The Schuylkill Technology Center (STC) Adult Education Center announced that Nicole Melnick was named “Educator of the Year” by the Pennsylvania Association of Practical Nursing Administration (PAPNA).

Melnick, a center practical nursing instructor, was nominated by her adult education students and awarded the designation at the annual PAPNA Conference held in State College.

According to the nomination submitted by students: “She gives each of her students 100% of herself and truly believes in us. She has the ability to have you learn material and have fun doing it. Her expectations of us to be professional and great nurses always are high because that is how she conducts herself.”

As an example of one of the tactics Melnick used, students described how she took the driest subjects and turned them into interactive games that engaged the entire class to learn pharmacology.

They also said that the most special thing about the candidate is her devotion to her students and how she truly strives to help them reach their fullest potential.

“As adult students we tend to do our studying and assignments at all hours of the night and day,” they said. “We also email questions as they come up expecting to wait a day or two for a response. It doesn’t matter if it’s two in the morning or if she is on vacation, we usually get a response within minutes.”

For more information about the STC adult practical nursing program, visit https://adult.stcenters.org or call 570-874-1412.