ACTE Excellence Awards
Congratulations to the National Award Finalists
The national winners will be announced at the ACTE Awards Gala, a dinner and award presentation recognizing the best CTE educators in the country. The event will take place on Wednesday evening, December 4, during ACTE’s CareerTech VISION 2019 in Anaheim, CA. The Awards Gala is sponsored by Express Employment Professionals, Goodheart-Willcox, CareerSafe, and Stratasys. For more information about the ACTE Excellence Awards, visit our webpage.
Teacher of the Year Award
Aaron Geiman
Westminster, MD—Region I
Neil Pearson
Willmar, MN—Region III
Michael Lindley
Wetumka, OK—Region IV
Kristine Spath
Waverly, NE—Region V
Postsecondary Teacher of the Year Award
Jan Held Woodworth
Oswego, NY—Region I
Robert Clark
Glen Ellyn, IL—Region III
Josie Scott
Oklahoma City, OK—Region IV
Jo Wu
Fullerton, CA—Region V
Administrator of the Year Award
Debra Miller
Portage, MI—Region I
Kathryn Kittel
St. Paul, MN—Region III
Rex Buckhaults
Laurel, MS—Region IV
Robert Weir
Cottonwood, AZ—Region V
New Teacher of the Year Award
Jenny Allen
Newton, NJ—Region I
Katherine Lechleitner
Shakopee, MN—Region III
Jason Clary
Madisonville, TX—Region IV
Aubry Weigel
Wichita, KS—Region V
Teacher Educator of the Year Award
Chris Merrill
Normal, IL—Region III
Deborah Handy
Pullman, WA—Region V
Career Guidance Award
Camille Greening
Mt. Pleasant, MI—Region I
Julie Hill
Thorntown, IN—Region III
Candace McGowan
Grapevine, TX—Region IV
Lori Luzier
Surprise, AZ—Region V
Lifetime Achievement Award
Thomas Applegate
Westerville, OH—Region I
Ginny Karbowski
Shoreview, MN—Region III
Don Roberts
Enid, OK—Region IV
Wayne Kutzer
Bismarck, ND—Region V
Lifetime Achievement Award
Jessica Daberkow
Sherburn, MN—Region III
Sandra Patocka
Enid, OK—Region IV
Cheryl Uceny
Kittitas, WA—Region V
The ACTE® Excellence Awards recognize excellence and dedication within the field of career and technical education among ACTE members. Recipients of these awards are exceptional individuals who have contributed to the success of CTE through the quality of their work and their involvement in the CTE community. Candidates and winners are recognized at three levels: state, regional, and national. As of 2017, the Excellence Awards program has been integrated with ACTE’s High Quality CTE Framework. New nominations will follow updated guidelines, which can be found below.
All Excellence Awards are administered by the ACTE Awards Committee, which comprises one representative from each of ACTE’s five Regions and a chair. The Awards Committee is responsible for recommending awards programs to the Association’s Board of Directors, setting criteria for awards, reviewing applications, recommending award recipients to the Board and overseeing all aspects of the recognition program for award winners. Applications for the ACTE Excellence Awards are accepted online via the ACTE Awards Portal.
There are eight (8) Excellence Awards:
Teacher of the Year
| This award recognizes the finest career and technical teachers at the middle/secondary 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. |
Administrator of the Year
| This award recognizes administrative CTE professionals at the school, district, county, state or federal level who have demonstrated leadership in ensuring teacher and student success and have made significant contributions toward innovative, unique and effective career and technical education programs. |
Postsecondary Teacher of the Year
| This award recognizes the finest career and technical teachers at the postsecondary level who have demonstrated innovation in the classroom, commitment to their students and dedication to the improvement of CTE in their institutions and communities. |
Career Guidance Award
| This award recognizes school counselors and career development professionals who have demonstrated commitment to connecting students with opportunities for success, shown innovation in career exploration and development, and have advocated for CTE as a viable option for all students. |
New Teacher of the Year
| This award recognizes new CTE teachers who have made significant contributions toward innovative and unique career and technical education programs and shown a professional commitment early in their careers. |
Teacher Educator of the Year
| This award recognizes teacher educators who have demonstrated innovation in teacher education, leadership in improving CTE, and commitment to preparing teachers to deliver high quality CTE programs. |
Carl Perkins Community Service Award
| This award recognizes individuals who have used CTE to make a significant impact on their community and demonstrated leadership in programs and activities that promote student involvement in community service. |
Lifetime Achievement Award
| This award recognizes CTE professionals for their leadership on behalf of ACTE, their innovations in CTE and their contributions to the field over an extended period of time. |