Explore the New Manufacturing made a surprise award presentation to Kevin Morris at the organization’s North Central Regional Award Ceremony. Morris was presented with a 2024 Outstanding Industry Educator Award in the high school category. The award celebrates skilled and dedicated educators working to increase the understanding of manufacturing careers available in West Virginia. Morris, Career Technical Education and Aerospace Engineering instructor, teaches at Marion County Technical Center. He will receive a $500 award designated for classroom enhancement, in addition to a commemorative wooden plaque and gift basket featuring products made in West Virginia.
In describing his classroom, Morris stated, “Our program highly supports and encourages the use of technology to overcome challenges where resources may be limited. While challenges can feel like setbacks to education, they represent real-world situations in industry. We use these issues in our simulated workplace to find ways to adapt and overcome them for a successful outcome. Overall, our students take on these challenges with a can-do attitude that embraces problems with the mindset of finding solutions.”
Launched in 2020, the Outstanding Industry Educator Award celebrates West Virginia educators who are steadfast champions for their students, tirelessly seeking means to help them succeed along their career pathways. “Explore the New Manufacturing has been very impressed with how Kevin Morris uses hands-on and project-based learning to prepare his students for their future careers,” said Executive Director Monica Cross. “He is a selfless instructor, dedicated to providing a more engaging approach to education. We look forward to working with Mr. Morris and his students.”
Morris’ award is part of Explore’s Emerging Elite in Manufacturing and Outstanding Industry Educator awards. Profiles of all 2024 award recipients will be available on the Explore the New Manufacturing website after they have been announced. https://www.exploremfgwv.com/awards
