2023-OHIO ACTE EDUCATOR AWARDS 

Administrator of the Year: Joe Glavan - Director, Lake Shore Compact

Dr. Joe Glavan is the Director of the Lake Shore Compact and the Director of Business Partnerships and Career Technical Education for Mentor Public Schools. Dr. Glavan has taken on the responsibility of helping provide CTE experiences for students in the Mentor, Wickliffe, and Euclid School districts, but also to advocate for all CTE students and stakeholders across the state. Dr. Glavan is a model for fellow CTE administrators of what is possible when they collaborate to encourage alignment of business, education, and government for the betterment of the community and all stakeholders.

Dr. Glavan has advocated strongly for Career Technical Education in the state of Ohio. From providing proponent testimony regarding benefits of allowing industry credentials to be used as graduate requirement in lieu of additional tests for CTE students to having lunch with Governor Mike DeWine at the Governor's Manson to discuss how to expand Career Technical Education, Dr. Glavan has worked hard to promote the benefits of Career Technical Education.

Dr. Glavan has also worked tirelessly on providing increased Career Technical Education opportunities for students in the Mentor, Wickliffe, and Euclid school districts. He has led multiple initiatives to help increase opportunities for students including the creation of not only our first, but also second pre-apprenticeship program in Construction and Advanced Manufacturing.

In order to meet increased demand of CTE programing and the demonstrated workforce skills gap that exists in Ohio, Dr. Glavan has worked to expand senior-only industry credential programming. After learning staffing issues facing local fire departments, Dr. Glavan reached out to local Fire Chiefs and now Mentor Schools has partnered with the Mentor Fire Department to offer a Senior-only EMT program that is taught at the local Regional Response Facility.

In addition to senior only programming, once Dr. Glavan learned that a compact member was removing their automotive program, he immediately met with local business to determine if the need still existed. Based on their feedback from both business and students, , he collaborated with local business owner Jim Brown of Classic Motors, and partnered to start the Mentor Schools Classic Automotive Technician Program that began in the 2020/2021 school year and is based right on the Classic Campus. Students now have the ability to have senior internships on the classic campus in of their 5 dealerships located on Tyler Blvd.

In addition to his role with the Lake Shore Compact, he is also on the Foundation Board of Alliance for Working Together (AWT) whose mission is to promote the development of rewarding careers in manufacturing for the long-term success and growth of our manufacturing community. Dr. Glavan was instrumental in the concept of a new Regional Training Center that opened this past fall and is the new home of the Lake Shore Compact Advanced Manufacturing program.

Dr. Glavan has also developed several new community events to help address the workforce gap in Northeast Ohio and the need to help retain local employees. Collaborating with the local Port Authority, business chambers, and area school districts he helped create and host the first Career Bound: College Internship Fair. We just completed our 4th annual Career Bound this past December and it continues to an excellent example of Dr. Glavan’s commitment to continuing to provide value to our stakeholders. Career Bound demonstrated the unique ability local schools have to connect local employers with community members and help address the workforce needs in Northeast Ohio.

Ambassador of the Year: Mary Beth Smith - Executive Assistant, Great Oakes Career Campuses

Mary Beth Smith has been involved in career-technical education in Ohio since 1989. She has served Great Oaks Career Campuses students, staff, Board of Directors, and community/business partners in many different capacities. Mary Beth began her career in CTE as a job coach working with students with special needs. She assisted students on their job-sites to help them become successful and productive in their careers. During this time, she also served as a liaison between school staff and the business partners. In addition to directly supporting students, Mary Beth has also served as a help desk coordinator in the Information Technology department and an administrative assistant for Adult Workforce Development and district office. While working in these positions, Mary Beth would assist career-tech staff in many ways. Outside of Great Oaks, Mary Beth has served as a member and officer in the Educational Office Professional of Ohio (EOPO) associations, both at the state and national levels. She served two-terms as President of the state association, 2017-2019, and was also the Career-Technical Council Chair for the National association (NAEOP).

