Pioneer RESA honors Hill

     Pam Hill of Toccoa was recently honored with the 2023 Pioneer RESA Pioneer in Education Award during a ceremony hosted by Pioneer RESA.
    Each year, Pioneer RESA honors individuals who positively impact students and education, and each of the 15 school districts in Pioneer RESA’s service area names its recipients.
    Recipients serve their school systems in a variety of roles including teachers, administrators, board members, bus drivers, community and business supporters, and a variety of other positions. The key component to receiving the recognition is having made a substantial, positive impact on the lives of students.
      During Mrs. Hill’s career at Stephens County High School, she grew Work-based Learning and the Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education to be exceptional, award-winning programs supporting students in their post-secondary pursuits and local employers in hiring a well-trained and educated workforce, says Superintendent Dr. Connie Franklin.
    Hill earned a bachelor's degree in business education from the University of Georgia and a master of education in school counseling from the University of West Alabama.
     After a successful career in banking, she began her career in education in 2004 when she was hired to teach business education at SCHS.
    She became the Work-based Learning Coordinator in 2012 and was promoted to the Director of the Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education or CTAE program in 2021.
     Through her career as a Work-based Learning Coordinator and CTAE director, more than 2,000 students participated in the work-based learning/youth apprenticeship programs. She also managed 125 employer partnerships and an advisory team of 20 business leaders.
      “In addition to her leadership, Mrs. Hill’s expert knowledge of grant funding and experience with writing grant applications helped benefit the SCHS CTAE program and the Stephens County School System with invaluable funding to expand our career pathways and enhance student learning,”  Franklin said.
      Hill retired from SCHS in June 2023. She is actively involved in the community as a board member of the Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce, and she was among three educators in the state to be appointed to serve on Governor Brian Kemp's Career and Technical Education (CTE) Commission.