The Ohio Association for Career-Technical Education (ACTE) recognized one of Ohio Hi-Point Career Center’s instructors as a rising star during the Annual Ohio ACTE Conference held in Columbus this week. Sharon Maurice, Supply Chain Management satellite instructor at Urbana High School, was named Ohio’s Outstanding New Career and Technical Education Teacher for 2012.
The award recognizes new CTE teachers who have made “significant contributions toward innovative, unique and novel programs and have shown a professional commitment early in their career.”
Maurice has been teaching the Supply Chain Management program at Urbana High School since 2008, but was actively involved in building the program since 2005 when she was a member of an advisory committee board for Ohio Hi-Point.
Using her business savvy practices, Maurice helped guide the direction of the new program, and in 2008, Maurice relinquished ownership of a company she successfully founded to become the program’s instructor.
“I’ve always wanted to teach,” stated Maurice, “but opportunities in the business realm appeared and I chose my path. When the chance came to be involved with the Supply Chain Management program as an advisory committee member I was excited to be a part of the experience. Then one thing lead to another and I realized Ohio Hi-Point gave me the confidence to do what I’ve always dreamed of doing.”
Since then, the program, which feeds into Wright Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, has made a dynamic impact at the state level, serving as a model Supply Chain Management program for career centers across the state.
Maurice utilizes her skills she learned in the workplace, and from running her own business, and applies them to her classroom concepts, giving students an up-close and personal look at life outside of the classroom. Due to this approach, Maurice has implemented several innovative and project-based applications for her students to excel in throughout the duration of the program.
The most recent undertaking has been the development, launch and operation of an OHP online store in 2011.
The store, simply called, e-store, let OHP students and parents purchase a variety of OHP apparel and merchandise from the e-store website and students ship the product.
“The students went through the entire process of researching their target audience, working with businesses to find the best price and deal for merchandise, ordering the supplies, creating and monitoring the website and completing orders as they come through the system,” said Maurice, “I couldn’t be more proud of them for all their hard work. Without them, none of this would have been possible. They are truly entrepreneurs and own their own company.”
Shortly before the launch of the e-store, Maurice and her students were featured on the Ohio Department of Education’s website as an “Ohio Education Means Job” featured program.
Maurice also serves as the DECA Advisor to the Urbana chapter and the students recently won a DECA award for excellence in 2011 and 2012. Maurice also received a National DECA Advisor of the Year Scholarship Award during the 2010-2011 school year. She currently serves on the McGraw-Hill Advisory Board, working on developing digital pathway curriculum and serves on the educator panel for curriculum development.
Since accepting the position at Ohio HI-Point Career Center in 2008, Maurice has shared her expertise at the Ohio Economic Education Summit as well as the Ohio Capital Conference and worked with ODE in standards test writing for Supply Chain Management.
“Ohio Hi-Point is extremely fortunate to have an educator of her caliber,” offered Debbie Wortman, Ohio Hi-Point’s satellite director, “Sharon has a unique perspective of business and industry and she applies that to the classroom in such a way that students walk away with the knowledge, skills and confidence to excel in their future careers.”
Maurice added, “The support I received from everyone at Hi-Point has just been tremendous. I would have never reached this point had it not been for their support and encouragement.”
And Maurice doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. She’s busy preparing for the upcoming year for the next group of Supply Chain Management students.
