AnonymousSource: SBCEO
The Santa Barbara County Education Office (SBCEO) is pleased to name Bill Gourley and Miguel Guerra as the 2021 Marvin Melvin Career Technical Educator Award winners. Gourley teaches woodshop at Goleta Valley Junior High (GVJH) in the Santa Barbara Unified School District. Guerra teaches agriculture at Righetti High School (RHS) in the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District.
“Career technical education is an important facet of the educational program, and we are proud to recognize Bill Gourley and Miguel Guerra for their passion and commitment to providing students hands-on, engaging learning and valuable skill development,” said Dr. Susan Salcido, Santa Barbara County Superintendent of Schools. “We are grateful for the support for the partnership with Frank Schipper Construction and the TRADART Foundation in offering this award.”
“Mr. Gourley’s knowledge of woodworking and industrial technology and what it means to focus on student-centered learning are his biggest strengths. He is well-versed in teaching practices and understands the pertinent skills essential to pass on to his students. His grasp on woodworking and industrial technology projects is evident as he breathes life into his lessons,” said Mr. Gourley’s nominators at GVJH. “Mr. Gourley helps beautify the school and provides a positive school culture. Students immediately benefit from all of the intangible qualities he brings to our school and prepares students for the various career technical pathways the high schools have to offer.”
“Miguel works tirelessly to develop curriculum that serves our students in a variety of ways. Through Miguel’s dedication to his program and students, eight Righetti High School (RHS) agriculture courses were recently approved for concurrent enrollment college credit through Allan Hancock College,” noted the RHS team nominating Guerra. “Even after 20 years, he still gives of his own time, above and beyond what is expected, every single day. Miguel’s unwavering passion for teaching and continuous improvement is evident, he is highly respected by students, staff, and community members, and we believe he is the perfect candidate to receive this award.”
The Marvin Melvin Career Technical Education award was established in 1999 by the Frank Schipper Construction Company in honor of Schipper’s high school metal shop teacher, Marvin Melvin. In 2005, Frank Schipper partnered with the TRADART Foundation, founded by Leslie Meadowcroft-Schipper. Together, they work with SBCEO to select two outstanding career technical educators within Santa Barbara County. The 2020 recipients were Daniel Barnett, Visual Arts & Design Academy Director and teacher at Santa Barbara High School in the Santa Barbara Unified School District, and Rebecca Ingrahm, Career Technical Education teacher at Maple High School in the Lompoc Unified School District.
