Top Career and Technical Education Teachers and CTE Student of the Year were recently applauded. The Career & Technical Education Advisory Council of Suffolk Public Schools held its annual awards luncheon May 19 and announced the CTE Teacher of the Year, the CTE Rookie Teacher of the Year, and the CTE Student of the Year.

Betty Jo English, a business and information technology teacher at King’s Fork Middle School, was named the Career & Technical Education Teacher of the Year. She has been teaching full-time at the middle school since August, but has been a business teacher at The Pruden Center for Industry and Technology since 1977. At King’s Fork, she is a Future Business Leader of America adviser, chair of the school newsletter, and sponsor of the Great Computer Challenge club. Ms. English earned her National Board of Professional Teaching Standards certification in 2001 and has also earned the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) industry certification. She is a well-known presenter at local, state and national conferences on using the Internet in the classroom. CTE Teachers of the Year nominated by their schools included Beverly Brown of Forest Glen Middle School, Michelle Bailey of John Yeates Middle School, Emily Cross of Lakeland High School, Tina Paul of Nansemond River High School, and Craig Cope of The Pruden Center for Industry and Technology.

Audrey Copeland, a family and consumer sciences teacher at Nansemond River High School, was named the Career & Technical Education Rookie Teacher of the Year. She started her career in Suffolk Public Schools in 2002, and serves as one of the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America advisers and chair of the school safety committee. The FCCLA chapter has more than tripled its student membership in the past two years, and students have earned Best in Show trophies at local events and earned the honor to compete at state and national competitions. Before joining the teaching profession, Ms. Copeland worked with the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service, in financial services, in retail management, and in fashion merchandising. CTE Rookie Teachers of the Year nominated by their schools included Wendy Smith of John F. Kennedy Middle School, Lisa Kirkman of John Yeates Middle School, and Phyllis Elmore of Lakeland High School.

Marlana Ashe, a senior at Nansemond River High School, was named the Career & Technical Education Student of the Year. This honor includes a $500 cash award presented by Ciba Specialty Chemicals. An honor graduate, she completed a program of study in business and information technology, as well as advanced academic courses. She is a member of the FBLA, and has served this year as treasurer of the Beta Club, and Senior Class President.

Also honored Wednesday were the two local projects selected to represent Suffolk Public Schools in the Virginia Career and Technical Education &uot;Creating Excellence&uot; Awards program. The individual winner was Betty Jo English for &uot;March Madness Integrated Applications.&uot; Middle school students used the Internet and a spreadsheet program to figure out the best plane ticket costs to travel between the NCAA basketball tournament games. The group winners were Beverly Brown, Linda Drummond, Nathan Rountree, and Patricia Whitehead of Forest Glen Middle School for &uot;Project Path to Success.&uot;

Middle school students benefited from a variety of CTE Week activities, including career days, field trips to the community college and the Pruden Center, and presentations by an author and consultant to students, teachers and parents about creative writing through black American storytelling.