SkillsUSA Awards and Recognition Book 2022 - 32

RECOGNITION
Outstanding Career and Technical Educators
Each year, SkillsUSA is proud to honor individual educators for their service and dedication to
career and technical education and to SkillsUSA by naming them as our Outstanding Career
and Technical Educators.
Andrew Aldrich
SkillsUSA co-advisor, engineering instructor and CTE department
head Andrew Aldrich has dedicated many years to Burrillville (R.I.)
High School career and technical education programs. SkillsUSA
was introduced to Burrillville only two years ago, and Aldrich has
been instrumental in generating the participation of his students
and colleagues. He's served many roles within CTE over the years,
including as a Project Lead the Way instructor and site coordinator
and a board member of the CTE advisory committee for the
engineering program. Aldrich also developed and implemented his
school's summer STEAM program, where high school volunteers
mentor elementary students in the areas of science, technology,
engineering, the arts and mathematics. Through the program, Aldrich established kindergarten
and elementary robotics programs, including a competitive event at the elementary level.
His students have earned numerous medals in SkillsUSA state and national championships
and other competitions. According to his colleagues, " Aldy " (as he's affectionately known)
has transformed the classroom and CTE environment at Burrillville. He is always looking for
new community partnerships and spends his free time working on ways to make all the CTE
programs more successful while creating more opportunities for students and colleagues alike.
When asked about Aldrich, Christopher Pilling, a 12-year construction management teacher at
Burrillville, said, " Andrew Aldrich is the prime example of what a true leader looks and acts
like. He sheds a positive light on even the worst situations to be sure that everyone involved
knows they are making a difference. "
Louise Drow
As an automotive technology instructor, Louise Drow has dedicated
over 30 years to helping students develop career and technical
education skills in leadership, automotive and diesel programs.
Drow's innovative program at Aloha High School in Beaverton, Ore.,
has been accredited by the Automotive Service Excellence Educational
Foundation since 2005 and is the only automotive program in the
state of Oregon to hold such an esteemed certification. That quality
in the classroom proves itself further in competition: Drow's students
placed in the top three at the SkillsUSA Oregon state championships
in 13 of the last 15 years and placed in the top 10 in the nation
three times. Drow also encourages her students to use their skills to serve their communities,
as they regularly organize automotive clinics for needy families, participate in school and
community cleanup events and organize donations to local shelters. Over 80% of her students
continue to gain further education or employment in the auto industry, a testimony to her
program's quality. As a former instructor in Arizona, Drow advised and trained many state
officers and one national officer. Every job change created an opportunity for her to start a
new program and encourage students to compete, learn and achieve in SkillsUSA. (Drow has
also been named as one of SkillsUSA's Honorary Life recipients this year!)
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2022 AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

SkillsUSA Awards and Recognition Book 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of SkillsUSA Awards and Recognition Book 2022