Explore the New Manufacturing made a surprise award presentation to Cheryll Roberts at the organization’s Kanawha Valley Region Award Ceremony. Roberts 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. Roberts, a Project Lead the Way Engineering instructor, teaches at Putnam Career and Technical Center. She 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.
“The work Mrs. Roberts has done to boost enrollment in her program has created a ripple effect across the school, positively affecting the traditional stigma and perception of CTE in our community,” said C.D. Caldwell, CTE Director and PCTC Principal. “Mrs. Roberts has engaged students with community leaders, developed project opportunities for students with industry partners, facilitated her students as leaders and secured a strong committee of dedicated advisory members that will continue to strengthen the opportunities for students in the engineering program. She has been an incredible asset to our school, going above and beyond to serve the school in her position.”
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 Cheryll Roberts uses hands-on and project-based learning to prepare her students for their future careers,” said Executive Director Monica Cross. “Annually, we look forward to working with Mrs. Roberts and her students because we know they are committed to success in any project they undertake.”
Roberts’ 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
