NATFACS Awards Ceremony
NashvilleTN, Nov 20, 2009
It is indeed an honor to recognize professionals for their strong support and dedication to Family & Consumer Sciences Education. Thank you to all the states for your selection of outstanding men and women to honor with our awards.
CHAMPION for Family and Consumer Sciences. This award is given to recognize a person, business, company or agency who has exemplified extraordinary support and concern for Family and Consumer Sciences and NATFACS.
Allison Smiththe recipient of this award is a representative of the Kentucky Beef Council. Allison spends countless hours educating FACS teachers and students on the importance of beef. She also continues to support FACS education by presenting during summer programs and providing teachers trainings to train others.
AWARD OF MERIT. This award is to recognize a member who has made significant contributions to Family and Consumer Sciences, and/or ACTE and/or NATFACS and considered to be an outstanding leader in the field.
This year’s award was presented to Jean Clarke and Susanna Franklin.
Jean, of South Dakota, has taught Family & Consumer Sciences for 32 years. The South Dakota Association of Teachers of FACS nominated Jean because of her excellence, commitment, and enthusiasm in promoting FACS and its mission to improve individuals, strengthen families and better the communities in which we live. Jean has demonstrated leadership repeatedly as SDATFACS president, teaching colleagues Understanding by Design, and presenting at state and national CTE conferences. Jean is an inspiration to teachers throughout the state not only in the CTE profession but, is also outstanding among ALL professional educators because her enthusiasm inspires others to learn, do, and have compassion for one another. She leads by example. The last 10 years Jean has been integrating technology into her curriculum changing the way she delivers her lessons. She adapted her Human Development course to include an online format. This provides opportunities to bring CTE to a wide variety and number of students. She has since taught to over 13 schools across the state. As one of her students stated,” She teaches for the pure love of seeing a student succeed. She is like a personal cheerleader always rooting for the students and keeping our spirits high even in failure…she makes students empowered and motivated to go for their dreams. Congratulations Jean! Jean will receive a life-time membership to NATFACS.
Susanna, of Oklahoma, has been teaching 31 years in FACS Education. Susanna is currently serving as the NATFACS President and served on numerous committees. Her program goal is to prepare students with skills for life by training them to think critically as well as creatively, to solve problems and make effective decisions. Susanna has implemented FACS Fridays, (Focusing on Achieving Career Success). This program involves bringing guest speakers into her classroom from business and industry to share information about their education and work background as well as discuss their current job responsibilities. This activity has exposed students to a variety of occupations and how with hard work and dedication they can become successful, self-sufficient adults. As one of her former students stated, “I am not sure what the specific criteria is for the award she is being nominated for, but if it entails inspiring students, aiding other FACS teachers to improve their programs, and continuing to be the embodiment of the FCCLA creed, then from where I stand, she has already won.” Being a FCS teacher is not just a career for Susanna but a way of life.Congratulations Susanna.Susanna will receive a life-time membership to NATFACS.
The Distinguished Service Award is given to recognize a member for outstanding service to NATFACS and professional contributions in the classroom, through curriculum development and/or providing multiple FCCLA opportunities for students. This year’s award was presented to Dr.
Debra DeBates, South Dakota,she has been teaching 34 years and for the past 10 years she has been an Associate Professor/Teacher Educator at South Dakota State University, which has the only program for preparing FCS teachers in the state. Dr. DeBates continually works to maintain courses that are current in terms of both content and delivery. She strives to include the latest in technological applications and project-based learning in her courses. She is currently working with her colleagues to develop an online certification program and MS degree for practicing FCS educators. Her colleagues had this to say about her, “she is a tireless worker promoting FCS education and CTE”; “she has the type of energy that lights up the room”, and “she gives her all to helping others to be good citizens, family members, and professionals”. Debra has served the NATFACS organization as well as other professional organizations in a variety of capacities and was just recently recognized in the American Profile newspaper insert in August for her position as a fraternity House Mom.Congratulations Debra.Debra will receive a life-time membership to NATFACS.
