Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Instruction
Three outstanding Sandersville Technical College faculty members have been nominated for the STC Rick Perkins Award of Excellence in Technical Instruction. The Rick Perkins Award honors technical education’s most outstanding instructors.
The three STC nominees for 2007 were: Tony Simmons, Welding & Joining Technology Instructor; Brenda Ellis, Certified Nurse Assisting Instructor; and Gerald Burton, Commercial Truck Driving Instructor.
To be eligible for this honor, the nominees must have a minimum of three years teaching experience at STC; their teaching performance should be exceptional; they should bring innovation to their profession; and if selected, must be willing to represent STC at consortium and state level competition to be named the State Rick Perkins winner. |
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STC’s 2006 Rick Perkins Award Winner Tony Simmons
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“While there is never a shortage of great instructors at Sandersville Technical College willing to vie for this honor, we were particularly fortunate in the quality of nominees,” cites STC President, Dr. Lloyd Horadan.
“Last week our nominees were interviewed by a panel of 6 members of the administrative leadership team at STC,” continues Horadan. “This distinctive panel chose Tony Simmons as Sandersville Technical College’s 2007 Instructor of the Year and Rick Perkins Award of Excellence in Technical Instruction winner.”
In addition to the honor of being named award winner, Tony also received a $500 gift certificate from STC’s Student Government Association to show their appreciation for this amazing instructor.
Tony teaches Welding & Joining Technology at the Main Campus in Sandersville and teaches on average 60 students per quarter. Here are some of the expressions of gratitude for the role Tony takes in his students’ education.
“Mr. Simmons is a dedicated, hard working instructor at STC, a mentor and role model for the young men and women who are enrolled in the dual enrollment program from high school, as well as those who choose to continue on after graduation.”
“Mr. Simmons has high hopes and aspirations for those who enroll and is willing to assist those in need of employment.”
“Mr. Simmons teaches us to strive for the best so that when we finish the program, we are ready to work anywhere; and we are."
The Rick Perkins Award has been an ongoing statewide event since 1991 and is designed to recognize and honor technical college instructors who make significant contributions to technical education through innovation and leadership in their fields. The state recipient of this distinguished award is recognized as Georgia’s Technical College System’s Instructor of the Year.
Formerly known as the Commissioner’s Award of Excellence, the Rick Perkins Award was renamed in memory and honor of Thomas “Rick” Perkins, an instructor at West Central Technical College, who received the Commissioner’s Award of Excellence prior to his untimely death.
Instructors are nominated for the Rick Perkins Award by their respective technical college. “I am excited, honored and humbled because probably there is no greater honor can come to any man than the respect of his colleagues,” says Simmons.
Competition among winning instructors at the college level now occurs at the consortia level, and then a winner is selected from each consortium. The six consortia winners receive statewide recognition for their achievement, and then move to state-level competition. Final state-level judging occurs in September when the Rick Perkins Award Winner is announced at the Annual Lighthouse Banquet.
The Rick Perkins Award winner serves as an ambassador for technical education in Georgia. He or she will make many public appearances throughout the year including addresses to the Georgia General Assembly, the Governor, and the Georgia Technical College System Leadership Conference to name a few.
Tony will now move on to competition at the Consortia Level in August. Congratulations, Tony, and good luck!
(2007, June 20). The Sandersville Progress, p2B.
(2007, June 28). The Warrenton Clipper.
(2007, July 12). The News & Farmer/Jefferson Reporter.
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