ACTE Announces Oklahoma Agriculture Business Coordinator/Manager at Mid-America Technology Center, as National Award Finalist
ALEXANDRIA, VA—Today, the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) announced Jona Kay Squires, Agriculture Business Coordinator/Manager at Mid-America Technology Center, as the 2025 ACTE Region IV Postsecondary Professional of the Year. This award recognizes the finest career and technical education (CTE) educators at the postsecondary school level who have demonstrated innovation in the classroom, commitment to their students and dedication to the improvement of CTE in their institutions and communities.
Jona Kay Squires embodies the career technical education (CTE) legacy, deeply rooted in agriculture and FFA, influenced by parents who dedicated 56 years to CTE teaching. As a former state FFA officer and CTE intern, her passion for teaching and entrepreneurship blossomed. With 26 years of CTE experience, she thrives as an agriculture business coordinator, guiding aspiring entrepreneurs.
Her journey has been shaped by dedicated role models who encouraged her leadership in the Association for Career Technical Education (ACTE) at the state, regional, and national levels. Jona Kay served as the Oklahoma ACTE President in 2013-14 and has been an ACTE Fellow and Dupont Agriscience Teacher Ambassador, presenting at prestigious conferences including the National Association of Agricultural Educators National Conference, ACTE Conference, and ACTE Region IV Conference.
Additionally, she received the Oklahoma ACTE New Teacher Award and the NAAE Region II New Teacher Award in 2004, along with the Post Secondary Adult Career Education Economic Development Award in 2022 and the PACE Award of Excellence in 2023. Proudly nominated for the ACTE Post Secondary Professional Award, her mantra of service, growth, and nurturing others resonates deeply, as she believes that through these actions, life inevitably becomes better.
Jona Kay and her husband Mark have three grown children and three grandchildren, enjoying their time working and helping with the family farm.
Squires is one of five finalists for the 2025 national title. The national winner will be announced at the ACTE Awards Gala, an award presentation recognizing the best CTE educators in the country. The event will take place on December 4, at 7:00 p.m. The Awards Gala is sponsored by Express Employment Professionals, Goodheart-Willcox, The Army, and Stratasys. For more information about the ACTE Excellence Awards, visit our webpage.
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About ACTE
The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) is the nation’s largest not-for-profit association committed to the advancement of education that prepares youth and adults for successful careers. ACTE represents the community of CTE professionals, including educators, administrators, researchers, school counselors, guidance and career development professionals and others at all levels of education. ACTE is committed to excellence in providing advocacy, public awareness and access to resources, professional development and leadership opportunities.
Cheronie Blunt
Dr. T.J. Brown is an award-winning faculty member at South Central College in North Mankato, MN. T.J. has served SCC as an instructor since 2017, with many contributions extending beyond the classroom. This includes volunteering on several area advisory committees, southern Minnesota foundation boards, and his church.
Dr. Kenneth W. Flowers has been the Provost and Vice President of Academics at Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor, Michigan, since August 2022. In this role, he oversees all academic divisions, including Career and Workforce Education, Health Sciences, and Arts and Sciences. His leadership has been crucial in launching several innovative CTE programs, including Marine Maintenance, Police Academy, E-Sports, Culinary Medicine, Exercise Science, Mechatronics, and Digital Marketing.
Sarah Hubel has emerged as an inspiring Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) educator and FCCLA advisor, passionately dedicating her four-year career to fostering student growth and engagement. Through her innovative approach, she emphasizes the importance of career exploration and active involvement in the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) organization, empowering students to take charge of their futures.
Wyatt Gerth, affectionately known as “Mr. G” by his students, began a transformative chapter in his career in the fall of 2019 at Tri County Tech in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Faced with the retirement of the Graphics Communication program’s long-time instructor, Wyatt saw an opportunity to innovate. He seamlessly merged the existing curriculum with his own vision, creating the Creative Marketing Communications program, which has since become a cornerstone of the school’s offerings.
Emily Daniel is a distinguished Culinary Arts Instructor and FCCLA Advisor at Nevada Regional Technical Center, where her passion for Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) truly shines. Currently serving as the President of the Missouri Family and Consumer Sciences (MoEFCS) and the Chair of the Missouri Association for Career and Technical Education (MOACTE) Awards Committee. Emily is recognized for her exemplary leadership and commitment to the field. Emily’s journey into education began in her hometown of Greenfield, Missouri, where she grew up on a family farm as a third-generation beef cattle producer. Her early involvement in FCCLA at the local, regional, and state levels during high school ignited her enthusiasm for FCS. She continued to foster this passion at Missouri State University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Family and Consumer Science while being an active FCCLA member.
Dr. Stephen E. Bergey currently serves as the Senior Aerospace Science (Air Force Junior ROTC) Instructor at Etowah High School within the Cherokee County School District, Georgia. A five-year veteran of the profession, Steve brings innovative techniques to the classroom, which he developed during his 20-year career in the military and diplomatic service of the federal government. Additionally, he has teaching experience at both the United States Air Force Academy and Georgia State University.
Brielle Haupt has been a dedicated Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher at Brighton High School for approximately four years, specializing in Health Occupations and Pre-Med Science. A 2012 graduate of Brighton High School, Brielle pursued her passion for healthcare by earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Loyola University of Chicago in 2016. She began her career as an Emergency Room Nurse, and while working in this demanding role, she completed her master’s degree as a Family Nurse Practitioner from Michigan State University in 2020.
