Outstanding Vocational Special Needs
Teacher(S) of the Year

Susan Witmer
Food Service Instructor, Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School

Susan Witmer is the Food Service Instructor at Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School.  She has an incredible passion for the needs of all students.   She is truly effective in the way she works with her students.  More than anything, she wants them to find their strengths and build upon those strengths to prepare them for the path of independence.  This also helps them to realize their strengths and learn to make accommodations for themselves in all aspects of life.

Sue’s philosophy for her students is that they learn by doing.  She wants her students to have the experience in the community and be part of the community so they to learn what the community is about, and to model the expectations of the public and businesses.

Sue Witmer has served on the Board of Directors for PAVESNP and has been the President.  Sue has also written IEP’s upon request for individuals with disabilities.  She put forth great effort to build effective individualized education programs for children with special needs.

Several students submitted letters of recommendations on behalf of Sue Witmer, one student’s comments were “first block class ended and it was time.  I made through the large gathering of students in the hallway and came upon the cafeteria where her class took place.  I entered and was beckoned to come up to sit down by a small little lady resembling my grandmother with a very wholesome and inviting smile on her face.  She told me to sit as the rest of the class filed in to the cafeteria and from that moment I knew that she and I were going to get along and from that day I could hardly wait to get to class everyday.  Once I entered her class, this was the first time I ever seriously thought of becoming a chef.  She taught me how to concentrate on my basic skills in cooking and turn them into a practice.”

Another student’s comments about Mrs. Witmer were “after graduating from high school, I attended the PA School of Culinary Arts.  After a year and a half of school, I had to come back home because of finances.  I started working a couple of jobs, my father passed away and I once again started to go down the wrong path of life.  Then one day, Mrs. Witmer saw someone in my family and asked how I was.  She told them to have me come into the school the next day, and that she had something to talk to me about.  When I went into the school, I was offered a job in the cafeteria.  I accepted.  The school had become somewhat of a safe zone for me, I felt comfortable here.  I have since worked my way up to being the cook for the whole school.  I feel that I am where I am today in life because of Mrs. Sue Witmer.”

Kevin Choates
Life Skills Teacher, Williamsport Area School District

Kevin Choates is the Life Skills Teacher at Williamsport Area School District and a GED Instructor at the Lycoming County Prison.  Kevin works tirelessly to make the world his students live in a better, more understandable place.  He strives to connect each student’s education to their interests, individualizing everything he does for them – going to any length to connect his students with others who can help them achieve their goals.  He builds a systemic partnership of providers who collaborate for the interest of the student.  Each student is held accountable and is shown how to become a responsible citizen, productive worker and have a good life.

He is a teacher of life skills education at the school district and is also a prison educator for the under 21 students in the Lycoming County Prison.  At the prison, he has been able to secure:

·    OVR demonstration grant for fiber optic training;
·    Prison mentoring program with faith-based organizations that has since been adopted by the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Program;|
·    GED Program; and
·    Mentoring program available to the incarcerated.

He brings many people into the lives of his students and convinces them to give countless hours of their time, convinces others to give funding and convinces judges to change the way they sentence.  Through his efforts, students now receive drug counseling while incarcerated, individuals with mental retardation receive alternative sentences and service providers regularly teach classes in the prison.

Kevin truly believes that there is good in everyone, that each student he encounters can achieve his/her goals and that whatever he can do to make this possible, he will do.

   

Direct Vocational Special Needs
Support Persons of the Year

Richard McCorkel
Education Consultant, PA Training and Technical Assistance Network
 

Richard McCorkle is an Education Consultant for PA Training and Technical Assistance Network in Harrisburg.  In 1978, Richard created and developed a Work Experience Program for special needs students through the Central Dauphin School District.  The program was designed to include a 3-day vocational evaluation of student prior to placement and two jobsite placements on a 9-week rotation.  The students skills and experiences in the program were directly linked to specific vocational programs at Dauphin County Technical School.  In 1980, he helped personnel from the vocational school and local school districts develop processes, policies and program strategies and identify ways to communicate and work together.  A student-centered approach was developed and a multidisciplinary team monitored each special needs student’s vocational and academic performance.  The team, including the parent and student, could proactively plan for needed services.

In 1993, he developed a model transition review process, know as T-CARS, which was replicated statewide to assist special needs students make connections with human services agencies.  In 2001, he assisted in initiating the Transition Outcomes Project with the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

He has worked his magic in the classroom, in community settings, has made a tremendous positive on hundreds of students and is known nationally for his vision and work with the Transition Outcomes Project.  The “T.O.P.s” seeds that have been planted across Pennsylvania will blossom for years to come in the form of better programs and more importantly positive outcomes for kids.  He works at night, on weekends, when sick and when it might be sticking his head out all because it is the right thing to do.

“When we are tired, frustrated or unsure, his impish smile and almost leprechaunish twinkle in this eye lets us know all are ok and on the right track.”

   

Indirect Provider of Major Support Services
and Contributions of Vocational Special Needs

Honorable John E. Peterson
US House of Representatives, Pennsylvania District 5
 

Representative Peterson, is a member of the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies and one of our strongest leaders in Washington, he works to the good of all students, including those with special needs.  In Pennsylvania, he has assisted career and technical schools in obtaining equipment grants, he meets with career and technical education school directors and has presented VICA awards at regional competitions.

Congressman Peterson states, “as a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee that funds education, I have worked to ensure that the federal government continues to play a positive role in the education of our children and grandchildren. Since President Bush took office, I have worked with his Administration to pass significant education reforms while increasing the federal commitment to public education. We have increased funding for many important programs including special education, elementary and secondary education, career and technical education, Pell Grants and a new rural education grant program.  Pennsylvania is a world leader in higher education. With some of the finest Universities in the nation, we train young people to lead the world in fields ranging from agriculture and medicine to science and technology.  But Pennsylvania is severely lacking when it comes to training our young people and retraining our adults to use technology. From healthcare to manufacturing, computers have changed the way we do business. Whether it's tuning up a car, repairing an HVAC system or automating a high-volume warehouse, technology plays a vital role in almost every successful business.  Technology is the driving force behind our nation's economy, and young people who know how to use technology will be in the driver seat in the 21st Century.  As your representative in Congress, I will continue to fight to ensure that our young people and adults have the opportunity to learn the skills necessary to become successful members of today's workforce.  As the use of technology increases, so does the demand for skilled workers. While Pennsylvania excels in bachelor’s and advanced degrees, we are seriously deficient in college-level technical programs that can train young people and retrain adults to compete in our technology-driven workforce.”

He was nominated by Nancy Latimer, Cooperative Education Instructor, Warren County Career Center.