Three Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) teachers and the Technology and Engineering Education program at Fairfax High School have been recognized for excellence by the Virginia Technology and Engineering Education Association (VTEEA).
Timothy Threlkeld, who has taught technology and engineering education at Langston Hughes Middle School for eight years, was named VTEEA Middle School Teacher of the Year. Threlkeld is known for teaching technological skills to his students while helping them understand the challenges of their use. His students learn problem solving skills; participate in project design, testing, and evaluation; build prototypes; and learn workplace readiness. He was recognized for providing high quality instruction that is learner-centered.
Josh Masley was named VTEEA High School Teacher of the Year. Masley, who has 13 years of classroom experience, has been instrumental in the integration of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) at West Springfield High. He teaches leadership skills to students through the school’s chapter of the Technology Student Association (TSA) and student government. Masley also developed and teaches a leadership course at his school.
Fairfax High School’s technology education program and its teacher, Emre Ege, were recognized as the VTEEA Northern Region High School Program of the Year. The Fairfax High program offers seven courses that feature STEM integration; science and math are incorporated into each course and emphasized. Ege brings experience in art, design, architecture, engineering, and technology to the classroom, helping students to connect aesthetics, art, science, and math. He teaches students to consider all aspects of each problem in order to determine the best solution. During the 2013-14 school year, the Fairfax High robotics team—part of the Engineering and Research class—won first place in the nation and region in the Mini-Urban Challenge Competition sponsored by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. Ege studied architecture in Turkey and earned master’s degrees from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in education from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Programs are recognized for providing technology and engineering education instruction that is high quality and centered on the student.