 9, and join in the celebration! Together we’ll crown a new crop of CTE professionals transforming workforce education.
A quarter for your thoughts
Here’s what our award winners are listening to. Send us your own workday theme songs for a chance to see them featured on a playlist at ACTE’s CareerTech VISION.
- “One Moment in Time” by Whitney Houston
- “High School Never Ends” by Bowling for Soup
- “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor
- “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey
- “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
- “Unstoppable” by Sia
- “Takin’ Care of Business” by Bachman–Turner Overdrive
An honor well deserved
Do you know an outstanding educator who is worthy of recognition? If you’ve ever considered nominating a colleague for an ACTE award, we hope you do! How you represent a candidate’s accomplishments is critical in making the best impression on our judges. Here are some tips for making the most out of your nomination.
- Does your nomination address the criteria for the award? Looking at the rubric will give you an idea of what areas are most important.
- Are you being descriptive enough with your candidate’s achievements? How did the nominee contribute to the goal, and what were the end results? Include measurable outcomes or milestones where possible.
- What makes this candidate unique from others in the profession? Provide concrete examples.
- Can you sum up in one sentence why the nominee deserves recognition? Keep your writing focused and make every word count.
- Is it easy for the reader to follow your train of thought? Identify how every point addresses the criteria for the award. Explain achievements in plain language. Judges may not be familiar with activities that are specific to your content area or program.
