News
Whitmore and HMRM Recognized
July 2, 2025
A Central Community College adjunct instructor and program were recently recognized.
Adam Whitmore, an adjunct mechatronics instructor at the Columbus Campus, received the Outstanding Career and Technical Teacher of the Year Award from the Association for Career and Technical Education of Nebraska (ACTEN). The award is presented to a middle/secondary educator who demonstrates innovation in the classroom, commitment to their students and dedication to the improvement of career and technical education in their institutions and communities. In addition to his adjunct instructor role with CCC-Columbus, Whitmore teaches mechatronics at Columbus High School.
“I always think there is someone better who could have received this award,” said Whitmore. “But, at the same time, we’ve had a lot of success at Columbus High School and Central Community College. We’ve had lot of students move on to engineering and be very productive in the field.”
Whitmore received the award at the ACTEN conference in Kearney in June.
CCC's hospitality management and culinary arts (HMRM) program received the Community Partnership Award from the Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers of Nebraska (FCSTN). The award is given to an individual or organization that has demonstrated outstanding collaboration and support for family and consumer sciences education across Nebraska. Each summer, culinary arts instructors conduct workshops for family and consumer science teachers at the CCC-Hastings kitchen.
“I’m glad we won the award because it means we’re getting our name out there,” said Clarence Charles (center), HMRM program director. “It’s an honor to be recognized as a culinary school and have more teachers tell their students about us and how they can pursue their career in culinary arts and hospitality.”
Charles said the goal of the workshops is to teach the instructors the latest processing techniques in the industry. The instructors then teach those concepts to their students.
“This way, their students have kind of a foothold in the industry as a whole to see if this is something they want to pursue as a career.”
Also assisting at the workshops is Courtney Rempe (left), kitchen and catering manager, and Dylan Krings (right), culinary arts instructor.
The award was presented during the FCSTN banquet in Kearney in June.