Candace McGowan, Coordinator of Career and Technical Education at GCISD, has been recognized as the 2020 National ACTE Career Guidance Award winner. This award recognizes the nation’s top school counselor and career development professional who has demonstrated commitment to connecting students with opportunities for success, shown innovation in career exploration and development, and has advocated CTE as a viable option for all students.
McGowan was one of five finalists for the 2020 national title. The national winner was announced at the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) Awards Gala, a dinner and award presentation recognizing the best CTE educators in the country. The event took place on Wednesday, December 4, during ACTE’s CareerTech VISION 2019 in Anaheim, California.
Since 2013, McGowan has focused on providing targeted CTE opportunities for middle and high school students in GCISD. During her tenure, McGowan opened the GCISD Go Centers at both high schools, which are dedicated to helping students prepare for and obtain the postsecondary education and training that is appropriate for them and their future careers. The Go Centers assist students with career and aptitude tests; ACT, SAT and ASVAB testing information; FAFSA assistance; financial aid resources; and college admission literature and applications.
In an effort to bring more awareness to the CTE program, McGowan has also curated tailored social media campaigns for Decision Week, as well as CTE month. These campaigns ran on the GCISD twitter account and featured photos, statistics and videos. Prior to becoming the coordinator of CTE, McGowan was a family and consumer sciences and hospitality teacher at Grapevine High School.
For more information, visit the ACTE Excellence Awards webpage.