CCSD Career Pathways Teachers Earn Top Honors

Six Cherokee County School District Career Pathway teachers have earned top honors in their field, with one being named the region’s best!

Air Force JROTC and Government and Public Administration instructors Senior Master Sgt. (Ret.) Jeffrey Bise and Technical Sgt. (Ret.) Jody Van Ostrand of Cherokee HS; Lt. Col. (Ret.) Stephen Bergey and Technical Sgt. (Ret.) Ciarra Malto of Etowah HS; and Major (Ret.) Marlon Ayers Sr. and Chief Master Sgt. (Ret.) Rodney Deese of River Ridge HS all have earned 2025 Outstanding Instructor Awards from the U.S. Air Force.  It’s an honor achieved by only the top 30% of 2,000 Air Force and Space Force JROTC instructors worldwide!

Major Ayers and TSgt. Malto advanced in the recognition program to be named the Region 3 Sub-Region 1 winners for the Officer and Enlisted honors, respectively, and Major Ayers then was named the overall Region 3 Officer winner!  Congratulations to all our honorees, best wishes to Major Ayers on his relocation to Texas and thank you to our School Board for its continued investment in career education!

“These instructors have had a tremendous impact on their cadets, school, and community throughout the 2024-25 school year,” said Rob Atkins, the region supervisor for AFJROTC.  “Thank you for your tireless commitment to the AFJROTC program and our mission of ‘developing citizens of character.’”

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