The California Agriculture Teachers Association has named Modesto Junior College professor Steve Amador as a Teacher of Excellence and MJC’s Agriculture Department as the 2009 Outstanding Community College Agricultural Education Program.

Amador has been teaching in the agriculture mechanics program at MJC since 2004, and currently teaches several courses in the program including Introduction to Mechanical Technology, Agriculture Welding, and Mechanical Systems Design and Evaluation.

MJC first won the Outstanding Community College Agriculture Program in the Post Secondary — Large School Division, and then subsequently won the overall best in the state award.

Agriculture programs being considered for this award are evaluated on the accomplishments of its students, the department’s involvement in section, region, state and/or national vocational-agriculture teacher association activities, contributions of staff towards the program and students, and the utilization of computer technology and agriculture-science curriculum in the program.