Our 2022 CERTIFIED Educator Conference wrapped last week. One of our favorite parts of the conference is announcing our selection for Educator of the Year. This year, we're proud to recognize Carol York, CTE Teacher, at Cary High School in North Carolina, as Certiport’s 2022 Educator of the Year.
Ms. York started her career in private industry and has served as an educator for over twelve years. During her teaching tenure, she’s empowered hundreds of students to earn their Microsoft Office Specialist and PMI Project Management Ready certifications. Her impact in education reaches far outside her classroom. Over the last eight years, Carol has been instrumental in the development and execution of the project management course for schools across North Carolina. Wanting to empower additional students and educators across the country, Carol also applied and was accepted as one of ten CERTIFIED Ambassadors, allowing her to share her expertise with educators across the United States.
Known for her charisma and approachability, Ms. York is beloved by her students both past and present. “She wasn’t just my teacher,” said former student Miguel Campos, “She is first and foremost a mentor for life. It wasn't just the lessons she would give that impacted me. She also offered powerful life advice. It’s been over ten years since I was in her class, and we still maintain a close relationship.”
Carol’s dedication helped her connect with her administration as well. Nolan Bryant, Principal of Cary High School said, “Carol is a rockstar! This year she has certified 100% of her students. Carol understands that students learn, succeed, and strive for excellence best when they have a great relationship with their teacher. I can say with confidence that Carol is somebody who is dedicated to her students like no other teacher I've seen.”
Ms. York delivered a workshop session at CERTIFIED 2022 titled, “Project Management in the Classroom and Beyond with PMR Certification” In the workshop she shared how she is using the PMI Project Management Ready certification to immerse her students in project management knowledge—and help them use those skills and connections to succeed in school and in the job market.
“Our team was privileged to go to North Carolina and meet with Carol, her students, and the administrators from her school and state. Each person we talked to had been touched and empowered by Carol and her loving mentorship,” said Ray Murray, Vice President and General Manager – IT, Pearson VUE. “She’s an expert in education and an expert in the business world. Her work developing curriculum in North Carolina is a testament to her knowledge in field of project management. We can’t think of anyone more deserving of this award.”
You can also hear about Carol’s passion for teaching and project management on the CERTIFIED Educator Podcast here.