Friday, October 20, 2023

Pitt County Schools teacher named NCCAT Career & Technical Teacher of the Year

Kurt Garner, a business teacher at J.H. Rose High School in Pitt County Schools, was named the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) 2023 Career & Technical Education (CTE) Teacher of the Year in a special ceremony at the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center on the campus of Western Carolina University Thursday, October 19, 2023.
Cullowhee, NC
Oct 20, 2023
2023 NCCAT CTE Teacher of the Year, Kurt Garner

Kurt Garner, a business teacher at J.H. Rose High School in Pitt County Schools, was named the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) 2023 Career & Technical Education (CTE) Teacher of the Year in a special ceremony at the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center on the campus of Western Carolina University Thursday, October 19, 2023.

The award was presented for the second time, with finalists from across the state in attendance.

The 2023-24 school year will mark Mr. Garner’s sixth on the Rose staff and 17th in the PCS system. Garner's appointment at JHR in August 2018, which includes instruction in computer engineering, programming, and Microsoft Office, followed 11 years at D.H. Conley High School, where he taught in a similar capacity beginning in 2007. In addition to his selection as PCS Teacher of the Year in 2011, Garner was honored as the North Carolina Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Adviser of the Year in 2016. He currently serves on the organization's state executive board. He is also an adviser for the National Technical Honor Society and has held membership in the National Business Education Association since 2005.

A former student said Garner taught her countless things about succeeding in business and the real world. She noted, "Without his continuous support, motivation, and drive to impact every student's life, I truly do not know where hundreds of students would be. This student concluded by sharing, "As an education major, I constantly think about what I want to be like as a teacher. I am always thinking about what I will be like standing in front of my classroom, teaching, and trying to make an impact on my students' lives. Truthfully, if I can be even half the educator Mr. Garner is, I can make an impact like no other."

NCCAT is thankful for the opportunity to celebrate the teaching profession, according to NCCAT Executive Director Dr. M. Brock Womble.

"What is unique about Mr. Garner and all the finalists is that not only are they incredibly talented in their field and in the way they inspire students, but they also care about their community," Womble said. "CTE teachers across our state impact students and families meaningfully while helping students gain real-world experience. Meeting all the finalists this week was a pleasure for the NCCAT staff. All of them are outstanding. We appreciate everyone who made this week and event possible to honor the teaching profession."

The runner-up is Barnanne Creech, a family and consumer sciences teacher at Zebulon Gifted & Talented Magnet Middle School teacher in the Wake County Public School System. Creech serves in multiple leadership roles, from teacher mentor and department chair to school improvement chair. She shares and leads monthly district PLC meetings. A parent noted that Creech helped her son create and hold a fishing camp in the community to teach kids the fundamentals of fishing due to constant encouragement and extraordinary efforts. The parent shared that her son is now a confident speaker and presenter, winning multiple awards at competitions and serving in numerous leadership capacities.

The NCCAT 2023 NC CTE Teacher of the Year finalists are:

FinalistDistrict
Joseph (Joe) MiciottoAlamance-Burlington Schools
Dewayne KregeAvery County Schools
Andrea GladdenBurke County Public Schools
Brittany ChildersCabarrus County Schools
Hollie SchratwieserCamden County Schools
Mikie BroadhurstCarteret County Schools
Chadwick (Chad) RorieCharlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
Bobbie JonesClay County Schools
Ashley McCullenCumberland County Schools
John SpillmanDavidson County Schools
Casey SpearEdenton-Chowan Public Schools
Kim OsborneGuilford County Schools
Rob JonesHarnett County Schools
Mario MalabungaHoke County Schools
Kim WilliamsJackson County Schools
Matthew BarnhillJohnston County Schools
Jay CampbellNew Hanover County Schools
Sheri HalePamlico County Schools
Kurt GarnerPitt County Schools
Candace GrimsleyPublic Schools of Robeson County
Heather McNeelyTransylvania County Schools
Thomas (T.J.) KohlbrennerUnion County Schools
Barnanne CreechWake County Public Schools
Thelma KastlWilkes County Schools

 

Guest speakers for the evening included Peyton Holland (Executive Director, National Technical Honor Society), Missy Swain (NCCAT 2022 CTE Teacher of the Year and CTE Director for Perquimans County Schools), and Josiah Young (2023 North Carolina CTE U.S. Presidential Scholar).

The NCCAT Career & Technical Teacher of the Year process was developed to honor teachers who support students and families across North Carolina. Information about the program is online at www.nccat.org/ctetoy

The NCCAT CTE Teacher of the Year will receive:

  • $5,000 cash prize
  • Instructional supply funds for the teacher's school
  • Three-year membership in NCACTE
  • Participation in the national ACTE Conference and serve as the NC ACTE TOY representative.

Runner-up:

  • $2,000 cash prize
  • Three-year membership in NCACTE

Finalists will receive:

  • Travel expenses and substitute cost for regional finalists to participate in NCCAT professional development and leadership development.
  • One year membership in NCACTE

Sponsors:

  • Burroughs Wellcome Fund
  • iCEV Multimedia
  • Participate Learning
  • Bojangles
  • Branching Minds
  • Edmentum
  • Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
  • Instructure
  • Air Purification Inc.
  • Campbell Shatley, PLLC
  • Care Solace
  • Farm Bureau- Ag in the Classroom
  • Dr. June Atkinson
  • National Geographic | Cengage
  • North Carolina Education Lottery
  • Paxton Patterson
  • ProtectEd
  • Schwartz Law, PLLC

Special Thanks:

  • Steering Committee, Career & Technical Teacher of the Year
  • Board of Directors, The Development Foundation of NCCAT, Inc.
  • NCCAT Board of Trustees

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