Kaylee Simons
Elmore Autauga News
Students, educators, families and community leaders gathered Thursday night at the Wetumpka Civic Center for the 12th Annual Elmore County Career and Technical Education Awards Banquet, celebrating student achievement across dozens of career pathways throughout the county.
Hosted by the Elmore County Career and Technical Center, the event honored standout students in programs ranging from aviation and welding to medical sciences, cybersecurity, culinary arts and construction technology. The highest honor of the evening, 2026 Elmore County CTE Student of the Year, was awarded to Alexxandrya Parrott of Wetumpka High School.
Parrott was also recognized as the JROTC Student of the Year, representing a program rooted in leadership, discipline and service. During the banquet, Parrott took the stage to thank the mentors and family members who helped shape her path and shared her goal of commissioning into the United States Army as an officer.
“I want to thank Major Hutto, Sergeant Hunter and Mrs. Emilie Johnson for all the opportunities they have provided for me and to help me get to where I want to be,” Parrott said during the ceremony.
Her recognition came during an emotional evening for the JROTC program, as longtime instructor Danny Hunter was honored ahead of his retirement after 32 years of service to students following his military career.
ECTC Director Emilie Johnson spoke throughout the evening about the importance of collaboration between educators, local businesses and community partners in helping students succeed. The banquet also highlighted the continued growth of career technical education programs throughout Elmore County Schools. Superintendent Richard Dennis shared that participation in career tech programs has expanded significantly over the last decade, with more than 1,200 students now involved through the career tech center alone.
“Our program has grown significantly over the past eight years,” Dennis said. “We have some very talented students in all areas in Elmore County.”
Students recognized as program award winners included:
• Chloe Ford — FFA Agriscience
• Gabriella Taylor — SkillsUSA Automotive
• Ramsey Grimes — SkillsUSA Aviation
• Libby Powell — DECA Marketing
• Dylan Chavez — FBLA Business/Finance
• Vohn Barnes — SkillsUSA Computer Science
• Ryleigh Amacker — SkillsUSA Construction
• Vladimir Weaver — FCCLA Culinary
• Josiah Santiago — SkillsUSA Cybersecurity
• Madison Curry — SkillsUSA Diesel
• John Enslen — SkillsUSA Drafting & Technical Design
• Lillian McCord — FCCLA Educators in Training
• Joshua Garcia — SkillsUSA Electrical
• Mary Grace Young — FCCLA FACS
• Jason Brinkley — FCCLA Hospitality & Tourism
• Jathyn Reynolds — SkillsUSA HVAC
• Julius Jones — SkillsUSA IT
• Hannah Burdett — HOSA Medical Sciences
• Dallas Rawlinson — SkillsUSA Plumbing & Pipefitting
• Brody Woodall — SkillsUSA Public Safety & Law
• Holley DeVaughn — HOSA Sports Medicine
• Janie Bess Caton — SkillsUSA Television Production
• London Goodson — SkillsUSA Welding
The banquet also recognized local sponsors and community partners whose support helped provide scholarships and opportunities for students pursuing technical education and workforce development pathways throughout Elmore County.
Johnson also took a moment during the evening to thank Joe Sowell for the flower arrangements and Jenilynn’s Creations for donating greenery for the event setup, highlighting the community support behind the banquet.
As the evening came to a close, applause filled the room for students stepping into careers ranging from healthcare and public safety to skilled trades and engineering, a reminder of the growing impact career technical education continues to have across the River Region.