Since 2012, Mary Beth has served as the Executive Assistant to the President/CEO and Board of Directors at Great Oaks. This role is of utmost importance to our organization. Mary Beth has her pulse on every aspect of the organization and works diligently to ensure that all details are in place. Her varied experiences at Great Oaks have provided her with a depth of understanding of our programs, processes, families, and community partners we serve. Mary Beth uses this knowledge in numerous ways to support the organization. While there are many examples of her actions that make her an excellent candidate for this award, the following are just a few:

• Several years ago, Mary Beth chose to begin facilitating regular meetings with our campus secretaries. She utilizes this time to not only update each of them on items from the district level, but also to gather input on possible changes or improvements that could be made to enhance our organization.
• Mary Beth also frequently holds the meetings at the different campuses so that each secretary has an opportunity to visit and observe other locations within our organizations. Mary Beth will periodically schedule district office department staff to present at the meetings, so campus secretaries have a deeper understanding of various district practices and processes. For example, the HR team presented information on the hiring process of new employees. This information allowed the secretaries to better understand the practices and ways they could provide support to newly hired staff.
• Another example of how Mary Beth goes above and beyond to support Great Oaks Career Campuses is her dedication to our Foundation that provides not only scholarships to our students, but also supports for students and families in need. She works to organize details of our annual golf outing, reaches out to potential supporters to assist with funding. At all times Mary Beth is looking for ways to make sure others feel included and supported. She was instrumental in adding a new component to the golf outing in recent years – a “non-golfer activity.” This allows those who do not golf to participate throughout the day and financially contribute to supporting career-tech and the Great Oaks students. Her efforts have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars that provide direct benefits to our students of all ages.
• More important than the “products” of her work in career-tech, are the attributes she possesses that make her an ideal candidate for this award. In a recent article, it was stated highly desirable traits in a great ambassador include reliable, positive, and friendly. Reliable: Mary Beth Smith serves in a role that requires much confidentiality. The Board of Directors and CEO/President value her trustworthiness and high level of integrity. Mary Beth prioritizes the tasks related to her work for both the CEO/President and Board of Directors, consistently completes high-quality work and meets all deadlines. She requires little supervision due to her loyalty, desire for perfection, and excitement for career-tech education. She is valued as the foundation of our organization. Positive: Mary Beth strives to create a positive experience for all. She will often be the first employee that communicates with someone unfamiliar with Great Oaks and/or career-tech education. Her “positivity”, willingness to help, and excitement about career-tech immediately becomes apparent to those she interacts with. Mary Beth also makes a conscientious effort to recognize what others do within the office and will often be found leaving a positive note or treat on one’s desk. These small tokens of appreciation make a big impact on others. Friendly: From one’s initial interaction with her, it is clear you will have a connection. She finds something likeable in all individuals. Her ability to communicate in a friendly manner along with the strong sense of sincerity immediately makes others comfortable. What more could one ask for in an ambassador for career-tech education?

Whether it is collaborating with legislative aides, planning event details for Board members to attend the OACTE/ACTE conferences, communicating with partner school personnel regarding CTE policies and practices, or providing a little note of encouragement to staff…. Mary Beth Smith is a true ambassador for career-technical education. Mary Beth demonstrates a high level of commitment and leads by example, thus increasing the overall success of not only our organization, but all involved in career-tech education!

Business Image: Bob Gillingham - Owner of Bob Gillingham Ford & FinMango Board Member

Bob Gillingham has been positively impacting Career and Technical Education for over 40 years. He is a leader in his community as well as in the business world. His family has been in the dealership business for over 60 years and his commitment to community stewardship continues to connect him to students in Northeast Ohio school districts. Mr. Gillingham currently serves as a decade long member of the Polaris Career Center automotive advisory committee as well as a member of the Medina County Career Center school board, previously a board president. He goes beyond attending advisory meetings at Polaris by providing job shadowing opportunities and hiring current Polaris students and graduates of our programs. Additionally, Mr. Gillingham has financially supported the Polaris automotive and business programs through the Ford Drive for your School program. This program partners with local districts to educate about Ford vehicles and donate to schools.

His passion for financial literacy is evident to the thousands of students he inspires each year through teaching his financial literacy course. This passion also led to the collaboration with FinMango, a 100% volunteer based non-profit. Mr. Gillingham currently offers a program he created called “How to Become a Millionaire” through the non-profit. This program has been taught to over 6,000 students throughout 27 Northeastern Ohio schools. Polaris Career Center has had the pleasure of offering and partnering this seminar with Mr. Gillingham. We believe in his passion for career technical education and financial literacy. He has provided financial literacy tools to our students and staff members. Our students have reported that they started investing after working with Mr. Gillingham and feel more confident about their financial future. Mr. Gillingham has stated the following “I want to reach 100,000 students in more than 70 countries, and do it for free”.

