(Cheyenne, WY) – The Wyoming Association for Career and Technical Education (WACTE) is proud to announce Megan Degenfelder, Superintendent of Public Instruction, as the recipient of the 2024 Administrator of the Year award. This prestigious honor recognizes Superintendent Degenfelder’s strong leadership and dedication to advancing Career and Technical Education (CTE) in Wyoming.
Under Superintendent Degenfelder’s leadership, CTE programs across the state have flourished, providing students with essential skills and opportunities to succeed in today’s competitive workforce. Her commitment to bolstering CTE and preparing Wyoming’s students for both college and career success is greatly appreciated.
Dr. Jenna Shim, Dean of the University of Wyoming College of Education, remarked,
“Superintendent Degenfelder’s leadership is characterized by a rare blend of vision, integrity, and compassion. She leads by example, inspiring her team and stakeholders alike to pursue excellence and innovation in the field of Career and Technical Education.”
Superintendent Degenfelder has implemented several key initiatives to prioritize and enhance CTE, including:
● Support of Career and Technical Education Student Organizations: Led a successful effort in the legislature to increase funding for: Wyoming FFA, Wyoming SkillsUSA, Wyoming FBLA, Wyoming FCCLA, and Wyoming DECA. This will allow students interested in CTE to advance their leadership and career goals.
● Industry Partnerships: Fostering strong partnerships between the Wyoming Department of Education, other educational entities, and local industries to provide students with hands-on learning experiences and direct pathways to employment.
● Teacher Training and Support: Partnering with the University of Wyoming to support a reinvigorated teacher preparation program to help ensure schools can offer high quality CTE programming.
● Statewide Grants: Supporting state grants to support local CTE programs through materials and equipment.
● Rewriting the Federal Perkins Grant: Collaborated and created the Wyoming Perkins V Plan with Wyoming’s CTE leaders.
● Fremont County Success Initiative: The WDE helped create and has invested over $1 million in a collaborative CTE and post-secondary success initiative with Central Wyoming College and Fremont County school districts. The initiative’s goal is to increase the number of and strengthen existing CTE pathways for Fremont County students.
Rob Hill, Public Policy Chairman of WACTE, stated, “Superintendent Degenfelder has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to CTE, ensuring that it remains a top priority in Wyoming’s educational agenda. Her leadership has paved the way for innovative programs and meaningful industry partnerships that benefit our students and communities.”
He added, “As Wyoming’s top administrator, Superintendent Degenfelder has prioritized Career and Technical Education and delivered remarkable results. She has an unwavering support for CTE because of her conviction that Career and Technical Education is absolutely critical to the stability of the state. As an organization, WACTE has sought to advance CTE in Wyoming through targeted goals and policy work. Superintendent Degenfelder has been an equal partner—sharing her passion for CTE by creating strong partnerships and implementing top CTE priorities.”
Superintendent Degenfelder’s strategic focus on CTE has not only benefited students but also contributed to the economic development of Wyoming by helping create a future skilled and adaptable workforce.
“It is an absolute honor to be recognized as the WACTE Administrator of the Year. The success we have achieved this past year for Career and Technical Education isn’t just because of my work–it is a result of the impact that a group of dedicated policy makers and educators can have when they work together to overcome bureaucracy and do what is best for kids,” said Superintendent Megan Degenfelder. “I made a promise on the campaign trail that we would prioritize CTE, and that is exactly what we will continue to do.”
The WACTE Administrator of the Year award is presented annually to an individual who has demonstrated exceptional leadership in promoting and supporting CTE in the state. Superintendent Degenfelder was formally recognized at the WACTE Annual Conference in Cheyenne on June 11, 2024, at the University of Wyoming.
For more information about WACTE and its initiatives, please visit www.wacte.org.