Advisor of the Month: Brian Winstead

The staff at NTHS is eternally grateful for the hard work, perseverance, and effort all our Advisors pour into their roles as NTHS leaders who are developing and inspiring students on a daily basis. We know that we could not continue our mission to honor Career and Technical Education (CTE) students across the nation without their constant support and dedication. 

Each month, we like to recognize one of our outstanding Advisors who has been nominated by their peers, students, family, or NTHS colleagues for the NTHS Advisor of the Month. If you would like to nominate someone to be featured as our Advisor of the Month, click here to let us know!

This month, we’d like to introduce you to our friend, Brian Winstead.

Brian has been teaching for 8 years. He currently teaches Medical Assisting at East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT) in Mesa, AZ. Brian has been an NTHS Advisor for 4 years, and the lead NTHS Advisor for 3 of those years.

Why is Career and Technical Education (CTE) important to you?

I was in the medical field for 20 years and it is exciting to see students find their passion and follow their dreams. CTE gives these students a great opportunity to start their career, and continue their education. A quote I hold onto is “They may not remember what you said, but will remember how you made them feel.”

Millions of students across the country have had their education disrupted over the last few months, and did not get to finish the school year out like they thought they would. What advice would you want your students, and other students across the nation, to hear most right now, and what can they be accomplishing and focusing on during this time?

Life is about responding, even though it is not the way you would have drawn it up. Make the most of it, and keep pushing to your goals. Take this time to dive into online school, and things that drive you toward your end goal.

Many graduation ceremonies across the country have been cancelled, delayed, or moved online. Their final school year did not end quite like any of us thought it would, and the Class of 2020 has many unique challenges to face right now. What is your best advice for them?

It’s not what you have done or said, it is the legacy you choose to leave. Make your own stamp. Think outside the box, whether it is your own celebration or working toward your future. Enjoy the time that you have now. I have a high school senior this year, and it is the advice I gave her. You still accomplished graduating. No one can take that away from you, and you did it in, arguably, the toughest of circumstances.

As the leader of your school’s NTHS chapter, what accomplishments (yours or your students’) are you most proud of?

Last year I had a student who was inducted into NTHS, and was also elected as the president of HOSA. That was a accomplishment I will never forget. Also last year, my students earned greater than $500,000 in scholarships, and I had 65% [of them] hired in the medical field.

Have you done any activities, projects, campaigns, and/or community outreach with your NTHS chapter that you feel were successful? Tell us about them!

We do an induction ceremony where we bring in a speaker to acknowledge their success and accomplishment. Call each student up by name. This year we did a virtual induction ceremony on social media which was an absolute success. 

Tell us a little about you… Your family? Your pets? Your hobbies and interests? 

I am a father of three wonderful kids. A twenty one year old and an eighteen year old who both graduated from a CTE program -  one as a Phlebotomist and the other Veterinary Assistant. I have an eleven year old son who is in 5^th grade and loves sports. We have a couple dogs, and my daughter recently adopted a snake. I am highly involved in my community, serving as a high school leader in church and a coach youth football. We won the National Championship this last year. My passion is to help youth find a direction, and follow their dreams.

Thank you for all you do, Brian!