The University of Missouri has named Anita Cates the Pre-Employment Transition Services Teacher of the Year for the Southeast Region due to  her advocacy in helping students with disabilities transition to life after graduation.

Cates, who has served as Poplar Bluff High School's individualized education program facilitator for six years, was chosen from over 1,000 eligible special education teachers representing more than 100 secondary schools across the region, according to Paul D’Amico, Mizzou Southeast Region coordinator.

“She is very deserving,” D’Amico said during a surprise presentation on Friday, May 2, featuring her co-workers and family. "In my 10 years in the business, I have never worked with anyone more passionate in helping students achieve and transition.”

Students enrolled in the program receive assistance in establishing independence following high school, whether that means continued education, improving employability through resume building and job interview preparation, or accessing other services through the statewide assistance network, according to Cates.

She also plays an active role in organizing an annual Job Olympics event, a day filled with challenges and competitions that allows participating students across the region to showcase the job skills they have developed for partnering businesses and organizations.

This year PBHS had 123 juniors and seniors enrolled in the optional program, reported Cates, who noted she exceeded her goal of 100. In her 29-year tenure in education, Cates has served as a facilitator for the district for the past 12 years, before which she was employed as a special education teacher for Poplar Bluff Schools beginning in 2008.

This is the second year Mizzou has recognized educators of the year from its seven regions across the state. The five components of the Pre-ETS program are: self-advocacy, work-based learning, post-secondary counseling, workplace readiness and job exploration, all aimed at enhancing successful post-school outcomes, according to its website.

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Cutline: Paul D’Amico, Southeast Region coordinator with the University of Missouri, presents Anita Cates with a surprise award for her advocacy of students with IEPs or 504 plans on Friday, May 2, at PBHS.