Lynnette Markley has never been one to highlight her own achievements, preferring to showcase her students’ accomplishments. So when it was announced at a state conference in Indianapolis Friday that she is the 2014 Association for Career & Technical Education Teacher of the Year for Indiana, she was more than a little surprised. “I was very honored and humbled by it,” Markley said in an interview Wednesday. Markley is a teacher and leader in the Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources Department at Warsaw Area Career Center. She also is one of the FFA advisors. The award recognizes “the finest career and technical teachers at the secondary school level who have demonstrated innovation in the classroom, commitment to their students and dedication to the improvement of CTE in their institutions and communities. Members employed as full-time classroom/laboratory CTE teachers at the middle/secondary school level are eligible recipients of the award,” according to the ACTE website. Markley has taught for 20 years, 19 of those at Warsaw Community High School and WACC. “My philosophy is it’s all about the kids. I’ve never been one to highlight myself, so this has been like ‘Whoa!’ I want the kids to have all the glory and the awards and the honors,” she said. Until her name was announced at the state conference, she said she didn’t know she was receiving the award. She thought something was going to happen in Indianapolis, though, because people kept asking her if she was going, which was odd to her. “I was totally awed, shocked,” she said. “I am fortunate to have a friend and co-worker in Abbi (Richcreek). She took the time to (nominate me for the award). She’s an amazing person herself.” In her nomination for Markley as the ACTE Teacher of the Year, Richcreek wrote, in part, “I have had the distinct pleasure of knowing Mrs. Lynnette Markley for the past eight years. She is an outstanding role model for students. Students have a high respect level for her and her abilities. Markley dedicates countless hours every day for the benefit of her students. It is not uncommon for me to see her into the late evening hours and on weekends working with students.” Richcreek wrote that the Warsaw FFA program Markley developed is “impeccable.” “You can tell that the students are inspired by the amount of work that it takes because they are working just as hard to accomplish goals in their FFA competition teams. The various teams frequently win state and proceed to nationals. The FFA chapter is extremely active in the community, performing community service projects, and active in the state,” Richcreek wrote. She also describes Markley as extremely organized, very detail-oriented and a superior worker. Her curriculum is rigorous, current and relevant, and her students leave her class prepared, the nomination reads. “She always goes the extra mile,” Richcreek wrote. “Her colleagues all respect her and look to her for her leadership. I also admire her dedication to her students (inside and outside the classroom).” As part of the nomination, Richcreek had teacher Rob Hays identify students to comment about Markley. FFA Vice President and senior Coltin Brumfield said, “One way that Mrs. Markley has impacted me is by always influencing me to do the right thing. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be striving to attend Purdue University and I would be taking the ‘easy way.’” “Mrs. Markley has always encouraged us to pursue our dreams,” said senior and FFA Secretary Karlie Dees. “She builds us up so we can achieve anything we would like to do with our lives. She has been the best teacher and FFA advisor since I met her three years ago.” “Mrs. Markley is like a second mom to me. She pushes us to achieve great things not only in the classroom but in our FFA chapter as well. She is not your regular teacher, and I have been blessed to have known her throughout my high school career,” said senior Sydney Susaraba, FFA president. Senior and FFA member Allison Allen said, “Mrs. Markley has so many amazing things about her. She is so inspiring. She inspires me to follow my dreams and achieve my goals. She is laid back, but also can be serious when the time is called for. She deserves this award in every way.” Finally, senior and Student Advisor Dakota Koontz said, “Mrs. Markley has been more than a teacher, more than a FFA advisor, she has been a role model. She has provided the opportunities that molded me into the leader that I am. She has guided me for success. I would like to tell her, thank you.” As the Indiana ACTE Teacher of the Year, Markley can advance to the national competition in November. She said she didn’t have a lot of details about the national conference yet, but was looking forward to the opportunity.