Leslie Watkins,Kentucky, has been teaching 29 years and is presently teaching at ReidlandHigh School. Her program is well known for the playschool provided by the child development classes for children in the community. Over 90% of these students pursue a career working with children. Leslie spends a great deal of time working with her peers providing workshops and seminars related to Child Development. She states that “catching the wave of career and industry focus that interests our students; learning all I can to prepare them; and sharing in their excitement of learning and success, while finding the career that suits them is my favorite place to be.” Leslie has been active in a variety of professional organizations, within her community, state, ACTE region and at the National level, serving as president for NATFACS as well as being chosen as ACTE Teacher of the Year. As one of her students shared, “I have decided that it must be the mark of a great teacher when each individual student leaves the class feeling she was important, her input was valued, and she was successful. Congratulations Leslie! Leslie will receive a life-time membership to NATFACS.
The PRIDE AWARD is given to recognize a member who is a Family and Consumer Sciences Education classroom teacher for outstanding marketing endeavors and promotional ideas for the continued development and enhancement of Family and Consumer Sciences Education.
This year’s recipient wasPamela Pruett,Arkansas. Pam has been teaching 22 years. In 2003, Pam was transferred to BlythevilleHigh School to rebuild a Comprehensive FACS program that was in danger of being denied Program Approval. The department was in shambles not only the curriculum but also termites were eating away at the cabinets. In six years the program has gonefrom nothing to excellence with numerous completers, FCCLA members, a remodeled classroom and technology use daily. Her program is now recognized as a significant contribution to both the school and community. Her success came from her marketing strategy. She invited the community into her classroom by having guest speakers who were experts in a unit of the FACS curriculum teach in her classroom. The lesson was taught by the speaker from an employer’s perspective. Students participated in the lesson and a photo was taken of the speaker during the presentation interacting with the students and then published in the community newspaper. Each year Pam sets her “media coverage goal” promoting the FACS program and FCCLA finding new ways to get her program on the front page. Pam, being a strong advocate for FCCLA, had the only student who, not an athlete, in her schools Hall of Fame, Xavier J. Billingsley, the first African American Arkansas FCCLA State President. Xavier had this to say about her, “Mrs. Pruett not only promotes the ideas of the continued development and enhancement of Family and Consumer Sciences, and she lives by them.” Pam also teaches at the college level…Put this all together and you have a promotion of FACS professions, FACS education and FCCLA that is consistently presenting a positive image to the public. Congratulations Pam!Pam will receive a $300 compensation with her award.
The NEW PROFESSIONAL AWARD is given to recognize a member who has completed no more than five years of teaching Family & Consumer Sciences for significant contributions in the classroom, through curriculum development and/or providing multiple FCCLA opportunities for students.
This year’s recipient wasAshley Keeton, Oklahoma. In Ashley’s four short years of teaching she has been able to attend three ACTE National Conventions as well as chair a NATFACS committee and serve on two committees. Ashley teaches in a small lake side community where hospitality and tourism are the main career areas making her program a vital asset to the community. She has implemented the Serve Safe curriculum as well as an intense career investigation project focusing on student’s career interest. Ashley prides herself in having the largest active service organization in her school, her FCCLA chapter with 50 members. Students participate in many community service projects and STAR events. She has had division officers and encourages students to participate in leadership opportunities at both state and national levels. Her peers giveher high accolades for her teaching. Her principal stated that Ashley makes her job easier. “Her classes are always on task and her students believe that she is the light that will always shine in their favor, no matter the circumstance. She strives to give her students not only the educational background to succeed, but teaches them life lessons of how to reach farther than they could ever imagine.” One of her students stated that Ms. Keeton “doesn’t treat us like we’re kids in a classroom, and sits a book in our face. She gets us up, involved, and active. She is definitely a motivator, no matter what the situation may be and tries her hardest to encourage us to give our full two hundred percent.” We encourage Ashley to continue her strong belief as a CTE professional and her motivation and enthusiasm for teaching Family & Consumer Sciences. Ashley will receive a $500 compensation with her award and a scholarship to attend a week long summer training at Johnson and WalesUniversity. Congratulations Ashley!
Congratulations to all of our Award recipients. We ask that all of you take the time to honor the outstanding accomplishments of Family and Consumer Sciences professionals in your state and be a part of our national awards presentation at our next meeting in Las VegasNV. December 2-4. The 2010 Awards Applications will be available on our website