VSTE

Virginia Society for Technology in Education

Awards

2017 VSTE Award Winners

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Each year, VSTE recognizes exemplary educators through several different awards.  We are proud to announce this year’s recipients who will be recognized at the Annual Educational Technology Conference.

The Outstanding Teacher and Leaders awards are given by the Virginia Society for Technology in Education to educational leaders who has demonstrated outstanding achievement and leadership in implementing technology to improve education.

The VSTE Outstanding Leader for 2017 is Tim Taylor, Instructional Technology Supervisor of Shenandoah County Public Schools. Rebecca Coffman, an ITRT from Shenandoah County who submitted the nomination, describes Tim as a teacher, coach, and mentor. Tim’s approachability, positive attitude and support strengthens teachers’ and students’ confidence in their abilities and empowers them to experiment, implement and succeed even if that includes success by learning from failure. Tim empowers teachers by giving them opportunities to contribute their ideas and put them into practice, while also offering guidance when needed.. His ability to form relationships and communicate with all members of the educational community gives him a unique perspective of what is essential for continual growth.

A few of Tim’s initiatives include:

  • Advocacy of new technology initiatives such as robotics, STEM, 1:1
  • District GAFE accounts for K-12
  • District trips with teachers to Google Sulmmit, VSTE, ISTE, BrainStorm
  • Micro-credentialing
  • Creating and teaching technology courses with our local colleges
  • Tech Tips with Tim monthly instructional videos

The VSTE Outstanding Teacher for 2017 is Nichole Thomas, an Instructional Facilitator for Technology at Liberty Elementary School in Loudoun County. Nichole’s knowledge, collaborative nature and innovative ideas have transformed Liberty into a leader in technology application. More importantly, Nichole has empowered students to become the designers and creators of significant content and develop competencies for their digital world. For this work and due to Nichole, Liberty Elementary was recognize as a STEM Excellence Award finalist this year at FETC (Future Education Technology Conference).

Nichole works tirelessly to align grade-level lessons and project-based learning (PBL) units to the Virginia SOLs and equip students with digital competencies that they will use today and in their future. Under Nichole’s leadership, our teachers routinely integrate technology, such as 3D printing, virtual field trips, coding, augmented reality and more in instruction and cross-curricula PBL and STEM lessons. More importantly, Nichole’s energy and enthusiasm is contagious in our school. Students and teachers love to see Mrs. Thomas in their classrooms or co-teaching a lesson in the Smart Lab. Nichole creates and co-teaches in this innovative learning environment, the Smart Lab, with each instructional staff member. Nichole is an incredibly innovative teacher and leader at our school.

The Innovative Educator of the Year for 2017 is Josh Ajima, an Instructional Facilitator for Technology at Dominion High School in Loudoun County. This award is given by VSTE to highlight and recognize innovative educational practices—especially those that champion the smart integration of technology. Josh has brought technology rich hands-on learning to his school through making and technology enriched classrooms. The major focus of his work is to scale up the integration of Maker Education in every classroom and content area. In the 2016-2017 school year, he led a major push to bring over $100,000 in technology to his school. He led the team that won the US Department of Education’s CTE Makeover Challenge which transformed a traditional CTE classroom into a school makerspace. (http://www.ctemakeoverchallenge.com/dominion-high-school/ and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHluQediaIQ) To increase the reach of maker tools into the classroom, he designed mobile makerspace carts that allow multiple-classes to use real-world tools to solve authentic challenging problems. To increase classroom access to technology for digital design, media creation and digital publishing in his school, he helped plan and fundraise for an influx of over 200 new devices to create technology rich classrooms. These devices have empowered teachers in multiple content areas to help fulfill the school mission of empowering vulnerable students.

2016 VSTE Award Winners

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Each year, VSTE recognizes exemplary educators through several different awards.  We are proud to announce this year’s recipients who will be recognized at the Annual Educational Technology Conference.

