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Two Bay High School teachers gain international recognition

Each year, the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association (ITEEA) recognizes educators with its Program Excellence Award.

In 2023, two teachers from Bay High School, 29230 Wolf Road in Bay Village, received top honors from the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association.

The group recognized Bay technology teachers Luke Kieffer and Ron Rutt for their work in the technology and education field, according to district communications director Karen Misciagna.

The award goes to “superior” technology and engineering programs, Misciagna said.

“These programs serve as a standard for comparison and models for the development of other programs,” International Technology and Engineering Educators Association officials said of the honor in a statement. “Awardees serve as models for their colleagues, inspiration to their communities and leaders in their region, province or state as proponents of advancing technological literacy for all.”

Both teachers have been with Bay High for nearly 20 years.

Rutt, a Bay High graduate, said he is extremely grateful that the technological education program he enjoyed still is up and running at the school.

“We’re not a subject area that, across the state and the nation, necessarily receives all the attention,” he said. “But, I think that we are a vital subject.

“The two of us are pretty passionate about making (technological education) an important part of schools.”

Kieffer and Rutt also have access to a hands-on education lab located inside Bay High.

Rutt stressed this importance of engaged education, in conjunction with learning through theory and textbooks.

“I started out five years at the middle school, and I’ve been at the high school ever since,” he said. “I teach the (computer-aided design) courses.

“It’s cool to see the whole process through and not just talk about things in theory.”

Robert Hoon, Bay Village City School District director of curriculum and instruction, echoed the sentiment of working hands-on with students.

Hoon praised Kieffer and Rutt for their continued work with Bay Village students over two decades.

“Although this international award is quite impressive, what stands out to me is that because of their hard work and dedication to our students and their education, our Bay High School technology and engineering program serves as a standard,” Hoon said. “We are so fortunate to have Luke and Ron on our staff.”

Kieffer said the hope is to inspire a passion for technological education in the next generation of potential educators.

As a relatively thin field, he noted that keeping students interested in taking the next steps in their education is vital to the field’s survival.

“We always have a chip on our shoulder, because tech ed programs across the state sometimes get shut down; guys retire and then nobody comes to replace them,” Kieffer said. “We’re always fighting for existence.

“We know it’s important, and when we get recognized, people realize it’s important.”

Jason Martin, principal at Bay High, said the two teachers have had a transformative effect on the lives of their students, and the school.

Technological education students at Bay High graduate ready for the modern workforce thanks to the efforts of Kieffer and Rutt, Martin said.

“Thanks to the hard work of Luke and Ron, we have seen firsthand the transformation of our students as they progress through this program,” Martin said. “They emerge as confident, capable individuals with a deep passion for technology and a strong foundation in the skills necessary for success in the fields of technology and engineering.”

Kieffer and Rutt officially will receive their honors March 6-9 during the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association conference in Memphis, Tenn.

This report was edited at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 11, 2024 to correct the wording of a statement by Jason Martin.