June 24, 2025—The CTAE Awards for High School Student of the Year, Middle School Student of the Year, Teacher of the Year, and Work-Based Learning Student of the Year were recently presented at the school of each category winner. Each nominee provided a portfolio that included a resume, application essay, and a detailed list of their educational journey and extra-curricular activities.
CTAE End-of-Year Awards
High School Student of the Year: Maritza Pacheco Rojas
Maritza is a 2025 dual-enrollment graduate of Health Science at the Cobb Innovation and Technology Academy (CITA) and Chattahoochee Tech. She is beginning her career at Kennestone Hospital, thanks to the strong partnership and historic internship program between CITA and Wellstar Health Systems.
"The sense of belonging I found within the CTAE community gave me the courage to dream bigger. Because of CTAE, I decided to major in Public Health on a pre-med track with plans to become a pediatrician and eventually open a free clinic," Maritza said.
Middle School Student of the Year: Colton Gilmore
Colton graduated from Mabry Middle School in May and is heading to the Magnet program at Wheeler where he can further study his primary interests of coding, robotics, and game design.
"The classes being offered at the Wheeler Magnet program have a lot of visual arts and programming, and everything there seems to fit my interests for the future," Colton wrote in his application essay.
Teacher of the Year: Brent Branning
Mr. Branning has been a CTAE instructor in Cobb since 2016. He has taught at CITA for the least three years and teaches Welding and Heavy Equipment. He is deliberate in providing opportunities for students that extend beyond the classroom and wants to prepare them for much more than passing a test.
"I hold students to high standards—not just in their work, but in how they carry themselves. I teach them to be on time, communicate effectively, meet deadlines, and treat others with dignity. When they leave my program, I want them to walk out with skills, direction, and belief in themselves," Mr. Branning said about his teaching philosophy.
Work-Based Learning Student of the Year: Boston Simpson
Boston graduated from Kell High School in May in the Marketing Pathway. Through this program, she was able to develop her love and skills for creative design, entrepreneurship, and digital media. She is a small business owner and served as an intern with the North Cobb Business Association.
"My journey through the Marketing Pathway—combined with real-world experience, leadership roles, and entrepreneurial ventures—reflect my dedication to career and technical education. I am committed to excellence, innovation, and service, and I am truly grateful for the knowledge and opportunities CTAE has provided me," Boston said about her high school career.
GA JROTC Teacher of the Year
Cobb is also the proud home of this year's Georgia JROTC Teacher of the Year, Master Sergeant Carla Freeman. MSGT Freeman is a JROTC instructor and department head at South Cobb High School.
Teacher of the Year nominees must be members of the Georgia Association for Career & Technical Education (ACTE), have five or more years of teaching experience, and be nominated by a peer for consideration. MSGT Freeman was one of seven instructors nominated by her peers for this award. She is the Georgia ACTE JROTC Division Board Membership Committee Chair and has aspirations for higher levels of Georgia ACTE board leadership.
"The executive committee was extremely impressed with her work history, the fact that she serves as a HS department head, and her high level of professionalism," the selection committee wrote about their decision. "Her efforts to ensure her students have opportunities to develop both in class and after school also brought high marks. With 15 years of experience, Carla is a seasoned veteran and has a strong track record of success."
Congratulations to all five winners for the 2024-25 school year! We can't wait to see what next year has in store for CTAE and JROTC education in Cobb!
