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Ohio instructor named top tech teacher in the nation

By JANE HOUIN
Ohio Correspondent

PLAIN CITY, Ohio — Jim Scott possesses a passion for helping young people achieve their potential, and the turf, landscape and greenhouse management instructor at Tolles Career and Technical Center was recently recognized as the nation’s top career-technical teacher.

During the 2008 Assoc. for Career Technical Educators (ACTE) national convention in Charlotte, N.C., Scott was introduced as the ACTE 2009 Career-Technical Teacher of the Year.

“I believe in people and the potential that lies within them,” Scott said. “It has been and still is my goal to develop the young men and women that I am blessed to train to become the responsible citizens of their communities, and to become everything they possibly can.

“I believe if you believe in people, they will strive to reach their hidden potential and realize more success than they may even consider possible themselves.”

Scott said his educational philosophy can be summarized in three core beliefs. “First, I believe all students can learn. They may not learn at the same rate or through the same teaching strategy. It is my responsibility as an educator to help students learn to the best of their ability.”

Secondly, he believes in the winning formula passed on to him by Tolles Superintendent Carl Berg.

“That formula is, ‘Kids first, people always,’” Scott said. “When we live our lives by these words, all our decisions are rooted in solid ground that always keeps the best interest of the students first.
“Finally, I believe that we as educators can make a difference, and if we choose not to make that difference, it can make all the difference in the world to our students, communities and out profession.”

His career began with teaching horticulture at Buckeye Career Center in New Philadelphia.  He also has served as an Ohio Department of Education consultant for ag education and state executive secretary for the Ohio FFA, as student services team leader for the National FFA, as special projects coordinator for the Georgia Department of Education and as state executive director of the South Carolina FFA.

Scott returned to Ohio in 2004 and assumed the role of horticulture instructor at Tolles Career & Technical Center in Plain City – a decision based on his passion. “It was quite simply my passion to teach and work with young people in the green industry,” he said. “My passion to help touch the lives of young people far surpasses any other thing I have done in my professional life.”

Since 2004, the Tolles program has increased from nine students (with virtually no career placement or college-bound) to 23. Scott credits this growth to the implementation of a “team ownership approach.”

“The team ownership approach is a concept that many of my educational colleagues subscribe to,” he said. “It revolves around the idea that many can do more than any one of us can do alone.
“I have implemented this approach through development of my curriculum, facilities and students by assembling an advisory committee consisting of 21 business and industry leaders, educators, parents and students, to help create the program that the local community needs and the students need in a global society.”

Facilities for the program include more than 16 acres of lawn and landscaped beds that are developed and maintained year-round by his students; a Par 4, 364-yard golf hole that was collaboratively built and funded by the school and more than $60,000 in donations from the green industry; a 2,400 square-foot laboratory; a 10-acre nature trail; a 3/4-acre pond; and a classroom.

During Scott’s first year at Tolles, students transformed the dormant 2,000 square-foot glass greenhouse into a modern, efficient facility where they grow seasonal flowers and plants. Plant sales total $12,000 annually. A new 500 square-foot garden center has been approved for the upcoming school year.

Since the 2004-05 school year, more than $190,000 in new equipment has been added to the instructional program, including a skid steer loader, two ZTR mowers, two greens mowers, one Triplex Mower and a utility cart.

The program’s curriculum is based on state and national industry certification standards. Students have the opportunity to earn the Ohio Commercial Pesticide Applicators License and work toward the Ohio Certified Nursery Technician’s certification offered by the Ohio Nursery & Landscape Assoc.

Many also work toward the Certified Landscape Technician certification from the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET). Industry representatives are regular visitors and presenters in the classroom, as they partner with Scott to team-teach an assortment of specialized career and technical skills.

This past summer, Scott and his students volunteered their time to participate in the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET)’s Day of Renewal and Remembrance in Washington, D.C. They worked with professional landscapers from across the country to landscape Arlington National Cemetery.

The D.C. trip also allowed time for his students to meet with Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio) and their local representatives to talk about career-technical education.

The selection process began with Scott being named the 2008 Ohio CTE Teacher of the Year at Ohio ACTE’s convention last July. The second evaluation came at the Region 1 competition, where his application was selected the best of those submitted by the 14 states within the region.

In Charlotte, each of ACTE’s five regional winners was thoroughly interviewed by the selection committee. Since 1987, five Ohio agriculture teachers have been honored as Region 1 Teacher of the Year, but Scott’s recognition represents the first to bring back the top honor in the nation.

Scott’s industry credentials includes Master Gardener certification (ONLA), membership in the Ohio Florists’ Assoc., Golf Course Superintendents’ Assoc., PLANET, ONLA, Ohio Lawn Care Assoc. and the Ohio Turfgrass Foundation.

He is active in a number of professional education organizations: Assoc. for Career and Technical Education, Ohio and National Assoc. of Agricultural Educators, Ohio and National FFA Alumni Assoc., National Education Assoc. and Ohio Education Assoc.

1/7/2009