Career Guidance: Tracy Donovan - Counselor, D.Russel Lee CTC

As a veteran counselor, Tracy Donovan has served at Butler Tech for over fifteen years. Below is a compiled entry from her colleagues. "Tracy Donovan has been a counselor mentor, leader, colleague and friend of mine now for 11 years. We began working together at Madison Jr. / Sr. High School, where she mentored me during my very first year of counseling. From there, we went our separate ways, but kept in touch as I would come to Butler Tech meetings, collaborate about students, or consult for advice. Over the years, I have experienced firsthand, Tracy's strengths and how she embodies the Butler Tech EMPOWER norms. As the counseling department head at DRL, Tracy establishes roles and leads within the office. She takes the lead when needed, but also helps and supports when she sees fit. She has repeatedly jumped in to help me personally with projects (transcript checking or Future Fair planning) and attempts to keep the counseling office running as effectively as possible. Tracy has a mindset of seeing the best in her peers as she concentrates on their strengths. For me personally, she has taken the time to invest in me and teach me over the years as to how best to react to difficult situations with students and how to empathize with them - yet hold them accountable. Productive Struggle is something that I see as one of Tracy's biggest strengths because she is always willing to jump into help with any task. Whether it be planning Career Days, Future Fair or orienting new employees (myself and Melanie Bryan), she is always willing to lend a helping hand and figure it out! This was played out during 2016 when Madison Jr. / Sr. High School had a school shooting. I was still working as the counselor there and Tracy was at Butler Tech. As difficult as that situation was to handle, one of the first people that reached out to me during that time was Tracy. She wanted to know what I needed and how she could help - so she showed up the next day to help me counsel students and develop a comprehensive plan for helping the students during that incredibly difficult time. Tracy openly speaks her truth when she feels that it is needed - a quality that I admire about her because she doesn't always say what you want to hear but what you may need to hear. Teachers within the building see Tracy as a leader and someone that can support them as needed. I see the teachers that she works with frequently in her office discussing students, situations and how to handle issues. This is an example of how they work together as collective thought leaders and ensure collective efficacy. She also works very closely with therapists, social workers, and other community agency leaders to ensure that her students' needs are being met. As a counselor, Tracy takes risks everyday while helping, supporting, coaching, and encouraging her students! She encourages and believes in them, and they know this. One student, stops by her office almost every day to get a pep talk and let out frustration. One day, the student told me that she comes in everyday to talk to Mrs. Donovan because she does not have a good relationship with her own mom, so Tracy fills that gap for her. Well done, Tracy Donovan! I am thankful and proud to work with such a wonderful counselor and mentor." Rachel Conley, Counselor D.Russel Lee CTC "Tracy is an amazing candidate for counselor of the year. If you know Tracy, you know she’s a worker. She is someone that “Gets things done”. She consistently establishes agendas and timelines. When Tracy has a deadline, she is the first to get it done. In fact, most of the time she gets things done without asking or ahead of schedule. I always like Tracy to be present when having leadership meetings and planning. She is a true collective thought leader. She has creative ideas that always put students first. When we were planning for changes in our Welding program looking for ways to expand access for students, Tracy was on board with making things work to be able to take on more students. She was able to take ideas for flip flopping our master schedule and put it into practice. She frequently thinks about ideas and potential obstacles. This is extremely helpful as she can see the big picture and recognizes how changes in one area can impact many others. Finally, I never worry that she will not speak her truth. She is willing to share concerns and unpopular opinions even when she knows she may be criticized for this. I can always count on Tracy for her honesty and commitment to the mission of Butler Tech. I am thankful for her daily!" Kristen AbuDakar, Principal Fairfield Township Campus, Butler Tech "Tracy Donovan exemplifies ALL of the district Norms. Two specific norms that stands out when talking about Mrs. Donovan are Collective Efficacy and Collective Thought Leader. Whenever there is a issue (building level or student level), Mrs. Donovan is always available to assist. She has a tremendous skillset that allows her to be an asset in all aspects of job. She is willing to go above and beyond and always advocates for what is best for the student. Tracy is a true team player and asset to our DRL team." Steve Jackson, Assistant Principal D.Rusel Lee CTC

Outstanding Educator in Community Service: Tim Carpenter - Carpentry Instructor, Butler Tech

After falling off a roof, Mr. Tim Carpenter packed up his professional carpentry knowledge and hit the books to become an outstanding CTE instructor. For over 15 years, Tim has graced the halls of Hamilton High School and is on his was to becoming at legend at Butler Tech. Below are two nominations for Tim Carpenter from his colleagues.

