Growing up, Kelly Harmon knew very little about vocational schools.
“My concept of vocational was always wood shop … the auto kids,” she acknowledged. Today, as director of curriculum and instruction of the Monmouth County Vocational School District (MCVSD) in Freehold, Harmon is a steadfast supporter of “changing the perception and stigma” surrounding vocational education.
She even authored an influential article on the topic for the magazine “Educational Viewpoints” in spring of 2023.
“Unfortunately, there is still a stigma attached to choosing a trade over academics and choosing a trade school over college,” Harmon wrote. “This stigma stems from the lack of knowledge and the many misconceptions that our society still holds about vocational education, where college has traditionally been seen as practically the only way to a high-income career.”
But the tides may be changing, Harmon explained in the article.
“Vocational education is currently enjoying a revival in popularity with policymakers and educators,” she concludes, citing the 2019 policy brief “Practitioner Perspectives on Equity in Career and Technical Education,” by Rosen & Molina.
“ … It is moving away from the old vocational model, which was often used to track low-income and minority students away from college and into low-paying jobs that didn’t offer clear opportunities for career advancement.
“As a curriculum director for a vocational school district,” Harmon added, “I see, first hand, how vocational education has been reinvented. Our curriculum embeds authentic, industry-aligned experiences directly into students’ daily learning.
“Unfortunately, there is still a stigma attached to choosing a trade over academics and choosing a trade school over college,” writes Kelly Harmon, director of curriculum and instruction for the Monmouth County Vocational School District.
“Whether students are shadowing physicians at Jersey Shore Medical Center, conducting research alongside university professors, working with engineers at CommVault or changing an oil filter at Nissan, our students engage in career pathways with a level of depth and authenticity rarely seen in secondary education.”
Harmon is making strides in New Jersey’s vocational realm. For that reason, the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) and its board of directors named her the recipient of its 2026 ACTE Champion for Career and Technical Education Award.
The national honor recognizes education leaders, business and industry executives, public figures and thought leaders who champion career and technical education (CTE) as an essential pathway for preparing a skilled, adaptable and competitive workforce.
Harmon has dedicated nearly two decades to advancing the state’s career and technical education. Recognized as the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association Visionary Director of the Year and one of Global Forum for Education and Learning’s Top 100 Visionaries, she has led groundbreaking initiatives in curriculum redesign, social justice education and professional development.
A champion for expanding access to CTE, Harmon launched MCVSD’s Middle School CTE Summer Career Exploratory Programs, growing enrollment from 149 students in 2021 to 280 four years later.
By doubling participation, the programs significantly increased visibility of MCVSD’s offerings among local families, introducing more middle-school students to career pathways and strengthening early connections to technical education.
While the initiative generated revenue, its greater impact lies in expanding awareness and access to CTE opportunities.
Beyond her district, Harmon owns HeightenED Curriculum Consulting, which helps schools bridge academic excellence with career readiness. She also created the New Jersey Vocational Curriculum Consortium, a statewide network of CTE leaders who foster collaboration and strengthen programming across districts.
Harmon also organizes statewide summits for programs including cosmetology and dental assisting, creating professional networks and supporting curriculum alignment. She mentors future administrators through the NJEXCEL program and serves as a Middle States Team Review Leader, guiding schools through rigorous accreditation processes.
Harmon is pursuing her doctorate in education at Kean University. Her dissertation focuses on implementing successful CTE programs in middle school, and her ultimate vision would be to open a middle school within the district.
Her ultimate vision would be to open a middle school within the district. She has had discussions about it with the superintendent and assistant superintendent, but the challenge is sustainable funding.
She writes about the issue in another influential article, 2025’s “The Case for Middle School CTE in NJ” in Educational Viewpoints, where she argues that integrating CTE in middle schools aligns with the Donald Super Career Development Theory (CDT) of the critical window between students from 12 to 18.
“Middle-school students, at the beginning of this stage, benefit from structured opportunities to explore their skills and passions,” Harmon writes, citing 1957’s “The Psychology of Careers: An Introduction to Vocational Development,” by Super D.E.
