ACTE Announces National Award Finalists

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 11, 2016

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

ACTE Announces National Award Finalists  

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Today, the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) announced the regional winners of seven different awards in ACTE’s five regions. The regional winners now move on as national finalists to be named as national winners for the: Administrator of the Year, Career Guidance Award, Carl Perkins Community Service Award, Lifetime Achievement Award, New Teacher of the Year, Postsecondary Teacher of the Year and Teacher of the Year.

The national winners will be announced at the ACTE Awards Banquet, a dinner and award presentation recognizing the best CTE educators in the country. The event will take place on Wednesday evening, November 30, during ACTE’s CareerTech VISION 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Awards Banquet is sponsored by Express Employment Professionals, the US Army, CareerSafe, Certiport, Stratasys, and International Baccalaureate. For more information about the ACTE Excellence Awards, visit the webpage here.

National Finalists and Regional Winners:

Administrator of the Year

Dave Keaton—Houlton, ME
National Finalist and Region I Winner, Administrator of the Year
Director and Superintendent of the Region Two School of Applied Technology

Sherri Yarborough—Moore, SC
National Finalist and Region II Winner, Administrator of the Year
Director at R.D. Anderson Applied Technology Center

Samuel Cotton—Muncie, IN
National Finalist and Region III Winner, Administrator of the Year
Professor and Chairperson for the Department of Technology at Ball State University

Richard Lowe—Chickasha, OK
National Finalist and Region IV Winner, Administrator of the Year
Industrial Coordinator for Canadian Valley Technology Center

DeLayne Havlovic – Omaha, NE
National Finalist and Region V Winner, Administrator of the Year
Curriculum Supervisor for Omaha Public Schools

 

Career Guidance Award

Tracy Hetrick—Englewood, OH
National Finalist and Region I Winner, Career Guidance Award
Guidance Counselor at Miami Valley Career Technology Center

Monica Crenshaw—Moultrie, GA
National Finalist and Region II Winner, Career Guidance Award
Counselor at Colquitt County High School

Shelli Sowles—White Bear Lake, MN
National Finalist and Region III Winner, Career Guidance Award
College and Career Readiness Specialist for Northeast Metro ISD 916

Amy Kuhns—Crowley, TX
National Finalist and Region IV Winner, Career Guidance Award
Special Education Coordinator for Crowley ISD

Tina Boone—Billings, MT
National Finalist and Region V Winner, Career Guidance Award
School Counseling Department Head

 

Carl Perkins Community Service Award

Leon Grant—Marietta, GA
National Finalist and Region II Winner, Carl Perkins Community Service Award
Pre-Engineering Instructor at Marietta City Schools

T.J. Brown—Springfield, MN
National Finalist and Region III Winner, Carl Perkins Community Service Award
Agricultural Teacher at Springfield Public Schools

Sue Gibson—Crossett, AR
National Finalist and Region IV Winner, Carl Perkins Community Service Award
Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher at Crossett Middle School

John Rist—Viborg, SD
National Finalist and Region V Winner, Carl Perkins Community Service Award
Agricultural Education Instructor at Viborg-Hurley Schools

 

Lifetime Achievement Award

Sarah Hallman—Prattville, AL
National Finalist and Region II Winner, Lifetime Achievement Award
Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher at Autauga County Technology Center

Peggy Wild—Indiana
National Finalist and Region III Winner, Lifetime Achievement Award
State Director for CTE for the Indiana Department of Education

Donna Metcalf—Wilburton, OK
National Finalist and Region IV Winner, Lifetime Achievement Award
Organizational and Instructional Coordinator for Kiamichi Technology Center

Beverly Rieck—Dell Rapids, SD
National Finalist and Region V Winner, Lifetime Achievement Award
Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher at Dell Rapids Public Schools

 

New Teacher of the Year

Alison Reece—Houlton, ME
National Finalist and Region I Winner, New Teacher of the Year
Early Childhood Education Teacher at Region Two School of Applied Technology

Jacob Ball—Bardstown, KY
National Finalist and Region II Winner, New Teacher of the Year
Agriculture Teacher at Nelson County High School

Lindsey Brown—Mountain Lake, MN
National Finalist and Region III Winner, New Teacher of the Year
Agricultural Teacher at Mountain Lake High School

Justin Nisbett—Stillwater, OK
National Finalist and Region IV Winner, New Teacher of the Year
Precision Metal Fabrication Instructor at Meridian Technology Center

Chad Eichenlaub—St. Regis, MT
National Finalist and Region V Winner, New Teacher of the Year
Business Teacher for St. Regis School District

 

Postsecondary Teacher of the Year

Mark Edington—Marion, OH
National Finalist and Region I Winner, Postsecondary Teacher of the Year
Industrial Robotics Instructor for Tri Rivers Career Center

Kim Holdbrooks Townsel—Jacksonville, AL
National Finalist and Region II Winner, Postsecondary Teacher of the Year
Program Chair for CTE at Jacksonville State University

Edward Lazaros—Muncie, IN
National Finalist and Region III Winner, Postsecondary Teacher of the Year
Professor of Technology at Ball State University

Gay Simpson—Enid, OK
National Finalist and Region IV Winner, Postsecondary Teacher of the Year
Instructor for the Oklahoma Department of Career Tech Skills Centers

Carol Werhan—West Lafayette, IN
National Finalist and Region V Winner, Postsecondary Teacher of the Year
Associate Professor and Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Educator at Purdue University

 

Teacher of the Year

Brandon Soards—Rockland, ME
National Finalist and Region I Winner, Teacher of the Year
Design/Technology Instructor at Mid-Coast School of Technology

Sarah Raikes—Springfield, KY
National Finalist and Region II Winner, Teacher of the Year
Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher at Washington County High School

Callon Siebenahler—St. Paul, MN
National Finalist and Region III Winner, Teacher of the Year
Business Education Teacher at South St. Paul Secondary School

Bart Taylor—College Station, TX
National Finalist and Region IV Winner, Teacher of the Year
Information Technology Teacher at A&M Consolidated High School

Wendy Frazier-Snyder—American Fork, UT
National Finalist and Region V Winner, Teacher of the Year
Digital Media Instructor at American Fork High School

 

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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, guidance counselors 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.