The Outstanding Teacher and Leaders awards are given by the Virginia Society for Technology in Education to educational leaders who has demonstrated outstanding achievement and leadership in implementing technology to improve education.

Dr. Ann Nash, Instructional Technology Resources Teacher in the Henrico County Public Schools, has been named Outstanding Teacher of the Year. She has been an educator for 18 years, five as a teacher and 13 as an ITRT and instructional coach.  Dr. Ann Nash’s impact on technology use is felt locally, regionally, statewide, nationally and worldwide.

Locally Ann serves her school, Pocahontas Middle, as well as her division, Henrico County Public Schools as an ITRT.

As a Chair of the Greater Richmond-Area Education Technology Consortium (GRAETC) and executive board member of The Virginia Educational Research Association (VERA), Ann leads regionally. Statewide, Ann has attended and presented at many VSTE workshops and conferences, including the VSTE Conference.

The impact of Ann’s work is also felt nationally and worldwide as an Adjunct Professor at Averett University, delivering distance learning instruction to students in 29 states and 14 foreign countries. In his nomination letter,

Jonathan Gregori from The Department of Instructional Technology at Henrico County Public Schools nominated Dr. Nash, commenting, "Dr. Nash’s efforts as a teacher, ITRT, instructional coach, curriculum designer, and professional organization leader, combine to advance the quality of education and work experience for all groups around her."

Dr. Amy Cashwell, Chief Academic Officer of Virginia Beach City Public Schools, was named the Outstanding Leader of the Year Award for 2016.  In the nomination letter, Dr. Cashwell was described as THE driving force behind the division’s digital learning transformation. The school division’s strategic plan, Compass to 2020, includes a digital learning goal of, “using digital learning as a pathway to personalized learning by increasing student flexibility with respect to when and how learning occurs.”  Through Dr. Cashwell’s leadership and vision, Virginia Beach City Public Schools is aiming for personalized learning for all students, with a clearly articulated plan for digital learning as a pathway toward that goal.

From reorganizing efforts around instructional technology by providing an instructional technology specialist in each school to coach teachers in best practices around digital learning; to developing and implementing the division’s Digital Anchor School initiative in which 15 schools serve as laboratories to test both digital devices and pedagogy; to a developing a division-wide reflection guide to serve as a tool for schools to determine readiness in five focus areas for a successful digital transformation; Dr. Cashwell is a visionary whose ideas and actions are always focused on what will best engage and enrich students, as well as maximize each student’s achievement.

Matt Caratachea, Instructional Technology Resource Teacher for Henrico County Public Schools, has been named the Innovative Educator of the Year. This award is given by VSTE to highlight and recognize innovative educational practices—especially those that champion the smart integration of technology.  Mr. Caratachea’s talent as a classroom teacher and his leadership skills afforded him the opportunity to continue his professional growth as an elementary ITRT. In this role, he has contributed to the knowledge and skills that create a culture where technology enhances engagement, instruction and learning. 

Matt has taken the lead on several innovative projects. He spearheaded a 3D fabrication pilot with a professor from Virginia Commonwealth University that  included multiple 3D printers, and a paper fabrication machine. Students created a 3D topographical representation of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, reproduction of an arrowhead recovered at Jamestown, and 3D prints of the students' scaled catapult prototypes.  In addition, Matt was instrumental in the gifted classroom implementation of a coding and innovation pilot.

All three winners will be honored at the VSTE Annual Technology in Education Conference.

Recognize Excellence with VSTE

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VSTE recognizes excellence in education through its annual awards program. We ask our members for nominations for three awards: Outstanding Leader, Outstanding Teacher and Innovative Educator of the Year. Winners receive a complimentary registration to the annual conference and are recognized during the opening session.

You may nominate yourself or a colleague.

Nominations close on October 1, 2016.

