2019 News Stories

Alumna recognized as Teacher of the Year by Florida Council for the Social Studies

TAMPA, Fla. (October 15, 2019) — College of Education alumna Jilianne King Vega, Social Science Education `16, was named the Florida Council for the Social Studies’ Warren Tracy Beginning Teacher of the Year.  

The Florida Council for the Social Studies is a professional organization of Social Studies educators striving to maintain and enhance the importance of Social Studies in Florida education. The Warren Tracy Beginning Teacher of the Year award recognizes and celebrate the accomplishments of social studies teachers new to the field of education who engage students in meaningful lessons to increase student awareness, who are involved with school and community activities and who are leaders on behalf of education. 

King Vega is a social studies teacher at Davidsen Middle School in Tampa, where she teachers 7th grade civics.

“It’s an honor to be able to showcase my teaching abilities, as well as lessons that I have created over the three years I have been teaching,” King Vega said. “I want to give a huge thank you to Dr. Bárbara Cruz for mentoring me in, and after college. She has had a huge impact in my life as well as my career. I wouldn’t be the teacher I am today without my ‘academic/work mom’ there to brainstorm ideas with me on a day-to-day basis.”

King Vega will be recognized at an Awards Banquet hosted by the Florida Council for the Social Studies in Orlando in October.