Maryland State Department of Education Honors Excellence in Career and Technology Education

Top Secondary and Postsecondary Programs Recognized

BALTIMORE – The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) today will honor outstanding performances in secondary and postsecondary Career and Technology Education (CTE) through sponsoring the 2017 Awards of Excellence.

Maryland’s CTE Awards of Excellence program recognizes business partners, teachers and others who are creating opportunities for students to learn about and prepare for their future careers. As a result of the leadership and contribution to CTE programs the honorees of this award provide, Maryland students are better prepared for careers in computer science, hospitality management, cyber security and health and biomedical sciences. The award recipients have sponsored internships, mentored students as they complete real-world projects, and are helping to create Maryland’s high-skilled future workforce.

“CTE programs, partnerships and learning opportunities are a wonderful way to prepare our students for the future.” said Dr. Karen Salmon, State Superintendent of Schools, “These award-winning programs and individuals allow our students to have hands-on experience in both an educational and professional setting, while teaching them how to keep up with the demands of the ever growing and changing workforce.”

Each of the CTE award categories are judged based on program quality and student outcomes. For example, the Outstanding Business Partnerships award is presented to a business that has established a strong working partnership with a secondary or postsecondary institution in order to support, promote, and improve CTE programs. The results of this partnership benefit the school, community and business. The Outstanding CTE Program award recognizes secondary and community college programs that deliver exemplary student and program outcomes and integration of systemic reform. The Change Agent award recognizes leadership for innovative change in CTE programs and focuses on the goals of change, the change process, and overall results. The Outstanding CTSO Program award recognizes exemplary Career Technology Student Organization chapter quality, management and student achievements. The Outstanding CTE Marketing Campaign award recognizes an outstanding multi-platform, comprehensive approach in promoting the benefits of CTE programs.

This year’s award winners represent outstanding contributions to CTE programs from across the state including:

OUTSTANDING BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS – SECONDARY
National Cancer Institute’s Werner H. Kirsten Student Intern Program
Partnership with Frederick County Public Schools

OUTSTANDING BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS – POSTSECONDARY
Maryland State Police
Partnership with Frederick Community College

OUTSTANDING CTE PROGRAM – SECONDARY
Graphic Communications (PrintED)
Charles County Public Schools

OUTSTANDING CTE PROGRAM – POSTSECONDARY
Architecture and Interior Design
Anne Arundel Community College

OUTSTANDING CHANGE AGENT – SECONDARY
Joe Showacre, Collision Repair Instructor
Parkside High School

OUTSTANDING CHANGE AGENT – POSTSECONDARY
Karl Binns Jr., Coordinator of Recruitment, Retention and Experiential Learning
University of Maryland Eastern Shore

OUTSTANDING CTSO PROGRAM
SkillsUSA Chapter
Worcester Technical High School

OUTSTANDING CTE MARKETING CAMPAIGN – SECONDARY
Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center
St. Mary’s County Public Schools

OUTSTANDING CTE MARKETING CAMPAIGN – POSTSECONDARY
Frederick Community College

For more information about CTE programs throughout Maryland, please visit www.mdcteprograms.org.