Debbie Harris, marketing teacher at Somerset High School received the prestigious Kentucky Marketing Education Teacher of the Year Award at the DECA State Career and Development Conference held March 11th-13th at the Galt House in Louisville, Kentucky. Mrs. Harris has been a marketing teacher and DECA (Distributive Education Club) advisor at Somerset High School for nine years. During her years of service at Somerset High School the DECA program has thrived. This year there are currently 97 DECA members out of approximately 480 Somerset High School students. Mrs. Harris encourages her students to get involved in DECA so that they have the opportunity to: develop their leadership skills by becoming a local, regional, or state officer, compete in DECA events at the local, state, and national level, participate in various community service activities, and attend various marketing-related trips where they get to see marketing in action. Mrs. Harris teaches a variety of marketing and career related classes at Somerset High School which include: Principles of Marketing, Travel and Tourism Marketing, Sports and Event Marketing, Advanced Marketing, and Practical Living Vocational Studies/Careers.
Mrs. Harris is also very active in leadership and decision-making roles at her school and with DECA. She is the current Kentucky DECA Board Chairperson and served for four years as the Kentucky DECA Professional President. Mrs. Harris is also the current Career and Technical Coordinator and Practical Living Career Studies Department Head at Somerset High School. Mrs. Harris was a previous recipient of the Campbellsville Teacher of the Year award for Somerset High School.
Mrs. Harris earned a Bachelors of Business Administration degree from the University of Kentucky with a major in Marketing. She received her Masters of Arts and Teaching from Eastern Kentucky University. She decided to become a marketing teacher after working in various marketing and business-related positions for 13 years. Mrs. Harris attributes her success at Somerset High School to having the opportunity to work with such great students, having wonderful support from the Somerset Independent Administration, and having a loving and supportive husband, Tim and son, Cody.