“In the four years I have worked with Mr. Carpenter, I have never known there to be down time in his lab. His students are consistently and constantly engaged in the work at hand, many times with various projects that are centered on student voice. In addition, Tim's program is extremely popular, particularly with the school and community at large, that his students are entrusted to design and construct multiple projects that benefit so many facets of the both the city of Hamilton and the school district. Mr. Carpenter exemplifies CTE norms through consistent risk taking, productive struggles, and seeing the best in both his peers and students. Tim is being nominated because I don’t know that there is another career tech teacher in our organization that does as much outward facing community service as his program does. He plays an instrumental role and is usually not one to shy away from a challenge or ask. His program constructed the picnic tables for the Urban Backyard in Hamilton, the flower boxes for the Benison Center, a shed for an elementary school in Hamilton, an oversized Adirondack chair for Noonan’s Beverage, a swing set for a multi-handicapped child, a news station desk for a partnering elementary school, and a stage for a theater performance for another. The list goes on. Not only do his students engage in community-service projects, they are also learning life-long skills that benefit them after graduation, including being servant citizens. Mr. Carpenter also ensures his students obtain multiple Industry Credentials, from OSHA 10 to Forklift, as well as compete in the career tech student organization SkillsUSA. You will never see Tim angry or raise his voice with his students and his classroom and lab is always one of multi-tasking student engagement. I am thankful to have him as one of my teachers.” Amy Webb, Satellite Supervisor, Butler Tech

Tim actively recruits underserved populations within his career field and yields one of the most diverse BT classrooms. Tim seeks out opportunities for all of his students including Girls Who Build, experiences for latina/o communities, and bringing students to BT BAC. Every project is linked to the Hamilton community and beyond. Traveling down Main Street, his student work can be seen across town. Noonan's Big chair, picnic tables at the HUB, news desks at Lakota Schools, and set productions for the local middle school - WBL at its’ finest. Tim seeks out opportunities for all students including Girls Who Build, experiences for latina/o communities, and bringing students to Butler Tech Business Advisory. Every project is linked to the Hamilton community and beyond. Traveling down Main Street, his student work can be seen all across town. Noonan's Big chair, picnic tables at the Hamilton Urban Kitchen, news desks at Lakota Local Schools, and set productions for the local Hamilton middle school - WBL at its’ finest. Principal Jon Szary comments 'Mr. Carpenter is an asset to the school community, our students, and the Hamilton community. The experiences that Mr. Carpenter creates for his students are engaging and meaningful for the improvement of our community. Mr. Carpenter is a genuinely inspirational educator and leader within this profession.' Tim nails speaking his truth, taking risks, and timelines daily. Ann Rush commented 'With the district push for Work Based Learning, I am often working to find community opportunities that might serve to help teachers with this effort. When the principal at my children’s school expressed the need/desire for a news desk to be built, the offer of the project as a WBL experience was offered to several different teachers…Tim was the very first teacher who responded excited to take it on. He and his students worked diligently to create the news desk envisioned…even ensuring that the remote controlled lights stayed in place and were able to deliver the completed news desk to the principal prior to the start of winter break, where the principal had students unwrap it as an early holiday present for the school. It was incredible to not only see the joy of the principal upon delivery, but also the pride of the students when I stopped by Tim’s lab to help them complete the WBL paperwork.' Pairing WBL and community service is an educational homerun. Tim's impact is noted by both districts he serves and beyond.” Crissy Lauterbach, Innovative Teaching and Learning Coordinator

Outstanding New Career Tech Teacher: Katie Endress - PLTW BioTech Teacher, Warren County Career Center

Katie is a brand new teacher to CT having come to us from her career as a Respiratory Therapist. I am currently Katie's supervisory and have been so impressed with her ability to take to teaching as if she has been doing so for years. In preparation for teaching PLTW she had take three classes over the summer for PLTW and is currently working on her Masters and CT licensure through Bowling Green. In addition to all this, she wrote a grant and received over $5.000 to add new phlebotomy equipment to her classroom. She is currently working with our health programs to bring STNA and other industry credentials to her BioTech program.

