By Matt de Simone
Contributing writer
Editor’s Note: The honor of Educator of the Month was created through a partnership between The Herald and Botetourt County Public Schools. Each month, educators throughout the school division have the opportunity to nominate a fellow educator for this honor. An educator, as defined for the purposes of this honor, is anyone who works in the school division and positively impacts the lives of students. Winners are selected based on who receives the most nominations. In order to be nominated, educators have to exhibit at least one of the following: support, high expectations, accountability, consistency, positivity, or grit.
Botetourt Technical Education Center (BTEC) Principal Shaun Sparks was recently named March’s Educator of the Month by Botetourt County Public Schools. He’s worked in Career and Technical Education (CTE) for nearly two decades.
“It’s an honor to be Educator of the Month,” Sparks said, “but I would not be here without the other amazing educators at BTEC. Together, we are able to support our students and provide many opportunities to help with their future careers.”
Sparks’ experience working as a former CTE teacher—now, principal—allows him to get to know his students on a professional level. “I aim to build a positive relationship with all students at BTEC,” Sparks explained. “One of my main goals is to establish a learning environment in which educators and students have mutual respect for one another. I also enjoy being hands-on in helping our students progress toward their future careers, whether it’s providing information, locating career opportunities, or helping to find the student’s career passion.”
The students of BTEC are constantly learning new, firsthand functions in programs like building trades, engineering, and nursing. As the technological world changes each day, Sparks notices his students’ dedication. “The students at BTEC are hardworking, reliable, and determined to succeed,” Sparks said. “They have the ability to learn through applied application, which has taught me to think outside of the box and to provide additional opportunities for our students.”
When asked about this recent time away from his students, faculty, and staff, Sparks said, “I certainly miss seeing all the students here at BTEC. However, our teachers have created a variety of different ways to stay connected with our students. We encourage our students to reach out to any of the BTEC staff during this time with any questions or concerns.”
