Current Award Recipients

The Washington Association for Career and Technical Education’s Awards seek to promote excellence in Career and Technical Education by recognizing individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the field of Career and Technical Education, programs that exemplify the highest standards, and organizations that have conducted activities that promote and expand Career and Technical Education.

 

The purpose of the WASHINGTON ACTE CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD is to recognize teachers who are providing outstanding Career and Technical Education programs for youth and/or adults in their respective fields and communities.  Recipients of this award have made significant contributions toward innovative, unique, and novel programs that are serving to improve and promote Career and Technical Education.

 

TRICIA LITTLEFIELD is a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher at Bonney Lake High School in the Sumner School District.  She teaches personal choices, careers with children, child development, and is the FCCLA advisor.  She has been a Washington ACTE member since 1998.

 

Tricia is described as a devoted, inspiring, hard working professional educator.  She is constantly seeking ways to improve student learning.  Her positive can-do attitude is contagious and her rapport with her peers encourages them to improve their practice also.

 

Congratulations to Tricia Littlefield…2012 Washington ACTE Career and Technical Education Teacher of the Year!

 

The purpose of the WASHINGTON ACTE OUTSTANDING CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATOR AWARD is to recognize Career and Technical Educators who have provided significant contributions to professional associations and Career and Technical Education programs for youth and/or adults in their fields and/or communities.  Recipients of this award have made significant contributions toward innovative, unique, and novel programs; and/or improvement, promotion, research, or development of programs of Career and Technical Education.

 

LANCE WRZESINSKI is an associate professor of business administration at Centralia College and teaches introduction to business, marketing, management, and finance.  Lance also teaches classes in the MBA program at Saint Martin’s University.  He has been a Washington ACTE member since 2002.

 

Lance is described as having many excellent skills and is always looking for ways to make improvements to the quality of education students receive.  He is an extremely talented, caring, and giving instructor.

 

Congratulations to Lance Wrzesinski…2012 Washington ACTE Outstanding Career and Technical Educator!

 

The purpose of the WASHINGTON ACTE OUTSTANDING NEW CAREER AND TECHNICAL TEACHER AWARD is meant to encourage new teachers to remain in the profession.  Recipients of this award have made significant contributions toward innovative, unique, and novel programs and have shown a professional commitment early in their careers.

 

MICHELLE GREEN is a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher at Southlake High School in the Seattle School District.  She teaches family health, independent living, GRADS, after school FCCLA class, and Zumba.  She has been a Washington ACTE member since 2008.

 

Michelle is described as steady, flexible, a team player, experienced in urban education, hard-working, insightful, caring, and calm.  She manages creative classroom experiences, participates fully on the small school staff at Southlake High School, aligns within a GRADS system that includes the Parent and Child Education Center as well as local community organizations and agencies.  She has single-handedly lead the GRADS teen parent program at Southlake High School—the only remaining program in the Seattle Public Schools.

 

Congratulations to Michelle Green…2012 Washington ACTE Outstanding New Career and Technical Teacher!

 

The purpose of the WASHINGTON ACTE OUTSTANDING TEACHER IN COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD is to recognize teachers with significant accomplishments and outstanding leadership in programs and activities that promote community involvement.  Recipients of this award have made significant contributions toward training, motivating, and inspiring their peers and students to become involved in programs and projects that benefit their communities.

 

DEBBIE ROMESBURG is a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher at Clarkston High School in the Clarkston School District.  She teaches personal choices, child development, foods & nutrition, and homes & interiors.  She has been a Washington ACTE member since 1994.

 

Debbie is described as selfless, energetic, and extremely adept at what she teaches.  She does what she does because she loves the kids and wants them to have the best opportunities presented to them so they can succeed in life.

 

Congratulations to Debbie Romesburg…2012 Washington ACTE Outstanding Teacher in Community Service!

 

The purpose of the WASHINGTON ACTE CAREER GUIDANCE AWARD is to recognize school counselors and career development professionals who are currently making significant contributions in Career and Technical Education programs in their communities. 

 

KIM LAFORTUNE is a Career Guidance Specialist at Lake Stevens High School in the Lake Stevens School District.  She has been a Washington ACTE life member since 2003.

 

Kim is described as a bright, energetic, competent, and calm careers counselor who loves kids, enjoys student success, and helps many teachers, parents, and administrators in her field.  She is well liked and does a fabulous job.

 

Kim has developed the career guidance and college prep program into one of the foremost programs in the state of Washington.  This model has had a positive effect on a diverse student population at Lake Stevens High School.

 

Congratulations to Kim LaFortune…2012 Washington ACTE Career Guidance Award!

 

The purpose of the WASHINGTON ACTE PROGRAM AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING is to recognize programs in Career and Technical Education that exemplify the highest standards of excellence for career preparation.

 

DAVE WEIDKAMP is a technology education teacher at Lynden High School in the Lynden School District.  He teaches beginning and advanced 3D engineering and design, woods and manufacturing, woods and construction, architecture, and is the TSA advisor.  He has been a Washington ACTE member since 2008.

 

Dave has done an amazing job of creating a program that is appealing and innovative to students.  From designing and building his own classroom and lab as a class project, to his newest endeavor with MIT and building a recumbent trike to aid those with physical disabilities, he always has something going that draws in the students, the community, and many different organizations and businesses worldwide.  He truly has a passion to teach students innovative ideas.

 

Congratulations to Dave Weidkamp…2012 Washington ACTE Program Award for Excellence in Teaching!

 

The purpose of the WASHINGTON ACTE OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARD is to recognize individuals who have made outstanding meritorious contributions to the improvement, promotion, development, and progress of Career and Technical Education.

 

ROXANNE MCNERNEY is a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher at Sunnyside High School in the Sunnyside School District.  She teaches child development; early childhood education; careers in education; foods & nutrition; advanced foods; food art; fabric art 1, 2, and 3; housing; and is the FCCLA advisor.  She has been a Washington ACTE member since 1996.
                                                    

The Family and Consumer Sciences department at Sunnyside High School is a one-person department with an emphasis on the Child Development strand that leads into teaching professions.  Part of this is running a before school daycare program titled “Cub Care” to care for elementary students whose parents begin work before their school day begins.

 

Congratulations to Roxanne McNerney…2012 Washington ACTE Outstanding Service Award!

 

 

The WASHINGTON ACTE LEGISLATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD is presented to recognize legislators who have made a contribution of state significance to Career and Technical Education.

Senator Rosemary McAuliffe – 1st Legislative District

Representative Tim Probst – 17th Legislative District

 

 

The WASHINGTON ACTE Achieve 100% MEMBERSHIP AWARD recognizes schools and institutions that have 100% Washington ACTE membership participation from each and every member of their Career and Technical Education staff.  The 2012 recipients are:

 

 

2012 WASHINGTON ACTE MEMBERSHIP AWARD—WITEA—Washington Industrial Technology Education Association with a 1% increase in membership!

 

2012 QUALITY SECTION STANDARDS AWARD—FACSE—Family and Consumer Sciences Educators!

 

2012 PRESIDENT'S AWARD—WILL SARETT—NEWTech Skills Center, Spokane (awarded by Dennis Conger)!