Valda Simpkins Instructor of the Year

Valda Briggs Simpkins, department chair for Early Childhood Care and Education at Augusta Technical College, was recently selected by her peers as the school's nominee for the state 2008 Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Institution. Simpkins teaches at the college's Augusta campus and received a monetary gift from the Augusta Tech Foundation for her nomination.

"I chose to teach in a technical college because of my previous work experience as a high school teacher, my passion for hands-on-learning, and my desire to make a difference in the lives of others. Challenging students to do their best and to become productive citizens has always been a motivating factor for me as an educator. Therefore, a learning environment that bridges knowledge and hands-on learning is my ideal instructional setting," Simpkins said.

The Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Instruction honors technical education's most outstanding instructors. The award has been an ongoing statewide event since 1991 and is designed to recognize and honor technical college instructors who make significant contributions to technical education through innovations and leadership in their fields.

Annually, all 33 technical colleges, plus the four Regents system schools with technical divisions, nominate an instructor to represent their colleges for the statewide honor. Nominees then compete on a regional basis.

Simpkins recently competed with representatives from Swainsboro, Sandersville, Heart of Georgia, Middle Georgia and Central Georgia Technical Colleges for the East Central Georgia consortia title. Winners from each technical college consortia will be announced in September and the finalists will then compete for the state honor.

The state Rick Perkins Award winner serves as an ambassador for technical education in Georgia. He or she will make any public appearances throughout the year including addresses to the Georgia General Assembly and to the governor.

Simpkins was born and raised in Augusta and educated in the Richmond County public school system. Following graduation from T.W. Josey High School, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Behavioral Science from Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama in 1975. She earned a Master of Education degree in Secondary Education from South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, South Carolina in 1994.

Prior to joining the faculty at Augusta Tech in 1998, Simpkins served as a high school teacher at the Academy of Richmond County Comprehensive High School for 12 years.

Simpkins professional affiliations include; the National and State Association for the Education of Young Children, Southern Early Childhood Association, CSRA Head Start Education Advisory Committee, MCG Child Care Resource and Referral Advisory Committee, Paine College Teacher Evaluation Advisory Board and UGA's Extension Leadership System for Augusta-Richmond and Columbia counties. She is also a member of Ebenezer Seventh Day Adventist Church. She is married to James E. Simpkins, a retired Chief Master Sergeant of the United States Air Force, and they reside in Grovetown.