By Staff
Jason Cannon
Franklin County Times
Judy Brown, a Franklin County native and Vina High School graduate, has gone on to do some pretty big things in her career as an educator.
Those efforts have not gone unrecognized as she was recently named Region II ACTE Teacher of the Year. Brown is one of three finalists for the national title of 2008 Teacher of Year, which recognizes a teacher that provides outstanding career and technical education programs for youth and/or adults in his or her respective field and community. The winner will be announced during the ACTE National Awards ceremony at the group's Annual Convention in Las Vegas Dec. 14.
Brown, a National Board Certified teacher, is one of three educators from across the U.S., selected to compete for the 2008 ACTE National Teacher of the Year award.
Brown joined Bob Jones High School (BJHS) in 1999, where she established the Culinary Arts Academy in 2003. Brown works with local chefs, restaurant managers and hotel managers to provide students with an accurate vision of what to expect in the real world. She implements Career Awareness/Job Skill Training by using hands-on strategies in her lesson plans and teaching by incorporating team teaching with biology, physical education, Spanish, history and computer science.
In May 2006, Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) division recognized her program as Alabama's Best Practice and Career and Technical Program of the Year.
In October, Brown – who now is an Education Specialist with the Alabama Department of Education – won the Region II Teacher of the Year award.
Brown taught Culinary Arts and Hospitality classes, and she served as the CTE Department chair for BJHS and two middle schools. Elementary schools in the Madison City and Huntsville City school systems arranged field trips for children to learn about culinary careers and participate in hands-on projects with culinary students at BJHS.
Brown also started a night-time culinary community cooking classes for adults.
Brown was the recipient of the first National FCCLA Integration of Core Academics Award in 2006.
She is a graduate of Vina High School, the University of North Alabama and Webster University. Judy is married to Lt. Col. Robert L. Brown, USAF retired and is the daughter of Jack Hellums and the late Letha Hellums. The Browns have two children, Joseph and Ashley.
For ACTE Teacher of the Year award, recipients must have made significant contributions toward innovative, unique and novel programs that are serving to improve and promote career and technical education.
The nominee also should have been involved in some capacity in Association for Career and Technical Education activities at the regional and/or national level and must have been a member of ACTE and a state association for at least the past five consecutive years.
The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) is the nation's largest not-for-profit education association dedicated to the advancement of education that prepares youth and adults for successful careers.
It provides advocacy, public awareness and access to information, professional development and tools that enable members to be successful and effective leaders.
Founded in 1926, ACTE has more than 29,000 members including teachers, counselors and administrators at the middle school, high school and postsecondary levels.