“Without these opportunities,” she added, “students may miss the chance to connect their academic learning to real-world applications, leaving them less prepared for future educational and career decisions.”
Through a career spanning classroom teaching, curriculum leadership, consulting and accreditation, Harmon is transforming how educators and policymakers view vocational education. Her work reflects a steadfast commitment to equity, innovation and preparing students for a future in which career and college readiness go hand in hand.
Harmon herself grew up in Monmouth County and attended Howell High School.
“Coming from a blue collar family – a dad who grew up farming in Neptune and never finished high school, and a mom who never had the chance to attend college – I’ve always held deep respect for the skilled trades,” she remembered. “Working in a vocational district has only strengthened that respect, giving me a firsthand view of the expertise and educational power behind careers that keep our communities running.”
Harmon attended Lehigh University after high school and attempted the pre-med route.
“I took calc in college and was failing,” she remembered saying. ‘I hate this. I don’t like chemistry. I don’t like math.
‘What am I doing?’”
Harmon had always loved playing school and writing, so she changed her major to English with a minor in journalism. She got her master’s in English and taught classes at Lehigh. She liked it. She entered the alternate route for teaching and saw a job opening at Biotechnology High School, one of MCVSD’s career academies.
“I said, ‘I don’t know what this is, but let me apply and see what happens,’” Harmon recalled.
The district placed her at the Communications High School in Wall as a ninth-grade English instructor.
“As a ninth-grade teacher, there are a lot of clubs you can advise,” Harmon pointed out. She became the advisor for Skills USA Club, where students can compete in their fields, whether it be graphic arts or web design.
“When I went to the state competition and national competition, she noted, “I saw all these students competing in various trades. I was just amazed.”
That’s when she fell in love with vocational education. Harmon stayed in her teaching and club advisor roles for almost 10 years before moving into a district supervisory position.
“I wanted to see the rest of the district,” she said of the move. “I wanted to make a change more globally.”
Harmon went through an 18-month accelerated administrative program through NJEXCEL. After she got her certificate, she was offered her current role in curriculum and instruction.
“Our district is very unique in that we don’t have vice principals and we don’t have supervisors,” she explained. “Even though we are a vast district and a very diverse district, the buildings are small. We have about 300 kids in each of our full-time high schools.”
Harmon listed the six full-time academies: The Academy of Law and Public Safety in Long Branch, Marine Academy in Sandy Hook, Academy of Health and Science in Neptune, Communications High School in Wall, High Technology High School on Brookdale’s Campus in Lincroft and Biotechnology High School in Freehold.
The district has shared-time programs where students come to the district for half a day – working in cosmetology, welding, commercial arts, health occupations, electricity, plumbing, pipe fitting and/or HVAC – then go back to their home schools for academics.
The district has a career center for special education students, which includes a floral shop and restaurant. And there is a culinary school in Asbury Park.
As the director of curriculum and instruction, Harmon wears many hats.
“I support the teachers with professional development,” she said starting to list her many hats. “I evaluate teachers. I fill in for administrators. I support teachers as they work to redesign their curriculum and create authentic assessments. It’s my job to ensure teachers feel supported, and it’s also my job to ensure our curriculum, assessments and instruction reflect industry standards and prepare students for the college of their choice or career field of their choice.”
To be recognized for a role in which she has poured her heart and soul for 20 years, “feels amazing,” Harmon allowed.
“I’m usually the one lifting everyone up, bringing everyone together,” she said with emotion. “To see a National Career Technical Education organization recognize me, I don’t even know how to put that into words.
“It’s humbling, too,” she added. “It shows that people understand the importance of CTE and that we still need to make strides. It’s awesome. It’s an honor.”
Harmon was recognized at a recent Monmouth Board of Commissioners meeting at the Hall of Records in Freehold. She and other national ACTE award winners will be honored at a gala at the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, Tennessee, on Tuesday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m. For more information on the Impact Awards and the Awards Gala, visit acteonline.org/awards.
