(FRANKFORT, KY) – Two Kentucky Career and Technical Education (CTE) professionals were named regional award winners at the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) Region 2 Conference in Raleigh, N.C., Oct. 5.

Associate Commissioner Laura Arnold speaks to the crowd during an education town hall discussing graduation requirements at the Laurel County Schools Center for Innovation in London. Photo by Bobby Ellis, April 12, 2018

Former KDE Associate Commissioner Laura Arnold speaks to the crowd during an education town hall discussing graduation requirements at the Laurel County Schools Center for Innovation in London in 2018.
Photo by Bobby Ellis, April 12, 2018

Laura Arnold, director of workforce development for the Nelson County schools, was named Career and Technical Administrator of the Year. Doris Sikora, a professor at Western Kentucky University, was named Teacher Educator of the Year. Both Arnold and Sikora are entered into the national competition, with winners announced at the ACTE Career Tech Vision Conference in Anaheim, Calif., Dec. 4-7.

Arnold, who served as associate commissioner for the Office of Career and Technical Education with the Kentucky Department of Education, was instrumental in enhancing the department’s interaction with Kentucky’s business community, working to align programs of study with business and industry needs. Under her leadership, Kentucky expanded its work-based learning opportunities and achieved a New Skills for Youth grant from the J.P. Morgan Chase Foundation. The grant has led to pilot programs offering regional CTE program delivery meant to increase equity and access for all students.

Arnold and Sikora were among five Kentucky CTE professionals nominated for ACTE regional recognition. All were recipients of Kentucky Farm Bureau Career and Technical Education Awards in their respective categories in 2018. The contest is conducted by the Kentucky Association for Career and Technical Education (KACTE). The other regional nominees were:

  • Kelli Dickson, family and consumer sciences teacher, Monroe County High School, Career and Technical Teacher of the Year;
  • Brian Jarvis, agriculture teacher, Ballard Memorial High School (Ballard County), New Career and Technical Teacher of the Year; and
  • Jill Hurt, family and consumer sciences teacher, Bourbon County High School, Carl Perkins Outstanding Service Award.

Sikora also was nominated for ACTE’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Kentucky Farm Bureau CTE awards were presented to five CTE professionals at the annual CTE Summer Program, attended by more than 1,750 CTE teachers and administrators in July. The honorees will be entered in the 2020 ACTE Region 2 award competition. They are:

  • Shannon Roberts, family and consumer sciences teacher, Mason County High School, Career and Technical Teacher of the Year;
  • Brian Welch, agriculture teacher, Madisonville North Hopkins High School (Hopkins County), New Career and Technical Teacher of the Year;
  • Tammy Camel, family and consumer sciences Teacher, Rockcastle County High School, Carl Perkins Outstanding Service Award; and
  • Jerri H. Rowland, principal, Monroe County Area Technology Center, Career and Technical Administrator of the Year.

In addition, Tony Brannon, dean of the Hutson School of Agriculture at Murray State University, received the KACTE 27-year Service Award.