Sarah Johnson, Agriculture Teacher at Surry Central High School, has been selected as one of 24 finalists for the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) 2024 Burroughs Wellcome Fund NC Career and Technical Education (CTE) Teacher of the Year Award. The candidates were chosen for their dedication, innovation, and ability to inspire students to achieve their full potential.
Johnson will represent Surry County Schools during a week of professional development on the NCCAT Cullowhee campus that will culminate with winner and runner-up award presentations on October 3, 2024. This immersive experience aims to further enhance their teaching skills and provide them with new tools to continue making a profound impact in their classrooms like participants experience each week with NCCAT.
The 2024-25 school year will mark her third on the Surry Central staff as the Agriculture Education teacher and FFA Advisor, and her 12th in the Surry County School system. Johnson's appointment at SCHS in August of 2022 includes leading instruction in Animal Science 1, Animal Science 2 - Livestock, Animal Science 2 - Companion Animals, Horticulture 1, Horticulture 2, and Natural Resources, and is followed by 10 years at Central Middle School, where she taught English Language Arts and Social Studies beginning in 2013. Mrs. Johnson taught her first year in Wilkes County Schools before returning to Surry County Schools.
“My goal is for the students who leave my program to have something that they are passionate about and proud to have been a part of. I hope that they have a desire to spread their own passion for agriculture with others and have a better understanding and knowledge of the agriculture industry,” says Johnson. “Seeing students step out of their comfort zones and the excitement in their eyes when we are out in our hands-on facilities like the barn, poultry lab or greenhouse is my favorite part of teaching agriculture.”
FFA is an organization that prides itself on developing student leaders and empowering students with the communication skills that they need to be successful not only in future careers but also in life. Mrs. Johnson is very proud of the FFA program that she has helped to rebuild at Surry Central. She is extremely proud of the dedication of the students and their parents to help build the program to the most active it has been in decades. The students in FFA at Surry Central frequently compete in competition events, participate in leadership development workshops, attend State and National Conventions, and complete community service projects. The program hopes to achieve National Chapter status in the near future.
“We are pleased to recognize these exceptional educators who are at the forefront of Career and Technical Education in North Carolina,” said NCCAT Executive Director Dr. M. Brock Womble. “Their commitment to fostering student success through innovative teaching practices is truly inspiring. We look forward to celebrating their achievements and contributions to education.”
For a complete list of finalists, please visit https://www.nccat.org/node/3422.