The Kings Principal, Doug Leist, has this to say about Katie “Katie has been an incredibly impressive contributor here at KHS. To prepare for the school year, she was in her new classroom so much, my custodial team feared that she was here a little "too much". She has the professionalism to appear like she is a veteran. She has organized field trips, and classroom lab experiences. She is part of our WorkForce Development Team at KHS. I am very confident that her program will be a cornerstone at KHS for many years... and decades to come.”

Outstanding School Board Member: Curtis Brooks - School Board Member, Tolles Career and Technical Center

Curtis Brooks is a man of action. In the 17 years he has served on the Board of Education for Tolles Career and Technical Center, Curtis has made a measurable difference as both a visionary leader and an avid promoter and supporter of career and adult education.

When Curtis joined the Tolles Board in 2006, he was working full-time, raising two young children with his wife Teresa, and had just been elected to the London City Schools Board of Education. His plate was full. Yet he jumped right in at Tolles, seeing opportunities for improvements and acting upon them. In just his second year on the Board, Curtis became vice president and helped oversee a $9.4 million expansion and renovation of the school’s main campus that increased Tolles’ physical footprint by 17 percent and added a medical lab, bio-science facilities and a welding room – among other improvements. He was president of the Tolles Board during the ribbon cutting the following year and was proud to have achieved this growth without seeking additional public funding.

Curtis is a big supporter of growing and improving programs to meet changing student interests and statewide job needs and, to that end, is one of the driving forces behind another, even more extensive renovation and expansion project this coming year that will make learning spaces more flexible and adaptable at Tolles.

In his promoter role, Curtis doesn’t just talk about helping students find their passion and turn it into a career or college path at Tolles, he actively seeks out students who might benefit from the hands-on nature of career education. He advocates the importance of showing parents the value of career and technical education and sees great benefit in partnering with the local business community to give students real-world experience.

Since joining the board, Curtis has attended every in-person graduation ceremony at Tolles, saying it’s his favorite part of the year. He truly enjoys seeing students move on to their next chosen step in life, knowing that Tolles has set a strong foundation for those graduates to find success – however they might define it.

Although Curtis gave up his seat on the London Board of Education after a 12-year run there, he has remained with the Tolles board, for which we are extremely grateful. His attention to detail and planning acumen will be extremely beneficial during the upcoming improvement projects at Tolles. Curtis is also active in the local community, serving as a deacon at the First Baptist Church in London.

Curtis is wise, forward-thinking, humble, tireless and dedicated beyond the norm. He is highly deserving of recognition for all his contributions to Tolles over the years and it is my honor to submit this nomination for your consideration.

Post Secondary Teacher of the Year: Julia Ancona - Coordinator AWD Health Professions, Great Oaks Career Campuses

The last three years have been especially challenging for healthcare professionals and Great Oaks Health Professional Academy STNA/PCA Program Coordinator Julia Ancona has been at the forefront of ensuring critical workforce needs are met while at the same time putting students first. A registered nurse for 34 years, she has been sharing her considerable experience and knowledge at Great Oaks for 18 of those years and served in the STNA/PCA program coordinator for the past decade.

The Health Professions Academy (HPA) started in downtown Cincinnati, readily accessible to many prospective students via public transportation, but in August of 2020, the pandemic forced HPA to relocate to the Scarlet Oaks campus in Sharonville. Relocating the academy was a huge feat and maintaining accessibility proved challenging. Julia has worked with different funding sources to find ways to get transportation for her students from around the region to the new HPA location for class and even helped negotiate a METRO bus route in December that now stops at Scarlet Oaks multiple times a day, seven days a week. This potentially benefits all of the adult ed students coming to Scarlet Oaks.

Amidst the healthcare worker shortage, Julia has worked tirelessly to recruit teachers and HPA students, and she accomplishes this through confidence and inspiration. Her programs run smoothly, and her focus on quality education is unwavering.

