Our Alumni are important to us

We encourage our Alumni to keep in touch and to continue to be a part of our family. Many of our Graduates share their success stories with us and help our current Students land internships and jobs. Many of our recent Graduates have secured great jobs and are on their way to successful careers in PR, Journalism and Advertsing. Here is an example of what they say about us.

CWU Alumna, Pasco Instructor named State Teacher of The Year

Laura Jones, a marketing educator and instructional coach at Pasco High School, has been named the 2008 Washington Teacher of the Year. Jones graduated from CWU in 1991 with a degree in public relations, and a minor in Japanese. Through credits earned at Central, Jones received her Career and Technical Education Certificate in 1999 and her Career and Technical Education Directors Certification in 2006. She has spent her entire eleven-year teaching career at Pasco High School.

As a mentor to new teachers, Jones provides guidance and support, while, as an instructional coach, she suggests practical solutions to teachers' 'problems; and, as a career and technical education teacher, she helps students connect to the world through business and marketing programs.

Jones is also involved in Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA), an association of marketing students that uses classroom and outside experiences to learn about marketing and business, as well as leadership and communication. Under her leadership, the DECA chapter in Pasco has consistently been one of the largest in the state.

School employees, parents, and students are eligible to participate in the state Teacher of the Year program by nomination made at local school district. Through the educational service districts (ESDs) selection process, nine regional finalists were selected for the 2008 award, including three other CWU alumni. They were: Warden High School teacher Ruth Lucero, a 1993 foreign languages graduate; Toppenish Middle School teacher, Brenda Marler, a 1999 elementary education graduate; and Stevens Elementary School (Aberdeen) teacher Dana Persson-Zora, who received her Master of Education in 1984.

Jones is now in the running to become national Teacher of the Year, which is awarded by the Council of Chief State School Officers. President George W. Bush will announce that winner during a special ceremony at the White House next spring.

In addition, as the Washington Teacher of the Year, Jones will serve as an ambassador for the teaching profession while continuing her teaching responsibilities.