The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) proudly announces the runner-up for the NCCAT 2026 Burroughs Wellcome Fund NC Career & Technical Education (CTE) Teacher of the Year Award is Lacey Davis, a Consumer and Family Sciences teacher at Clyde A. Erwin High School in Buncombe County Schools. The award was presented at a special ceremony held at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro, NC on Thursday, December 4.
Davis believes high-quality CTE goes beyond teaching skills and includes building confidence, character, and direction in her students. Her CTE Director shared, “[Ms. Davis] is an exemplary leader who has successfully procured a number of grants and creates a dynamic and engaging learning environment where students thrive.” A former student and now colleague said, “Her influence inspired me to follow in her footsteps. She is the teacher who had the greatest impact on my life and my ultimate goal is to impact students the way she did me.”
The winner of this year’s NCCAT 2026 Burroughs Wellcome Fund NC Career & Technical Education (CTE) Teacher of the Year Award is Michaelle Overman, a Health Sciences teacher at Perquimans High School in Perquimans County Schools.
Now in its fourth year, this award recognizes outstanding CTE educators who demonstrate excellence in their profession. Finalists from across North Carolina gathered at the Truist Leadership Institute for a week of professional development prior to the event.
NCCAT Executive Director Dr. M. Brock Womble expressed appreciation for the dedication of CTE educators:
“At NCCAT, we are honored to celebrate and support the exceptional Career and Technical Education teachers who inspire and prepare the next generation of North Carolina’s workforce. The NCCAT Burroughs Wellcome Fund NC CTE Teacher of the Year Award highlights the dedication, innovation, and passion these educators bring to their classrooms every day. The week of professional development recognizes their impact and equips them with valuable resources to continue fostering student success across our state.”
Finalists for the NCCAT 2026 Burroughs Wellcome Fund NC CTE Teacher of the Year Award include:
- Megan Colvard, Ashe County Schools
- Sarah Lawrence, Bear Grass Charter School
- Lacey Grogan Davis, Buncombe County Schools
- Heather Rose, Carteret County Public Schools
- Sarah Chandler, Caswell County Schools
- Patty Berge, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools
- Tina White, Cleveland County Schools
- John Owens, Cumberland County Schools
- Darren Moore, Dare County Schools
- Paige Walker, Hickory Public Schools
- Olivia Atchley, Iredell-Statesville Schools
- Susan Perdue, Johnston County Public Schools
- Gary Andersen, Kannapolis City Schools
- Jessica Jones, Lenoir County Public Schools
- Larry Pickens, Macon County Schools
- Staci Shaw, McDowell County Schools
- Mike Bartholomew, Nash County Public Schools
- Trey Moore, New Hanover County Schools
- Michaelle Overman, Perquimans County Schools
- Ashley Gilbert, Polk County Schools
- Mark Walker, Randolph County Schools
- Johnny Jessup, Sampson County Schools
- Neil Smith, Scotland County Schools
- Lauren Murphy, Surry County Schools
Awards and Recognition, provided by the Development Foundation of NCCAT, Inc., include:
The NCCAT CTE Teacher of the Year receives:
- $5,000 cash prize
- Instructional supply funds for their school
- Three-year membership in NCACTE
- Participation in the national ACTE Conference as the NC ACTE Teacher of the Year representative
The runner-up receives:
- $2,000 cash prize
- Three-year membership in NCACTE
Finalists receive:
- Travel and substitute cost for NCCAT professional development
- One-year membership in NCACTE
Sponsors
NCCAT extends its gratitude to the generous sponsors who make this program possible:
Signature Sponsor:
- Burroughs Wellcome Fund
Gold Sponsor:
- iCEV Multimedia
Silver Sponsors:
- NRF Foundation
- Positivity Project
Bronze Sponsors:
- Branching Minds
- Edmentum
- HMH
- Instructure
- Mark III Employee Benefits
- Project Lead the Way
- Schwartz Law, PLLC
- SFLA Architects
Patron Sponsors:
- Builder Services
- Campbell Shatley, PLLC
- Droplet.io
- Farm Bureau- Ag in the Classroom
- June Atkinson
- Little Diversified Architectural Consulting
- McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture
- NASCAR Hall of Fame
- Novant Health
- Paxton Patterson
- Pierce Group Benefits
- Tharrington Smith, LLP
- Transfr
Special Thanks
- The CTE Teacher of the Year Steering Committee
- The Development Foundation of NCCAT, Inc. Board of Directors
- The NCCAT Board of Trustees
About NCCAT
The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) supports teachers and impacts students through exemplary professional development programs. By increasing teacher effectiveness, NCCAT strengthens public education across the state. NCCAT equips educators with innovative teaching methods, best practices, and resources to take back to their classrooms. To learn more about NCCAT’s programs, visit www.nccat.org or call 828-293-5202.