Wyatt Gerth, TCT Creative Marketing Communications Instructor, Receives Regional Honor
A Tri County Tech educator was named the ACTE® Region IV New Teacher of the Year on April 19, 2024.
Creative Marketing Communications Instructor Wyatt Gerth was honored by the Association for Career and Technical Education District Region IV, competing against Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Mississippi, and Texas educators. This award recognizes the finest career and technical education (CTE) teachers at the middle/secondary school level who have demonstrated innovation in the classroom, commitment to their students, and dedication to the improvement of CTE in their institutions and communities.
He had previously won Oklahoma Association of Career and Technology Education’s 2023 New Teacher of the Year.
“It’s very humbling. I’m able to teach the way I do in the classroom because of Tri County Tech’s support.”
Wyatt Gerth, Marketing Instructor at Tri County Tech
As a teacher in Tri County Tech’s Creative Marketing Communications high school program, Gerth is all about using his enthusiasm for marketing to come up with out-of-the-box projects that engage his students. His most popular project, “No Way, Kanye,” challenges students to find a celebrity candidate they think could beat Kanye in an election. Students pitch their candidates and create campaign materials, including posters, ads, and debate points. Past candidates have included students’ celebrity favorites such as Woody from Toy Story and Patrick Mahomes.
Having fun in Gerth’s class is a given, but students will also gain practical skills like researching, campaign-building, and mastering the Adobe Creative Suite.
“Mr. Gerth is one of the most creative instructors I’ve had the pleasure to work with. He is always looking for new ways to engage his students’ creativity in a way that makes learning fun while preparing them for the rigor of college classes. He embraces the continual change that technology brings to his profession, incorporating it into his lessons so his students can be fully prepared.”
Dr. Dennis Grover, Tri County Tech Instructional Director
Gerth came to teaching in a roundabout way. As a graduate of the University of Oklahoma with an advertising degree, he originally dreamed of attending Chicago Portfolio School to work at a big agency. But when an opportunity came up to work in the marketing department at Tri County Tech, it was too perfect for turning down. Then, he was asked if he’d be interested in teaching students. After some hesitation, he agreed to take on an instructor role. It was a match made in heaven. He had no intention of being a teacher in the high school program, but now he can’t imagine being anything else.
For Gerth, the most meaningful part of teaching is seeing the impact his program can have on students. When Gerth ran into a former student at a local restaurant, the student shared that it was her last shift as a waiter. She leveraged the skills she gained in Gerth’s class to find a graphic design job, allowing the former student to launch her career.
Another student came into the high school Creative Marketing Communications program needing help with public speaking. She overcame her fears and found her voice by presenting her projects in Gerth’s class. Now, she’s attending OU with the goal of becoming a news anchor. Gerth loves seeing his former students excel.
Based in Bartlesville, Tri County Tech serves students from Washington, Osage, and Nowata counties. Find out more about Tri County Tech’s high school programs here.
About Tri County Tech
We’re one of Oklahoma’s first CareerTech schools and have a steadfast spirit for innovation and improvement – driving economic development since 1967. Our devotion to each other, our students, and the life-changing learning we provide fuels our pursuit of excellence. We call this the “Tri County Way.” We have locations in Bartlesville, Pawhuska, and Nowata, Oklahoma. Tri County Tech is part of the Oklahoma CareerTech system, which offers programs and services in 29 technology center districts and operates on 59 campuses across the state. CareerTech plays a vital role in developing a world-class workforce for Oklahoma employers and prepares Oklahomans to succeed in the workplace, in education, and life.