Shayla Jackson-Martin was recently selected as Outstanding Business Education Student of the Year for Region Five by the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE). Jackson-Martin is a senior in the College of Education.
“I am really honored to be recognized by the ACTE,” said Jackson-Martin. “They’re a huge organization so it’s really an honor.”
Idaho lies within the same ACTE region as Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, Wyoming and several U.S. territories, making Jackson-Martin’s accomplishment a major one at the national level.
The business education major grew up in Pingree, Idaho, and originally came to Idaho State University to earn an associate’s degree in information technology.
Jackson-Martin chose ISU for its nearness to her family.
“It felt like [ISU] was where I belonged,” she said.
She came back with the idea of earning a teaching degree.
“I always kind of had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to be a teacher,” said Jackson-Martin.
Jackson-Martin said that she chose teaching business because of the possibilities the field encompasses. She said that the wide variety of classes the degree will enable her to teach fits her broad set of interests.
A business educator can teach over 50 different classes at the secondary level, whereas English or math teachers can only teach a few. Business education is also highly needed in many school districts.
Jackson-Martin is preparing to student teach in the spring of 2013. She hopes to remain in Pocatello as she currently resides here, and her husband, William Martin, is finishing a degree in computer information systems.
Jackson-Martin also spends time working with Business Professionals of America (BPA) at the secondary and university levels.
“I am a national officer, secretary-treasurer, of BPA,” she said. “It’s a great organization.”
BPA is a large, national career and technical organization for students pursuing business-related careers.
It works to organize conferences, competitions and scholarship opportunities for both high school and university students.
Jackson-Martin got involved with BPA while a student at ISU, and hopes to continue her involvement after she graduates.
“I hope to be an advisor for BPA at the secondary level,” she said.
The Idaho State University chapter of BPA will be hosting a high school leadership conference in December.
“[The conference] is a really great opportunity to get students prepared for their competitions,” said Jackson-Martin.
Expenses for the conference, such as the food provided to the high school students, are covered by the organization as a whole. Jackson-Martin said the conference is great for providing for the community as a whole.
The organization Jackson-Martin was recently recognized by, the ACTE, was founded in 1926 and is the largest national organization for technical and career educators.
She will receive her award in Atlanta, Ga., at an international summit called CareerTech Vision 2012. The summit will begin Wednesday, Dec. 28.
