WHEREAS, Benjamin Stodola, a marketing educator and chair of the Career and Technical Education Department at Rock Ridge High School in Loudoun County, was named Teacher of the Year by the Virginia Association of Marketing Educators in 2023; and

WHEREAS, Benjamin "Ben" Stodola was recognized by the Virginia Association of Marketing Educators at the organization's Professional Development Institute for demonstrating an extraordinary commitment to both marketing education and his community, school, and students; and

WHEREAS, Ben Stodola attended Manassas City Public Schools in his youth and earned a bachelor's degree in business and information technology and a master's degree in career and technical education from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University before joining the faculty at Rock Ridge High School in 2017; and

WHEREAS, Ben Stodola's recent classes at Rock Ridge High School include Sports and Entertainment Marketing, Marketing 1, and Cybersecurity in Marketing, which offer his students unique opportunities to explore a variety of ideas and concepts relevant to marketing for today's industries; and

WHEREAS, Ben Stodola serves as the advisor to the Rock Ridge High School's chapter of DECA, Inc., formerly the Distributive Education Clubs of America, helping the club's more than 200 members enhance their understanding of business management, entrepreneurship, and other aspects of financial literacy; and

WHEREAS, Ben Stodola has motivated his students to take risks and to challenge themselves by cultivating a safe and nurturing learning environment where mistakes and failures are understood as opportunities for growth and improvement; and

WHEREAS, Ben Stodola has shown an exceptional ability to connect with his students, inspiring them to find their authentic selves and to envision the bright futures that lie ahead of them; and

WHEREAS, with a passion for marketing and an unwavering dedication to his students, Ben Stodola embodies the virtues and ideals of the education profession and serves as an inspiration to all Virginians; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Benjamin Stodola, a marketing educator at Rock Ridge High School, hereby be commended for being named the 2023 Teacher of the Year by the Virginia Association of Marketing Educators; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Benjamin Stodola as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for his service and his contributions to education in the Commonwealth.