The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) proudly announces Tyler D’Angelo, an agriculture teacher at CE Jordan High School in Durham Public Schools, as the NCCAT 2025 Burroughs Wellcome Fund NC Career & Technical Education (CTE) Teacher of the Year. The award was presented at a special ceremony held at the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center on the campus of Western Carolina University on Thursday, February 20th.
Now in its third year, this award recognizes outstanding CTE educators who demonstrate excellence in their profession. Finalists from across North Carolina gathered at NCCAT for a week of professional development prior to the event.
Through D’Angelo’s efforts, students have not only met but exceeded state benchmarks, earned industry-recognized credentials and gained invaluable work-based learning experiences. A colleague noted, “Mr. D’Angelo embodies the qualities of an outstanding educator: dedication, innovation, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. His impact extends far beyond the classroom, shaping the future leaders of our community and the agriculture industry.”
A student of D’Angelo’s shared, “Though my time in high school is coming to an end, I feel confident that Mr. D’Angelo will continue to strengthen our program and prepare the next generation of students. He has inspired me to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Agroecology from North Carolina State University starting next fall.”
NCCAT Executive Director Dr. M. Brock Womble expressed appreciation for the dedication of CTE educators:
“At NCCAT, we are honored to celebrate and support the exceptional Career and Technical Education teachers who inspire and prepare the next generation of North Carolina’s workforce. The NCCAT Burroughs Wellcome Fund NC CTE Teacher of the Year Award highlights the dedication, innovation, and passion these educators bring to their classrooms every day. This week of professional development recognizes their impact and equips them with valuable resources to continue fostering student success across our state.”
Runner-Up and Finalists
The runner-up for the NCCAT 2025 CTE Teacher of the Year is Alisha Pierri, a Culinary Arts and Hospitality teacher at the Center of Applied Science and Technology in Brunswick County Schools.
Finalists for the NCCAT 2025 Burroughs Wellcome Fund NC CTE Teacher of the Year Award include:
• David Dixon, Southside High School, Beaufort County Schools
• Alisha Pierri, Center of Applied Science and Technology, Brunswick County Schools
• Ashleigh Miller, Mount Pleasant Middle School, Cabarrus County Schools
• Travis Adkison, Chapel Hill High School, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools
• Fred Mason, Columbus Career and College Academy, Columbus County Schools (in memoriam)
• Misty Guthrie, Tucker Creek Middle School, Craven County Schools
• Megan Frazier, JP Knapp Early College High School, Currituck County Schools
• Cathy Berrier, Ledford High School, Davidson County Schools
• Tyler D'Angelo, CE Jordan High School, Durham Public Schools
• Brooke Clapp, Southeast Guilford High School, Guilford County Schools
• Terry Drum, Hickory High School, Hickory City Schools
• Tracy Skeens, Crossroads Arts and Science Early College, Iredell-Statesville Schools
• Melissa Haigler, Smoky Mountain High School, Jackson County Public Schools
• Ashley Holloman, Corinth Holders High School, Johnston County Public Schools
• Nicole Extine, Madison High School, Madison County Schools
• Stephanie Shaw, Mooresville Middle School, Mooresville Graded School District
• Miranda Wells, Topsail High School, Pender County Schools
• Angie Byrne, JH Rose High School, Pitt County Schools
• Phyllis King, Lumberton Junior High School, Public Schools of Robeson County
• Vernon Blackman, Midway High School, Sampson County Schools
• Sarah Johnson, Surry Central High School, Surry County Schools
• Toby Sorrell, Swain County High School, Swain County Schools
• Steven Ward, Watauga High School, Watauga County Schools
• Megan Gambill, West Wilkes High School, Wilkes County Schools
Awards and Recognition, provided by the Development Foundation of NCCAT, Inc., include:
The NCCAT CTE Teacher of the Year receives:
- $5,000 cash prize
- Instructional supply funds for their school
- Three-year membership in NCACTE
- Participation in the national ACTE Conference as the NC ACTE Teacher of the Year representative
The runner-up receives:
- $2,000 cash prize
- Three-year membership in NCACTE
Finalists receive:
- Travel and substitute cost for NCCAT professional development
- One-year membership in NCACTE
Sponsors
NCCAT extends its gratitude to the generous sponsors who make this program possible:
Signature Sponsor:
- Burroughs Wellcome Fund
Gold Sponsor:
- iCEV Multimedia
Silver Sponsor:
- RTI International
Bronze Sponsors:
- Bojangles
- Branching Minds
- Edmentum
- Hendrick Motorsports
- Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
- Instructure
- Schwartz Law, P.L.L.C.
- zSpace/Carolina Training
Patron Sponsors:
- Builder Services, Inc.
- Campbell Shatley, P.L.L.C.
- Farm Bureau – Ag in the Classroom
- Gameplan
- Pierce Group Benefits
- Paxton Patterson
Special Thanks
- The CTE Teacher of the Year Steering Committee
- The Development Foundation of NCCAT, Inc. Board of Directors
- The NCCAT Board of Trustees
About NCCAT
The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) supports teachers and impacts students through exemplary professional development programs. By increasing teacher effectiveness, NCCAT strengthens public education across the state. NCCAT equips educators with innovative teaching methods, best practices, and resources to take back to their classrooms. To learn more about NCCAT’s programs, visit www.nccat.org or call 828-293-5202.