Category: Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 24, 2017

Media Contact:Jarrod Nagurka

Georgia Student Wins
ACTE National Student Trophy Design Contest
Sophomore in Fayette County Public
Schools Wins National Award, Prize for School

Alexandria, VA  Today, the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) announced McIntosh High School sophomore BrooksBaro as the national student trophy design winner in its second annual student trophy design contest. Brooks is a sophomore at McIntosh High School in the Fayette County Public Schools in Georgia. His teacher is Larry Singleton, who teaches architectural drawing & design and AP computer science at McIntosh. The  contest was sponsored by Stratasys,Ltd., a manufacturer of 3D printers and production systems.

Since 1954, ACTE has awarded those who have made exemplary contributions in the field of career and technical education (CTE). The student trophy design contest is a competition for students to design the 3D trophy to be used to award the national winners at the association’s annual VISION conference. This years conference will be held in Nashville, TN with roughly 4,000 educators, administrators and CTE industry stakeholders in attendance. Brooks submission was selected by ACTE’s Board of Directors out of nearly 400 entries from students all across the country. In addition to having his design used to create this years trophies, Brooks will receive a $1,000 scholarship and McIntosh High School will receive a free one-year lease of a 3D printer,  courtesy of Stratasys, Ltd. ACTE will also provide Brooks and Mr. Singleton with a trip to Nashville to be honored at the awards banquet.

In his application, Brooks said designing was a major part of his life that he loved, while also stressing that persistence plays a key role in creating the perfect product. Like other students all across the country, CTE was critical to helping Brooks further his passion. He credited an architecture class with helping him enjoy using CAD [computer-aided design] programs.Brooks gave a nod to the importance of education in his design, describing the gimbal in his winning design as representing the fact that no matter what is happening around the world, teaching will always continue and be a major part of society.

CTE classrooms all across the country are breeding grounds for the next generation of American innovators, entrepreneurs, engineers, and more, said ACTE Executive Director LeAnn Wilson. Brooks outstanding achievement, and his testimonial about CTE, are further evidence of the critical role high-quality CTE plays in maintaining and growing America’s role in the global economy. We are so proud of Brooks and his accomplishments, and we are honored to have him be such a public ambassador for all that today’s CTE has to offer.

We were impressed with the high level of creativity among the many designs, says Gina Scala, Stratasys Director of Global Marketing for Education. The complex and moving parts in Brooks design, along with its aesthetics, make his entry stand out. Brooks project really showcased the
capabilities of additive technology. We are pleased to partner with ACTE to encourage the next generation of designers, coders and engineers, and we are excited to loan the 3D printer to McIntosh High School so Brooks and other students can continue to pursue their passions.

Brooks, ACTE and Stratasys are available for interviews upon request. Below are photos of Brooks trophy design and photos (courtesy Matthew Gambill) from the morning of August 24 when representatives  from Stratasys and Georgia ACTE met with Brooks and his class, Mr. Singleton,
and Fayette County Public Schools administrators to present the school with the 3D printer.

###

AboutACTE: 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.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 11, 2017

Media Contact:
Kate Dowdy, ACTE
703-683-9305; kdowdy@acteonline.org

ACTE Announces 2017 Region IV Excellence Award Winners, National Award Finalists

ALEXANDRIA, VA — The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2017 Region IV Excellence Awards:

ACTE Region IV Teacher of the Year—Jana McWhorter from Bearden, Arkansas

ACTE Region IV Career Guidance Award winner—Gay Johnson from Waxahachie, Texas

ACTE Region IV Administrator of the Year—Donna McKethan from Waco, Texas

ACTE Region IV Postsecondary Teacher of the Year—Dustin Hicks from Stillwater, Oklahoma

ACTE Region IV New Teacher of the Year—Mary Helen Lett from Brooklyn, Mississippi

ACTE Region IV Carl Perkins Community Service Award winner—Richard Stewart from Tulsa, Oklahoma

ACTE Region IV Lifetime Achievement Award—Carol Colwell from Enid, Oklahoma

The Region winners were announced at an awards ceremony during the ACTE Region IV conference in Biloxi, Mississippi on April 8, 2016. Region winners were selected from among state award winners in Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

The ACTE Excellence Awards promote merit in career and technical education (CTE) by recognizing individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to CTE, programs that exemplify the highest standards and organizations that have conducted activities to promote and expand CTE programs. Award winners serve as inspirational leaders to ACTE: they embody the core values of serving students and being committed to CTE. For more information about the ACTE Excellence Awards, please click here.

The Region IV winners will progress as national finalists in their categories. The national winners will be announced at the ACTE Awards Banquet, a dinner and award presentation recognizing the best CTE educators in the country, which will take place on December 6, 2017 during ACTE’s CareerTech VISION 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee.

