The top high school marketing educator in the state is at Jordan High.
Teacher Angela Short, who is celebrating her 20th year as an educator, recently received the 2014 Marketing Teacher of the Year Award from the Utah Association of Career and Technology Education Teachers.
Short was surprised with the honor at a state conference held at the Davis Conference Center. “I had no idea. I was shocked,” she said. “I almost missed it. I stepped out to grab a sandwich and made it back with a second to spare.”
Her family, though, had been told about the award by the event organizers and arrived in time to see her accept the prestigious award. “They kept trying to hide, dodging behind pillars,” she recalls with a little laugh. Their behavior at home the morning of the event should have tipped her off, she says. Her husband questioned her hairstyle choice and her daughter insisted on picking out her outfit for the day.
“I thought it was odd they were so interested in the state DECA conference,” said Short, who received a plaque for the honor. “I am thrilled with my plaque. I keep it right by my desk.”
Short works hard to make her class fun. There are a lot of hands-on lessons. Students leave her class knowing how to bolster a brand, build customer loyalty and create retail displays that are eye-catching and convenient for the customer. She advises the students who run Jordan’s school store, where students can buy snacks and supplies. In all, they’ve been able to make about $10,000 from the store.
“Honestly, the best day of my life is when we have a discussion in class, when we are thinking through things …and seeing the world in a different way. There is something so satisfying in that,” she said. “My goal coming in was that my students would know that I care about them. I never know if I am the only one who is saying a kind word to these kids. I take that very seriously. Once you get that, that the ultimate goal is to make the students feel loved and have a good spot to come to every day, then the test scores come.”