Making It Happen Award Winners 2015

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Making IT Happen is an internationally recognized awards program for educators and leaders in the field of educational technology integration in K–12 schools. The program identifies and rewards educational technology leaders around the world for their commitment and innovation. The program is coordinated by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).

In 2015, VSTE recognized two Virginia educators with this important award:

copenhaverJanet Copenhaver is the Director of Technology and Innovation in the Henry County Public Schools. Copenhaver has worked for the Henry County Public School system for 21 years. Her untiring dedication to the students of Henry County has helped make the school division a leader  in emerging technologies. She has received a variety of recognitions for her work and has traveled throughout the United States presenting at conferences and helping other school divisions.

A photo of Dr. Mano TalaiverPrior to her retirement, Dr. Mano Talaiver was the Director of Longwood University's Institute for Teaching through Technology & Innovative Practices (ITTIP). She has worked to bring emerging technologies, STEM learning, online learning, teacher professional development to school divisions with a focus on broadening the participation of low-income, rural and minority communities in computing and STEM.  She continues her work as part of ISTE's Verizon Mobile Learning Academy.

You can learn more about the award and previous Virginia winners here.

2015 VSTE Award Winners

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Each year, VSTE recognizes exemplary educators through several different awards.  We are proud to announce this year’s recipients who will be recognized at the Annual Educational Technology Conference.

Doug Saunders Doug Saunders is the 2015 Outstanding Teacher of the Year. Doug is an experienced teacher and instructional coach who inspires others to become confident in implementing 21st century instruction within their daily curriculum. He currently works as an ITRT at Holman Middle School in Henrico County. Doug’s educational philosophy that by using technology, educators can provide an interactive, meaningful, experience and create an environment where students can learn at their own pace, actively seeking out new information and empowering themselves to master content and embrace lifelong learning, is evident in his approach and coaching of teachers. The Huskie Exchange, now in its third year, was created to provide opportunities for teachers learn from one another and to share high-quality engaging lessons that incorporate 21st century skills. Doug’s approach to professional development for himself and his teachers, is a model for other ITRTs in Henrico County. He is constantly looking for new and creative ideas but more importantly his ability to affect change within a school and a division through coaching and professional development is what makes him an amazing teacher and an invaluable member of our HCPS ITRT team.

Dr. Helen CromptonDr. Helen Crompton is the 2015 Outstanding Leader of the Year. Dr. Crompton is an assistant professor of Instructional Technology in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Old Dominion University. She has dedicated her life to improving educational technology at all levels: local, state, regional, national, and global. Locally, Dr. Crompton has brought K-12 and university educators together. In collaboration, both practitioners and scholars have worked to ensure that our future teachers go out into the Commonwealth, and beyond, prepared with the technological knowledge, skills, and tools they need to educate 21st century children. Globally, Dr. Crompton is working with two divisions of the United Nations to educate the public regarding the benefits of educational technology. Dr. Helen Crompton works tirelessly to enhance the lives of learners at all levels. She is an outstanding advocate for educational technologies and is an outstanding candidate for this award.

Kim HarrisonKim Harrison is the 2015 Innovative Educator of the Year. Kim is an Instructional Technology Specialist based at Indian Lakes Elementary School in Virginia Beach. Kim is truly an innovator. She has a passion for sharing virtual environments and was the innovator behind Virginia Beach City Public Schools bringing Minecraft into the elementary classroom. Kim has shared her passion for bringing Minecraft into the elementary classroom in her school, throughout the division (through division-wide professional development courses), and across the state of Virginia (as she serves as Chair for VSTE's new Virtual Environments Professional Learning Network and leads sessions at the VSTE conference each year). Another pet project is VSTE Island in Second Life. She can always be found "in world" leading a book study, modeling to a newbie how to walk around (as opposed to appearing as a floating head), or just hanging out. Kim is always ready to jump in and answer any questions from those of us who "just don't get it!" Kim’s passion for this technology and dedication to bringing this awesome new technology to her young students impresses all who know her.