With her time at Great Oaks, Julia has made significant changes to HPA that help students better prepare for their future careers. She said, “Making sure that clinicals in the classroom are a good representation of what working in the field is like and mirror the types of facilities they will be working in is very important to me. In doing this I updated all the equipment, and really focused on public health and normal safety practices so our students are ready to succeed.” In her time in this position, Julia also started an advisory committee of local healthcare workers, got her classes accredited, and started bringing in health professionals to speak to her classes and give her students networking opportunities.

She is truly and inspiration to her students, teachers and colleagues, and is deserving of this great honor.

Teacher of the Year: John Stalcup - Accounting/Finance Teacher, Mad River Local Schools

John has been a Career Tech teacher at Stebbins High School for 30 years. Over the years, John has had numerous Business Professionals of America state winners and National placers. John is the CTE department chair and works continuously with the administration and his peers to improve CTE at Stebbins High School for all programs.

John was instrumental in the partnership and opening of the Stebbins High School Student-Run CODE Credit Union. The Student Credit Union Branch has enhanced financial education and work-based learning by providing students an opportunity to work in and use the credit union in a real-life fashion, allowing them to develop valuable financial skills and responsibility. “The student branch is operated by select members of the Stebbins Career Technology Accounting and Finance Class, which Mr. John Stalcup leads. Mr. Stalcup says that he is excited to see the student branch open and provide students with a connection between class material and the real world”. https://www.wdtn.com/news/local-news/student-run-credit-union-opens-at-stebbins-high-school/ (News Coverage about the Credit Union)

This year John and his students presented the Student-Run Credit Union at the OSBA Student Achievement Fair and caught the eye of many school districts around the state. Superintendents, directors, and many more professionals in education visited Stebbins High School and talked with John about the process of starting up and operating a Student-Run Credit Union and

John goes out of his way to give his students opportunities that they may not have had without his program. For example, during our Thanksgiving break this year, John took all his BPA students to the BPA Career Day with the Cleveland Cavaliers. This opportunity allowed his students to participate in hands-on activities and receive more real-world experiences.

In February, at the BPA regional competition, John had twenty-eight students place in the top three. In the following categories. Fundamental Accounting, Advanced Accounting, Payroll Accounting, Personal Financial Management, Banking & Finance, Advanced Word Processing, Fundamental Spreadsheets, Advanced Spreadsheets, Global Marketing Team, Small Business Management Team, and Financial Math & Analysis Concepts

John has had great success in preparing his students for their post-secondary education. Over 90% of his students go on to college, and about 60% decide to major in Business. John connects his lessons to his real-world experiences. He emphasizes to his students the benefits of an accounting career and the opportunities that the major represents.

John is committed to being a great CTE teacher. He attends the Ohio ACTE summer conference every year. This allows him to grow to help mentor new CTE teachers within our district and around the region. As our Accounting/Finance teacher, John meets the vision of OhioACTE by being at the forefront of innovative educational techniques and the process to equip educators to meet or exceed their student’s educational goals and life expectations while pursuing their career calling.

Below are a few statements from some of John’s current students.

Sarah Holt Class of 2023

If you asked me to tell you what I think of a great teacher, the first person I’d think of is Mr. Stalcup. He has taught me so much, not only about Accounting and Finance but about life and what it’s really like in the real world once we graduate. He’s a teacher that really cares for his students and wants to see them succeed in their future. He’s not one to sugar coat things, he’ll give it to you straight because of the potential he sees in everyone. He’s given me a different perspective on certain situations, and I’ve learned a lot from him. I’m very honored to have been able to take his class, all I’ve ever heard are good things about him, from my older sister and his past students. If anyone deserves the pleasure of being nominated for Career Tech Teacher of the Year, my vote most certainly goes to Mr. Stalcup.

Jakcrus Huynh Class of 2023

Mr. Stalcup to me is less of a teacher, more of a mentor. He doesn't simply teach the material and forget about the students. He cares for each individual student and that is something I feel is often rare in teachers. He'll have one on one conversations with students whenever they feel unsure about something in life. That could be college, life events etc. As an actual teacher though, Mr. Stalcup is easily in the top tier of all teachers I've ever had. There's is something about the way he teaches that just allows the material to stick like glue. With that, it allows many of our students to do very well at BPA, and there is always a handful of students that make nationals. Mr. Stalcup has made a huge impact on my life and my future and I am forever thankful for him.