: Jill Stoltzfus accepting her award at the Pennsylvania Association of Career and Technical Education Special Populations (PACTESP) mid-winter conference.
Jill Stoltzfus, career readiness coordinator for the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) and Technical College High School (TCHS), has been recognized with the prestigious Outstanding Career and Technical Education Special Populations Teacher Award from the Pennsylvania Association of Career and Technical Education Special Populations (PACTESP) mid-winter conference. Over the years, PACTESP has evolved with the Perkins Act, created to support educators who serve students from all special populations – students with disabilities, nontraditional students, economically disadvantaged students, single parents and single pregnant women, and students with limited English proficiency. With eight years of experience, Stoltzfus has made a significant impact on students, particularly those in special populations, by connecting them with valuable career pathways.
In a recent interview, Stoltzfus emphasized the critical role of a career and readiness coordinator in addressing the aging workforce and ensuring community sustainability. “We need to find ways for our students to enjoy those careers, as well as develop career pathways into those career fields, so that we can sustain ourselves as a community,” she stated.
Stoltzfus integrates real-world experiences into her work, providing students with firsthand exposure to various career options. For example, she facilitates visits to health care facilities, allowing students in the health care pathway to explore diverse roles such as occupational therapy, physical therapy, and radiology. “I think it’s hard for students to see themselves after graduation,” Stoltzfus explained. “I always ask students, ‘Okay, what’s next? What does that look like for you?’ after they graduate, and if they can’t identify that, we’ll try to help them see it for themselves.”
One notable success story involved a Technical College High School student who discovered her passion for occupational therapy during a visit to a long-term care facility, a career path she had never previously considered.
Stoltzfus is dedicated to supporting students in special populations, emphasizing their potential. “I enjoy helping those students to see that they’re valuable, that they have tremendous skills to offer, and that they have great pathways ahead of them. I think this helps build their confidence and then helps build their abilities to make them stronger and pursue whatever they want to pursue,” she stated.
The Outstanding Career and Technical Education Special Populations Teacher Award was a complete surprise to Stoltzfus, who was humbled by the recognition during the PACTESP conference. “I’m truly honored to be given the award,” she said. “I know there are so many people working in career and technical education that do amazing, wonderful things. I’m very humbled by it.”
CCIU Supervisor of Adult Education and Workforce Programs and Grant Management Andrea Vaughn reflects on Stoltzfus’s award, “I nominated Jill for this award due to her exceptional dedication and positive impact on students. Her commitment to fostering both academic and career growth, along with her ability to create a sense of encouragement and excellence, makes her a truly deserving candidate.”
Her dedication and innovative approach to career and technical education have made a lasting impact on her students and the community, earning her this prestigious recognition from PACTESP.
