Academics
McKay’s award is presented to an educator who has provided exemplary leadership to improve and develop technology and engineering education instruction in a school system.
“Dr. McKay has certainly earned this award,” said Andy Klenke, director of the School of Technology & Workforce Learning. “In addition to his full-time teaching position, Byron has been continually active at the local, regional, state, and national level. He was in the running with professional educators with many more years of experience. But in his more limited time of experience, he has managed to make great accomplishments in his life and his students.”
McKay has served as the Kansas State Technology Student Association Advisor for the past five years, which engages middle and high school students from across the state of Kansas and supports teachers in every district.
He serves on the national ITEEA committees, serving thousands of teachers and administrators across the U.S. and internationally, and is a co-advisor for Pitt State’s Technology & Engineering Education Collegiate Association, which engages in service projects, student competitions regionally and nationally.
He also serves on multiple school and university committees that engage students from multiple colleges across campus.
Members of Pitt State’s Technology & Engineering Education Collegiate Association competed in five national competitions and placed in the top five in four of them.
Nine students in the Career and Technical Education program competed in Minneapolis at the annual International Technology & Engineering Educator’s Conference and National TEECA competitions.
They were: Melania Wright (Overland Park); Jozzalynn Duke (St. Robert, Missouri); Keith Lomshek (Universal City, Texas); Jessica Wilson (Overland Park); KayLynn Kraybill (Wichita); Addison Smith (Ft. Scott); Sydney Deane (Parsons); Boyd Tweed (Winchester); and Hayden Miller (Eudora).
The students took third place in Robotics, Manufacturing, and Communication, and placed fifth in the Problem-Solving competition.
“The students competed against much larger schools and regional schools including Fort Hays State University,” Klenke said. “We are extremely proud of their hard work and outstanding performance. The students spent weeks preparing for the competitions which required finished products, documentation and in some cases, finished videos.”
Learn more about Pitt State's Technology Education program:
