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W-FL BOCES teacher receives NYS educator of excellence award

Julie Harrington, who is commonly known as ‘chef’ in the Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES system was awarded the 2019 New York State Educator of Excellence Award.

Julie is the instructor of the Culinary Arts program at Finger Lakes Technical and Career Center in Stanley. Chef Harrington was chosen for her passion, commitment, and creativity. “I am truly excited and blown away,” said Chef Harrington. She was chosen out of all educators in the state and will be representing New York State at the National Competition, which will be held in Washington, D.C., in May. There, she will also be honored for her State Educator of Excellence Award.

Chef Harrington started in the food service industry at the age of sixteen and worked in a number of different capacities over the years. Her knowledge and experience have given her a perspective that is critical to proper instruction, something that she values now as an educator. She explained that Culinary Arts is so much more than cooking in a kitchen, noting that customer service and networking are integral parts of the field that she strives to teach to her students every day. Her outgoing personality, passion, and contagious spirit are just a small sample of the qualities that students and staff admire about Chef Harrington.

The State Educator of Excellence Award is sponsored by ProStart, which is the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. The National Competition will feature special programming, a formal reception honoring all State Educators of Excellence, and ending with the awards dinner on May 10thin Washington, D.C. One national winner in each submission category will be announced at the dinner. Categories include Classroom Expertise, Industry Connection, Best Practice/Knowledge Sharing, and the James H. Maynard Teacher of the Year Award.

Culinary Arts is a program offered through Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES at both the Finger Lakes and Wayne Technical and Career Centers. For more information, please call 315-332-7400, or visit the Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES website at www.wflboces.org.