###

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.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
August 8, 2017 

Media Contact: Jarrod Nagurka
jnagurka@acteonline.org; 703-683-9312

North Carolina Association for Career and Technical Education Unifies with National ACTE

Alexandria, VA – The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) congratulates the North Carolina Association for Career and Technical Education (NCACTE) on its decision to formally unify with the national association. Spearheaded by the leadership of NCACTE President Rodney Smith and Executive Director Ruth Huff, and with the support of North Carolina CTE Director Jo Anne Honeycutt, the state-based association is now officially unified with the national body. The move will benefit career and technical education (CTE) professionals and students throughout the state.

As a result of the unification, NCACTE members can now simultaneously join both their state and national professional membership associations. In doing so, NCACTE has secured access for its members to the national association’s extensive professional development resources, federal public policy advocacy and leadership opportunities. Organizationally, NCACTE will now benefit from a variety of association management services, ranging from online membership processing to the use of new electronic communications tools used by ACTE. The partnership will strengthen ACTE’s ability to connect with CTE stakeholders in North Carolina, and give NCACTE members a louder voice in national policy discussions.

“ACTE’s Board of Directors and I are excited to grow our partnership with NCACTE and their community of CTE professionals and students,” said ACTE Executive Director LeAnn Wilson. “High-quality CTE provides students with opportunities to pursue the American Dream, and we look forward to working hand-in-hand with our partners in North Carolina to make sure every student is prepared for career success”

“I am excited for the benefits our North Carolina members will receive as a result of the unification,” said Smith. “Working together, I look forward to what the next year will bring for our state. We have an energetic board for 2017-18 that is eager to work and grow NCACTE into a powerhouse for CTE educators.”

“We believe that working together is key to advancing CTE and accomplishing the necessary work for our stakeholders,” said Honeycutt. “The impact we can have collectively is greater than the impact we will have working separately.”

###

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.

ACTE announced the three 2018 Image Award winners. Those winners are: William J. Nelson, 2018 ACTE Business Leader of the Year; Dr. Kenneth Wallace, 2018 ACTE Champion of the Year; John Deere, 2018 ACTE Business of the Year.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 26, 2017

Media Contact:
Kate Dowdy, ACTE
703-683-9305; kdowdy@acteonline.org

ACTE Announces 2017 Region III Excellence Award Winners, National Award Finalists

 

ALEXANDRIA, VA—The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2017 Region III Excellence Awards:

ACTE Region III Teacher of the Year—Jill Johnson from St. Paul, Minnesota

ACTE Region III Career Guidance Award winner—Carrie Hanson from Alexandria, Minnesota

ACTE Region III Administrator of the Year—Michael Lehn from St. Cloud, Minnesota

ACTE Region III Postsecondary Teacher of the Year—Sally E. Arnett-Hartwick from Normal, Illinois

ACTE Region III New Teacher of the Year—Elizabeth Chambers from Freeport, Illinois

ACTE Region III Carl Perkins Community Service Award winner—Tiffany Kauffman from Seymour, Missouri

ACTE Region III Lifetime Achievement Award—Jeanette A. Karjala from Winona, Minnesota

The Region winners were announced at an awards ceremony during the ACTE Region III conference in Indianapolis, Indiana on June 23, 2017. Region winners were selected from among state award winners in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin.

The ACTE Excellence Awards promote merit in career and technical education (CTE) by recognizing individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to CTE, programs that exemplify the highest standards and organizations that have conducted activities to promote and expand CTE programs. Award winners serve as inspirational leaders to ACTE: they embody the core values of serving students and being committed to CTE. For more information about the ACTE Excellence Awards, please click here.

The Region III winners will progress as national finalists in their categories. The national winners will be announced at the ACTE Awards Banquet, a dinner and award presentation recognizing the best CTE educators in the country, which will take place on December 6, 2017 during ACTE’s CareerTech VISION 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee.

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.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 22, 2017

Media Contacts:

Jarrod Nagurka, ACTE
jnagurka@acteonline.org; 703-683-9312

Katie Fitzgerald, Advance CTE
kfitzgerald@careertech.org; 301-588-9630 

National CTE Associations Representing State and Local Leaders Applaud House Passage of H.R. 2353

Alexandria, VA – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted by voice vote to pass H.R. 2353, the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act. The bill would reauthorize the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins) through Fiscal Year (FY) 2023.

The following joint statement can be attributed to LeAnn Wilson, executive director of the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), and Kimberly Green, executive director of Advance CTE:

“As leaders of organizations representing the broad community of CTE stakeholders and professionals, we commend Representatives Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), along with leadership from both parties, particularly Education and the Workforce Committee Chair Virginia Foxx (R-NC) and Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), for their strong commitment and bipartisan efforts to support career and technical education (CTE).

