Judy Commers, the next in our Valpo Life in the Spotlight series, has taught in Fort Wayne, Lafayette, Chesterton and Valparaiso High School, but has most recently taught at the Porter County Career and Technical Center (PCCTC) in Valpo for the past 22 years.
Commers was inspired by her sister Becky (also a marketing teacher), and has taught marketing for 38 years. Commers is a Valpo Life in the Spotlight because she is passionate about what she is teaching and she cares about the students she teaches. “There isn’t anything I don’t like about teaching marketing; each year the students make it fun,” Commers explained. “When you are having fun doing it, you don’t want to quit.”
Jon Groth, Principal of the PCCTC said of Commers, “She is a very passionate teacher and really loves her students. She is passionate about the subject matter and she inspires, motivates and prepares her students to make decisions that will further their studies and direct their career choices after high school.”
Commers teaches two classes at the PCCTC, Business Ownership and Sports Entertainment Marketing and a Marketing Internship course. “Students learn everything from management, accounting, buying and selling, advertising and social skills,” said Robby, a junior at Kouts High School. Robby explained that the students run and maintain a small store and vending machines in the school. He added, “You learn the most important concepts of running a business.”
Commers said, “The students do everything for the business.” She wants the spotlight to always be on the kids. She is very zealous about getting the word out that more kids can benefit from the programs at the PCCTC. One of the main benefits of participating in programs at the PCCTC allows for the students to earn college credits from Ivy Tech Community College upon graduation.
Commers’ students feel that their teacher is an inspiration. Chaz, a junior at Washington Township High School said of Commers, “She guides and inspires us to creatively come up with a way to solve a problem on our own. She allows us to spread our wings.”
Emily, junior at Boone Grove High School, shared, “Mrs. Commers is extremely caring and teaches us valuable life skills like managing money, dealing with people, and teaching us not to give up.” And Jessica, also a junior at Boone Grove said, “She is beyond a typical teacher. She is crazy, fun and she motivates me to push harder and put more effort into my work.”
Judy Commers not only inspires high school students, but she also finds the time to teach at Ivy Tech Community College in Valparaiso and in Michigan City. Her classes include Introduction to Business, Principles of Management, and Principles of Marketing.
She is also responsible for writing text books, like Marketing Dynamics, and she will have another due out in the spring about entrepreneurship. Commers is always putting the needs of her students first. She is dedicated and committed to making sure that her students are successful, accomplished adults. Commers said, “I never realized that when I went into teaching so many of my former students would be some of my best friends.”
If you are a business owner and would like to intern one of the students from the Marketing Internship program, please visit http://www.pccte.org/contact.htm or call 219-531-3170.