Recently, Becky Cornelius, health science instructor for Crenshaw County Schools, received an award nomination from the Alabama Association of Career and Technical Education (AACTE) in the division of health science. Shortly after her nomination, Cornelius was notified that she had officially been chosen as the AACTE winner of the Teacher of the Year Award in the division of health science.

“I was super excited, especially because someone else from the state felt that I was worthy enough to obtain that. It’s an honor,” she said.

Last summer while attending an AACTE conference, Cornelius stated that teachers were given the chance to nominate others in their divisions for awards, such as Teacher of the Year, Administrator of the Year and more.

Cornelius stated that she was anonymously nominated for this at the first of the year, and after her nomination, she was asked to submit her application back in February with a 350-word explanation of what all she’s done for the field of health science in Crenshaw County. Cornelius says there are a little over 200 health science teachers in the state, so she does not take her nomination lightly.

The winner of the award will be determined at the next AACTE meeting. For now, Cornelius is competing against the teachers of the year nominated from other divisions.

If she is selected as the state Teacher of the Year, she will then go on to compete at the national level.

Cornelius currently serves as the president of the AACTE health science division, and also acts as a mentor for teachers under her. In her position with AACTE, she has had the chance to interact with teachers state and nationwide, and has also attended multiple conferences and workshops with the group. Cornelius still has no idea who nominated her for the award, but she is exceedingly grateful for the opportunity to represent her district and state in the next round of nominations. While it is always her intent to work hard and to the best of her ability, she will keep this award and what it means in mind as she continues teaching.

“When you look at yourself as the health science Teacher of the Year, it makes you want to step up even more than you’re already doing to make sure you really are meeting that recognition,” she said.