“The passage of H.R. 2353 reflects not only the 100-year history of bipartisan support for CTE, but also nods to the bright future ahead for CTE, and its ability to provide learners across the country with opportunities for postsecondary and career success. This bill ensures that the good work already happening in states and local communities can continue, while also underscoring the important role CTE has in closing the skills gap. The addition of the local needs assessment will expand the use of data in driving fiscal and policy decisions and be a pivotal tool in ensuring equitable access for all students.

“In addition to those important updates, the bill authorizes appropriations that increase annually at a rate of 1.38 percent. While the authorization levels would still not completely restore the massive funding cuts made to Perkins in FY 2011, the bill is a positive step in the right direction and we are pleased to support it. The passage of this bill also sends a strong bipartisan message that the House supports increasing – not cutting – federal funding for CTE.

“While the bill has garnered our support, there is one important outstanding issue to be resolved, the bill’s proposed definition for a secondary CTE concentrator. As written, the definition would be harmful to accurately demonstrating CTE’s impact and result in misleading data regarding student success. We look forward to resolution of this important concern.

“We now urge leaders in the Senate to capitalize on the momentum and spirit of the House-passed bill and continue this bipartisan effort to reauthorize Perkins.”

###

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.

About Advance CTE
Advance CTE: State Leaders Connecting Learning to Work is the longest-standing national non-profit that represents State Directors and state leaders responsible for secondary, postsecondary and adult Career Technical Education (CTE) across all 50 states and U.S. territories. Established in 1920, Advance CTE supports visionary state leadership, cultivates best practices and speaks with a collective voice on national policy to promote academic and technical excellence that ensures a career-ready workforce. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
May 23, 2017

Media Contacts:

Jarrod Nagurka, ACTE

Katie Fitzgerald, Advance CTE
Kfitzgerald@careertech.org
301-588-9630  

ACTE, Advance CTE Statement on President’s FY18 Budget 

Alexandria, VA – The following is a joint statement from the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) and Advance CTE in response to the $168 million cut to state grants for career and technical education (CTE) included in the President’s Fiscal Year 2018 budget. The statement comes after ACTE and Advance CTE issued a joint statement last week amid reports in The Washington Post of the cuts. Today’s joint statement can be attributed to LeAnn Wilson, executive director of ACTE, and Kimberly Green, executive director of Advance CTE.

“While the Trump Administration talks about supporting workforce and skills development, this dramatic cut is nothing short of an attack on CTE and the students and employers who benefit from it. At a time when millions of job openings go unfilled every year due to shortages in the skilled, technical workforce, President Trump should double-down on an investment in CTE, not propose drastic cuts.

“This proposed $168 million cut from state grants for CTE significantly reduces states’ abilities to use these resources to improve and expand CTE programs based on their specific needs. It’s incredulous that an Administration that wishes to devolve authority to the states proposes to increase its own funding at the federal level by $20 million; this essentially equates to taking funds out of the pockets of states, colleges and schools to a create a new, untested program run by the Secretary of Education.

“As a businessman who has employed a range of employees – from engineers to computer programmers – the president is well-positioned to appreciate the importance of a skilled workforce that meets the demands of today’s economy. Unfortunately, this budget falls woefully short in its commitment to students, employers, and the next generation American workforce. We urge the President to review the far-reaching impact CTE has on all facets of the economy, and to make investing in CTE a priority.

“As leaders of two organizations representing the broad CTE community, we strongly oppose the proposed cuts to CTE and will work closely with Congress to prevent the implementation of this destructive budget.”

###

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.

About Advance CTE
Advance CTE: State Leaders Connecting Learning to Work is the longest-standing national non-profit that represents State Directors and state leaders responsible for secondary, postsecondary and adult Career Technical Education (CTE) across all 50 states and U.S. territories. Established in 1920, Advance CTE supports visionary state leadership, cultivates best practices and speaks with a collective voice on national policy to promote academic and technical excellence that ensures a career-ready workforce. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 17, 2017

Media Contacts:

Jarrod Nagurka, ACTE
jnagurka@acteonline.org
703-683-9312

Katie Fitzgerald, Advance CTE
Kfitzgerald@careertech.org
301-588-9630  

ACTE, Advance CTE Statement on Reported Cuts to CTE in President’s FY18 Budget

Alexandria, VA – The following is a statement in response to a report in The Washington Post revealing a $168 million cut to career and technical education (CTE) in the President’s Fiscal Year 2018 budget. The joint statement can be attributed to LeAnn Wilson, executive director of the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), and Kimberly Green, executive director of Advance CTE.

“Reports of a $168 million cut to career and technical education in the President’s FY18 budget are damaging and demoralizing for millions of students, parents and employers alike. If reports are accurate, this budget does not reflect the vital role CTE plays in securing a strong talent pool to help America’s economy grow and innovate.

