(FRANKFORT, Ky.) – Kentucky’s national leadership in Career and Technical Education (CTE) was recognized recently with several awards presented at the Career Tech Vision 2016 Conference, and the accompanying conferences of the National Association of Agriculture Educators (NAAE) and the National Association of Teachers of Family and Consumer Sciences (NATFACS).

The Association of Career and Technical Education (ACTE) recognized Sarah Raikes, a family and consumer sciences teacher at Washington County High School, as the national CTE Teacher of the Year. The award recognizes CTE classroom teachers who demonstrate classroom innovation, commitment to students and efforts to improve CTE both at school and in the community.

As the 2015 Kentucky Farm Bureau CTE Teacher of the Year, Raikes represented the Southeast United States as one of five regional finalists. She is the second national CTE Teacher of the Year from Kentucky recognized by ACTE. Leslie Watkins, family and consumer sciences teacher (retired), Reidland High School, won the award in 2007.

Raikes has been the department chair for CTE programs and led multiple professional learning opportunities. She is a member of the Family and Consumer Sciences Task Force, a mentor to other teachers, the Practical Living and Career Studies Program Review coordinator, and involved with the State Skills Standard Development as a writer and scorer. She teaches as many as nine different courses to more than 300 students in a school of 530 students.

Her contributions to the CTE community are numerous. She began as Kentucky Association of Teachers of Family and Consumer Sciences (KATFACS) president and then Kentucky Association for Career and Technical Education (KACTE) president. She served on the ACTE Region 2 Policy Committee for eight years, attended 10 National Policy Seminars and served in many leadership roles on the NATFACS board, including president. She was the first teacher to receive the ACTE National Outstanding Teacher in Community Service Award, was chosen a Toyota Teacher of the Year and given the opportunity to work with teachers in Japan. She is a member of the KACTE Board of Directors.

ACTE recognized agriculture teacher Jacob Scott Ball from Locust Trace Agriscience High School in Fayette County as the national New CTE Teacher of the Year. Nominated for his work as agriculture teacher and FFA adviser while at Nelson County High School, his accomplishments include innovations to improve instruction and dedication to helping students achieve success in the classroom and the community.

Ball is Kentucky’s first nationally recognized ACTE New CTE Teacher of the Year. As the 2015 Kentucky Farm Bureau CTE Teacher of the Year, he represented the southeast region as one of five award finalists.

In four years, Ball became dually certified in agriculture and biology, offering students the option to take an agribiology course and receive biology credit within the agriculture program. He gained certification to teach the CASE Agriscience Curriculum and has applied for and received more than $10,000 in various grants to purchase Google Chromebooks for the agriculture program at Nelson County.

The Kentucky Association of Career and Technical Education (KACTE), the Kentucky affiliate of the national group, also received recognition for meeting Quality Association Standards, which are guidelines for effective operation and member services. The recognition spans the leadership of Immediate Past President LeeAnn Daugherty, an agriculture teacher from Butler County High School, and President Mark Hobbs, industrial maintenance technology instructor at Harrison County Area Technology Center.

Matt Chaliff, agriculture education consultant with the Kentucky of Education’s Office of Career and Technical Education, was one of six national recipients of the National Association of Agriculture Educators Outstanding Service Citation. Chaliff also serves as Kentucky FFA executive secretary. His work includes developing resources to assist teachers with outside-the-class projects.

Chaliff also was recognized by the Kentucky Association of Agriculture Educators with the Teacher of Teachers Award. Two former students and 13 former FFA state officers now are agriculture educators.

Additional Kentuckians who received National Association of Agriculture Educators honors are: Wes York, Caldwell County High School, Region 4 Teacher of the Year; Darryl Matherly, Spencer County, Teacher Mentor Award; Shelby Blevins, Scott County, Teachers Turn the Key Award; LaRue County Young Farmers Association (Chris Thomas and Misty Bivens), Outstanding Postsecondary/Adult Program; and Calloway County High School, Outstanding Middle/Secondary Agriculture Education Program.

Leslie Slaughter, executive director of the Kentucky Board of Education and a former family and consumer sciences program consultant and policy adviser for the Kentucky Department of Education Office of Career and Technical Education, received the National Association of Teachers of Family and Consumer Sciences Champion for Family and Consumer Sciences Award. The award recognizes a person, business, company, government or a community-based agency who exemplifies extraordinary concern for family and consumer sciences and NATFACS.

Additional National Association of Teachers of Family and Consumer Sciences honors went to: Kelli Dickson, Monroe County High School, who received the NATFACS Pride Award honoring marketing and promotional ideas for the development of family and consumer sciences; and RaAnn Miller, Jessamine Career and Technology Center, who received a Division Graduate Fellowship to promote further education and professional development.