Congratulations to Jennine LaCorte, Educational Specialist of the Year, and Mark Vogel, Educator of the Year!
Passaic County Technical Institute (PCTI) has announced their Educators of the Year for 2017. The honor goes to Mark Vogel, Educator of the Year, and Jennine LaCorte, Educational Specialist of the Year.
Mark Vogel is an exemplary History Instructor who has been with PCTI since 2009. He consistently seeks greatness every day, hoping to inspire his students by teaching history as a story. This deep personalization of such an important school subject, coupled with his penchant for stirring the imagination and intellect of his students, has earned him the admiration and gratitude of many. Additionally, Mark is a devoted GED Instructor at the Passaic County Jail. “I firmly believe these inmates deserve the same compassion, kindness, and patience as my students,” he says. Mark has also published more than fifty history essays, as well as three dozen feature articles for magazines and newspapers.
On the educational front, Mark has earned his Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Delaware, his Master of Science in Journalism from Boston University, and will soon be receiving his Master of Arts in American History from Adams State University. While at PCTI, Mark was the recipient of two consecutive “Highly Effective” ratings and aims to add another to the list this year. His dynamic instructional style, as well as his passion both in and outside of the classroom, is recognized by all.
Jennine LaCorte’s main goal in life is to help people. Through graduate school internships, she realized her affinity for working with teenagers and became a member of Bulldog family in 1999. Her unrivaled passion for fostering a connection with students, as well as her ability to aid in navigating through life’s difficulties, has left lasting impressions on all of those she’s mentored.
For seven years, she served as the Transition Coordinator of PCTI’s Child Study Team and was previously a Social Worker at the Passaic County Juvenile Detention Center. While there, Jennine designed and implemented two successful programs – the Young Father’s Training program and a Criminal Division Waiver Support group. Today, she provides an unparalleled support system for students and families as the Student Assistance Coordinator/Crisis Counselor. Her caring demeanor allows her to truly thrive at PCTI. “I’m able to really help some kids,” she says, “which is all I ever really wanted to do.”
Jennine graduated from Rutgers University in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Criminal Justice. In 1996, she earned her Master of Social Work. She recently received her Student Assistance Counselor certification from Montclair State University.