“This draconian cut to federal funding for CTE is an extremely disappointing departure for a President who just last month claimed his administration was ‘working to ensure our workers are trained for the skilled technical jobs that will, in the future, power our country.’ This budget would also directly contradict a recent claim by Secretary DeVos that ‘this Administration is committed to supporting and highlighting career and technical education…’

“Cuts to CTE funding would ignore employers’ consistent warnings of significant workforce shortages that are negatively impacting their businesses. Over the next several years, millions of high-wage, high-skill careers will go unfilled because the labor market does not have enough skilled workers to meet the demands of today’s economy. Career and technical education helps fuel the talent pipeline for the next generation of skilled American workers, yet the President’s budget would cut off the pipeline, depriving schools all across the country of critical resources used to ensure students have access to high-quality CTE.

“Just days before the 2016 election, speaking about CTE, the President said that, ‘We’re going to start it up big league.’ This budget wouldn’t be big league, it would be a swing and a miss for students and employers. We implore President Trump to reconsider his FY18 budget and support a significant new investment in federal support for CTE.”

###

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.

About Advance CTE
Advance CTE: State Leaders Connecting Learning to Work is the longest-standing national non-profit that represents State Directors and state leaders responsible for secondary, postsecondary and adult Career Technical Education (CTE) across all 50 states and U.S. territories. Established in 1920, Advance CTE supports visionary state leadership, cultivates best practices and speaks with a collective voice on national policy to promote academic and technical excellence that ensures a career-ready workforce. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 4, 2017

Media Contacts:
Jarrod Nagurka, ACTE
703-683-9312; jnagurka@acteonline.org

Katie Fitzgerald, Advance CTE
301-588-9630; kfitzgerald@careertech.org  

ACTE, Advance CTE Statement on Perkins Reauthorization Introduction

Alexandria, VA – Today, Representatives Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) introduced the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act to reauthorize the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins). This bill builds on last year’s effort to reauthorize the Perkins Act, H.R. 5587, which overwhelming passed the House in September 2016 but was not considered in the Senate.

Following the bill’s introduction, the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) and Advance CTE released the following joint statement:

“We commend the bill’s sponsors for their continued commitment to a bipartisan Perkins reauthorization process and to their dedication to strengthening the CTE ecosystem. Previous efforts to reauthorize Perkins took important steps to promote high-quality CTE programs of study, give states and locals additional flexibility to meet local employer and student needs, promote program alignment and streamline administrative requirements. We hope this year’s reauthorization will build on past efforts to enhance and expand access to high-quality CTE programs for students all across the country.

“The Perkins Act is a critical investment in our nation’s education and workforce development systems and helps to prepare youth and adults for success in the 21st century economy. On behalf of tens of thousands of CTE professionals, we look forward to continuing to work with Congress as the reauthorization legislation moves forward.”

###

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.

About Advance CTE
Advance CTE: State Leaders Connecting Learning to Work is the longest-standing national non-profit that represents State Directors and state leaders responsible for secondary, postsecondary and adult Career Technical Education (CTE) across all 50 states and U.S. territories. Established in 1920, Advance CTE supports visionary state leadership, cultivates best practices and speaks with a collective voice on national policy to promote academic and technical excellence that ensures a career-ready workforce. 

ACTE Announces 2017 Region I Excellence Award Winners, National Award Finalists

ALEXANDRIA, VA—The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2017 Region I Excellence Awards:

• ACTE Region I Teacher of the Year—Linda Romano from Newburgh, New York
• ACTE Region I Administrator of the Year—Tim Buschur from Celina, Ohio
• ACTE Region I Postsecondary Teacher of the Year—Tracy Campbell from Columbus, Ohio
• ACTE Region I New Teacher of the Year—Keely DiTizio from Woodstown, New Jersey
• ACTE Region I Carl Perkins Community Service Award winner—Stephanie Jolliff from Mt. Victory, Ohio
• ACTE Region I Lifetime Achievement Award—Cathy Bither from Houlton, Maine

The Region winners were announced at an awards ceremony during the ACTE Region I conference in New York City on April 27, 2017. Region winners were selected from among state award winners in Maine, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The ACTE Excellence Awards promote merit in career and technical education (CTE) by recognizing individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to CTE, programs that exemplify the highest standards and organizations that have conducted activities to promote and expand CTE programs. Award winners serve as inspirational leaders to ACTE: they embody the core values of serving students and being committed to CTE. For more information about the ACTE Excellence Awards, please click here.

The Region I winners will progress as national finalists in their categories. The national winners will be announced at the ACTE Awards Banquet, a dinner and award presentation recognizing the best CTE educators in the country, which will take place on December 6, 2017 during ACTE’s CareerTech VISION 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee.

###

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.