AWARDS

The Oklahoma ACTE awards program seeks to promote excellence in CareerTech education by recognizing individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the field, programs that exemplify the highest standards and organizations that have conducted activities to promote and expand CareerTech education programs.

ACTE EXCELLENCE AWARDS

All OkACTE members are able to submit award applications on the ACTE Awards Portal, (click here) for the The ACTE® Excellence Awards. The ACTE® Excellence Awards recognize excellence and dedication within the field of career and technical education among ACTE members. Recipients of these awards are exceptional individuals who have contributed to the success of CTE through the quality of their work and their involvement in the CTE community. Candidates and winners are recognized at three levels: state, regional, and national. As of 2017, the Excellence Awards program has been integrated with ACTE's High Quality CTE Framework. New nominations will follow updated guidelines, which can be found below.

ACTE® Excellence Awards include: Teacher of the Year, Counseling & Career Development Professional Award, Postsecondary Teacher of the Year, Administrator of the Year, New Teacher of the Year, Carl Perkins Community Service Award, and Lifetime Achievement Award. These awards go from State to Regionals, then on to VISION, at the National level. For descriptions and guidelines on these awards, click here.

ACTE EXCELLENCE AWARDS DEADLINES

11/01/25| Awards Portal Open

TBD| Awards Workshop, Tulsa Technology Center- Riverside Campus

03/01/26| Awards Portal Closes for Nominations

04/01/26| Judging Ends at the Divisional Level

Judging Ends at the Divisional Level for (This is an intermediate date for those divisions who would like to interview their candidates prior to moving on to state.) Divisional Awards Chairs will be notified of their divisional winners. All entries will be notified through the awards, as to who will represent their division.

04/05/26| State judging of candidate portfolios begins

05/29/26| Judging Closes; Interviews will be conducted via Zoom, video conference

ENTER THE PORTAL HERE

ACTE EXCELLENCE AWARDS

The OkACTE Awards Committee administers the Teacher of the Year, Counseling & Career Development Professional Award, Postsecondary Teacher of the Year, Administrator of the Year, New Teacher of the Year, Carl Perkins Community Service and Outstanding New Professional awards. The committee consists of one representative from each of Oklahoma ACTE’s twelve divisions, a chair and an Oklahoma ACTE staff member as advisor. The committee is responsible for reviewing applications and approving division awards selection committee recommendations, recommending the awards winners to the association and for overseeing all aspects of the recognition program for award recipients.

OkACTE Awards include: OATC Gold Star Award, Arch Alexander Award, Francis Tuttle Award, OkACTE Kaleidoscope Award, OkACTE Communications and Marketing Award, OkACTE Outstanding New Professional Award, OATC Distinguished Achievement Award, OATC Outstanding Board Member Award, OkACTE Distinguished Service Award, Dr. Dennis Portis III Rising Star Award and the Bob Funk Advocacy of Excellence Award are state awards only.

OKACTE AWARDS DEADLINES

11/01/26| Awards Portal Opens for All Except Gold Star Schools

05/01/26| Awards Portal Closes for All Nominations

05/18/26| Awards Interviews, ends 5/22/26

05/29/26| Judging Closes

OkACTE AWARD SELECTIONS

The Support Staff Division selects the winner of the Support Staff Award.

Members of the Diversity Action Committee select the Kaleidoscope Award winner.

Each OkACTE division identifies one member of their division to receive the Dr. Dennis Portis III Rising Star Award.

The staff at Oklahoma ACTE will coordinate the selection for the Arch Alexander, Francis Tuttle Career Excellence and the Distinguished Service Awards.

The Awards Committee reserves the right to return any application that is not appropriate for the category in which it was submitted.

ENTER THE PORTAL HERE

IMPACT AWARDS

The ACTE® Impact Awards recognize groups and individuals from the education, business and industry communities who enhance career and technical education by contributing to the improvement, promotion, development and progress of CTE. Individuals or entities (from within or outside the field) that have contributed to the success and promotion of CTE, thereby positively impacting the image of CTE, are eligible recipients of these awards. While there is no membership eligibility restriction for applicants, all must be nominated by an ACTE member. Non-winning candidates may be re-nominated for the same or another Excellence Award the following year. Winning candidates at the national level may not be nominated for the same or another national ACTE Excellence Award within 3 years of their win.

IMPACT AWARDS DEADLINES

06/30/26| Must be submitted on the ACTE Awards Portal

OkACTE AWARD SELECTIONS

The Business-Education Partnership Award

ACTE’s Business-Education Partnership Awards were created for business and education leaders who understand that economic livelihood is linked to the success of career and technical education (CTE) programs. Businesses and CTE programs across the country have already created successful partnerships that support student achievement, economic and community development, quality of life and more. ACTE is dedicated to supporting and recognizing best practices in CTE business-education partnerships. For more information, click here.

ACTE Champion for CTE Award

ACTE’s Champion for CTE Awards were created to recognize education leaders, business and industry executives, celebrities and thought leaders who support and champion CTE programs as a vital part of developing a prepared, adaptable and competitive workforce. The words and actions of a few dedicated and influential individuals have the power to further best practices, foster supportive policies, and shape a more positive public opinion of CTE. These awards showcase outstanding champions-from local leaders to national figureheads-who have leveraged their influence to expand, improve, and promote CTE. For more information, click here.

ENTER THE PORTAL HERE

AWARD TIPS

For more information on the awards program, and for tips during the process, check out the Awards Workshop Booklet and Award Tips page.

Awards questions? Email awards@okacte.org or call the OkACTE office, 405-525-8906.

You can also contact Lorri Carlile or Teresa Pinkston.

THIS

COULD

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Awards Portal

Opens November 1

STUDENT

AWARD

DESIGN

CONTEST

OkACTE’s trophy design contest is intended to complement our nationally recognized awards program and winners. We are pleased to have the opportunity to present these awards that represent the designer’s creativity and showcase the cutting-edge technology of CTE.

One design will be chosen and used for the (7) ACTE Excellence awards.

The winner or winning team will receive a $500 cash prize!

Eligibility:

The contest is open to all CTE programs. Students may be secondary, post-secondary or adult CTE students. Entries may be individuals or classes.
CTE programs are encouraged to collaborate in the design process and completion of entries and awards.
Educators may advise students, but should not take a significant role in the development of the designs.

Contest Deadlines:

Contest Entry form: December 12, 2025
Design Entry Form: February 2, 2026

*All entries must be submitted by 4:00pm to the OkACTE Office.

Award Requirements:

The award must be 3D and free standing with a flat surfaced bottom (4”-6” in diameter). The trophy MUST incorporate the OkACTE logo.
The design must be replicable to ensure uniformity.
Awards can be created with any material that fits the design need, but must be durable and of quality.
Designs must be visually appealing, interesting and make creative use of 3D space.
Designs must envision a model for a nationally recognized awards program
The design must be printable and durable enough to withstand travel
Contestants will be notified no later than February 2, 2026 and will be responsible for the completion of the final awards to be delivered no later than June 26, 2026.

Questions? Contact Lorri Carlile: lcarlile@okacte.org

Contest Entry Form

Design Entry Form