Ms. Yokhana Earns Local, State and National Recognition
The path beyond graduation is far less uncertain for Fraser High School students under the skillful guidance of career and technical (CTE) teacher Stacie Yokhana. The Michigan educator prepares her students to thrive in the working world, arming them with competitive and coveted skills that translate directly to careers in fashion and manufacturing. In recognition of her efforts, Ms. Yokhana was selected as Fraser High School Teacher of the Year and Macomb County Teacher of the Year at the high school level. On Thursday April 21st, at a surprise ceremony, Ms. Yokhana was recognized with a national Milken Educator Award in front of appreciative colleagues, students, education officials and media.
Michigan Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Michael F. Rice joined Milken Educator Awards Senior Program Director Greg Gallagher to present Ms. Yokhana with the prestigious recognition, which includes an unrestricted $25,000 cash prize. In addition to the award festivities, Ms. Yokhana will join a national network of more than 2,800 Milken Educators and K-12 education leaders across the U.S.
“As participants of an exciting, on-the-ground partnership with GM, Stacie Yokhana’s students are, literally, going places,” said Gallagher. “Stacie’s introduction of industry sewing into the CTE program combines creativity with tangible skills students will be able to apply immediately after graduation. Virtually every successful person can name a teacher who helped put them on a path to a fulfilling future. There is no doubt that Stacie’s students will think fondly of their experience as they set out to make meaningful contributions to Michigan’s economy.”
“Stacie Yokhana is a pioneering educator who exemplifies what is best about Michigan public schools,” said Dr. Rice. “She helps prepare students with the technical talents and skills to go straight from high school into manufacturing and fashion design careers. Finding new ways to offer students hands-on skills and committing to connections with the business and fashion worlds
show what an extraordinary educator she is. Ms. Yokhana is a proud Michigan educator who represents how a fulfilling career in teaching can improve the lives of young people and have a positive impact on our world.”
Hailed as the “Oscars of Teaching,” Milken Educator Awards inspire and uplift with the unique stories of educators making a profound difference for students, colleagues and communities. The Awards are not designated for lifetime achievement. Recipients are heralded while early to mid-career for what they have achieved — and for the promise of what they will accomplish given the resources and opportunities inherent in the Award.
More About Stacie Yokhana
Industrial Sewing Coursework: Stacie Yokhana’s students leave her classroom with marketable skills coveted by local manufacturing companies. Yokhana heads the Fashion Design program in Fraser High School’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) program, where she pioneered the inclusion of industrial sewing. Industrial sewing is a specific skill set that is crucial not just to Michigan’s auto industry, but also to marine, aerospace, and recreational vehicle makers in the region.
Industry Partnership: Yokhana partnered with General Motors (GM), one of the region’s biggest employers, which helped Fraser High outfit her classroom with industrial sewing machines and provided technical training. She spent several weeks working in GM’s industrial sewing shop to become comfortable with the machines and understand the intricate stitching methods. Yokhana’s students visit GM’s Tech Center as they learn to pull together color boards and design head rests for GM vehicles. Southeast Michigan schools have worked with the auto industry, but industrial sewing is an opportunity many students were unaware of before Yokhana’s courses. Her classes are always full, with enrollment growing every year. Students are committed and completion rates are high. GM partners comment how impressed they are with Yokhana’s students, noting that they graduate with similar skills as the company’s on-site adult trainees.
Fashion Forward: Yokhana organizes fashion field trips to New York City and coordinates an annual Prom Fashion Show that includes more than 40 student designers and models. For the Regional Fashion Design Advisory Committee, Yokhana organizes meetings of industry and post-secondary partners to ensure students are learning current and relevant skills.
School Leadership: Yokhana advises the school’s National Technical Honor Society and supervises the SkillsUSA fashion, future teacher, and FCS (Family and Consumer Sciences) student organizations.
Student Support: With a decade of experience in online teaching, Yokhana helped lead Fraser through the challenges of pandemic-related school changes, supporting both students and colleagues as they reengineered instruction for social distancing and virtual learning. When a student’s house burned down, Yokhana worked with industry and community partners to collect clothing, food and other necessities for the family. The past two years’ graduating class nominated her to give their Senior Speech, a traditional Fraser honor.
Education: Yokhana earned a bachelor’s in secondary education in 2006 from Western Michigan University and a master’s in teaching reading and language arts in 2009 from Oakland University. In 2013, she received a certificate in online teaching and learning from Endicott College.