Susquehannock Assistant Principal Earns 2018 Spirit of York County Award

Susquehannock High School assistant principal James Sterner was recently awarded a Spirit of York County Award for 2018, presented by the York County Economic Alliance. Sterner was named ‘Education/Workforce Development Advocate of the Year’ for his work at Susquehannock High School.

Sterner started teaching at Susquehannock in 2012, and he became an assistant principal in 2016. He earned the award through his dedicated support of education in the community and for championing opportunities for young people through education. “While I am humbled by the recognition, I’m hoping the forum at the awards ceremony, which included a room full of business leaders and policy-makers, will afford Susquehannock even more connections and opportunities,” said Sterner.  “I am especially honored to receive this from the York County Economic Alliance, who has been very helpful in advising us and providing supports along our journey,” he said.

At Susquehannock, the focus has been on redefining the image of success in education. Through partnerships with dozens of York County businesses, Sterner provided professional development for Susquehannock’s staff to visit local organizations and communicate directly with business leaders. “From this experience, our outstanding staff have organized internships, provided career exploration trips, sought out opportunities for professional credentialing, set up community service opportunities, and retooled their classes to support the career preparation of our students,” Sterner said.

Susquehannock High School principal Kevin Molin congratulated Sterner on his achievement. “We are proud of Mr. Sterner.  This is a well-deserved award that recognizes his passion for ensuring SHS students are provided personalized learning opportunities as they work to transition from Susquehannock to post-secondary learning and employment,” Molin said. He added that Susquehannock High School is reaching out to work collaboratively with the greater York County community. “We wish to create a symbiotic relationship that provides SHS graduates with authentic learning opportunities to better prepare them for the workforce, post-secondary education, and the global economy,” added Molin.