News Photo by Julie Goldberg Joyce McCoy, director of the Career and Technical Education program at Alpena High School, is seen Wednesday with the Michigan Career and Technical Education Director of the Year award that she received on Monday in Grand Rapids.

ALPENA — Joyce McCoy has worked for Alpena Public Schools for over four decades.

She was recently recognized for work she’s done for the district and neighboring districts.

McCoy, the director of the Career and Technical Education program at Alpena High School, was honored Monday with the Michigan Career and Technical Education Director of the Year award from the Michigan Association of Career and Technical Education.

“I was overwhelmed,” McCoy said Wednesday. “Many CTE directors in Michigan do so many things, and it was just an awesome honor to be chosen among my peers.”

The award recognizes administrators, program specialists/coordinators, and other CTE personnel who have made significant contributions toward innovative, unique, and effective programs.

McCoy has been a CTE teacher and director and principal of Thunder Bay Junior High School during her time in the district.

“I’ve worked with stellar superintendents here in Alpena all these years (and) staff that allow good things to happen and help make it happen,” she said. “You really have to have supportive bosses to do things, and I’ve tried some pretty crazy things since I’ve been here in CTE and have been supported.”

McCoy has helped secure state grants to update the CTE classrooms that are over 50 years old to transform them into new spaces for students and staff.

One grant was the state’s Marshall Plan for Talent grant, $1.9 million to help students become career- and college-ready when graduating high school. APS and neighboring districts received the grant in December 2018.

“I think it shows the challenges that we’ve had in CTE and how lucky we’ve been to change our programs and make the best we can for our kids in Alpena,” McCoy said.

McCoy has worked the past few years to extend the CTE program to students within Alcona Community Schools, Hillman Community Schools, and Atlanta Community Schools. She said it’s a dream to allow those students that opportunity.

“It’s awesome for everyone to get that chance,” McCoy said.

McCoy also established concurrent and dual enrollment courses with Alpena Community College. That partnerships helps connect both students and teachers with the community, she said.

“We want our kids to be able to have skills enough to go (to ACC) and not have to repeat or redo courses and by having that relationship, that happens,” McCoy said.

McCoy is now in the running for the Regional CTE Director of the Year award.

If she wins that, she will advance for an opportunity to receive the National CTE Director of the Year award.

Julie Goldberg can be reached at 989-358-5688 or jgoldberg@thealpenanews.com. Follow her on Twitter @jkgoldberg12.