Superintendent and Career Center assistant director named administrators of the year
Columbia Public Schools Superintendent Brian Yearwood has been named the Missouri Council of Career and Technical Administrators (MCCTA) Sending School Superintendent of the Year and Columbia Area Career Center Assistant Director John Higgins had been named the Assistant Administrator of the Year.
Both Yearwood and Higgins were nominated by supervisors, colleagues and other administrators around the state and awarded at the 88th Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals and Missouri Association for Career and Technical Education and Association for Career and Technical joint 2022 fall conference.
Yearwood, Columbia Public Schools Superintendent, was given this award based on his contributions to Career and Technical Education within CPS and Missouri. Last April, he helped pass the $80 million bond issue, in which a portion is designated for renovating the CACC-South Campus near Rock Bridge High School. Construction is slated to begin this summer.
Yearwood is a firm believer in Career and Technical Education and has been instrumental in opening doors to create new partnerships leading to greater student access to apprenticeships and internships. He is committed to improving the quality of Career and Technical Education in every facet.
Higgins has made his mark on career and technical education over the past ten years. He worked in the construction industry in various positions before starting his career in education as a construction technology instructor at the CTC at Fort Osage. He later worked as an adult education coordinator and counselor at Boonslick Technical Education Center for one year before joining the administrative team at CACC.
Higgins has a variety of responsibilities at CACC, including primary support of Facilities (three locations), Safety & Security, Transportation, and Technology. He is also leading efforts centered around community and employer engagement. Through this work, Higgins leads innovation in work-based learning and advisory.
MCCTA has membership from various career and technical administrators such as Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education personnel, career center directors, community college deans, CTE Coordinators, higher education faculty, adult education directors, and other administrative duties.