A breakfast event at the Pruden Center on Tuesday recognized the hard work and successes of high-achieving career and technical education teachers and students in Suffolk.

Ken DeLoach, of 2011-2012 Career and Technical Education Advisory Council Awards sponsor State Farm Insurance, presented the Outstanding Student of the Year award to Brionna Hunter, a graduating senior at Nansemond River High School.

Through the CTE program, Hunter has studied computer information systems, finance and human resources, taking her CTE classes at Nansemond River.

“These classes and my teachers have prepared me for job interviews and taught me personal finance and how to conduct myself in the real world after school has finished,” Hunter said. “I was very surprised and grateful of this honor.”

Hunter will attend Howard University in the fall, where she plans to major in business marketing.

Her parents Samaria Hunter and Thadd Hunter Sr. both attended the breakfast. “We are extremely proud of her and all that she’s accomplished since she’s finished grade school,” Samaria Hunter said.

“She’s always been a high achiever and (is) always doing well, and we just expect really good things of her when she settles into university.”

Nansemond River High School’s Jessica Smith won Outstanding New Teacher of the Year, and itinerant teacher Rose Mary Jones was honored with Outstanding Teacher of the Year.

Esther Harrell of Paul D. Camp Community College presented both teacher awards.

Hobbs Suffolk Campus Dean Dr. Harriette Arrington, also vice chairperson of the advisory council, said, “We are very proud of all the CTE teachers and students. We have excellent programs in our CTE schools, and this is one opportunity to say thank you to our teachers and our students for a job well done.”

She described the CTE program as a mutually beneficial collaboration between Suffolk Public Schools, business and industry.

“It’s a real team effort,” she said, adding that the awards breakfast is one of the highlights of the CTE calendar. “It’s a culmination of the year’s work,” she added.

Career and Technical Education Coordinator Gail V. Bess said the advisory council introduced the awards to “encourage outstanding teachers and students in the area of Career and Technical Education.

“They’ve been doing this for many years, and it does involve an application process and an interview process.”

DeLoach said State Farm sponsored the event “because we want to support the community and help our youth achieve.”

Gail encouraged businesses interested in sponsoring the event in the future to call 925-6759.