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Sean Appleby, a Marshall Academy culinary instructor who once attended the school himself, has been named the 2026 Virginia Association for Career and Technical Education New Teacher of the Year.
The award recognizes excellence, innovation and leadership in career and technical education. Appleby will now represent Virginia in the ACTE Region II competition, facing educators from the southeastern United States and the Caribbean.
Born and raised in Vienna, Appleby graduated from Marshall Academy and Madison High School in 2011. He later earned a degree in Culinary Arts and Food Service Management from Johnson & Wales University.
Appleby entered the professional restaurant industry after college and helped open several James Beard-recognized restaurants in Charlotte, North Carolina. He eventually returned home and became head chef at Hawk and Griffin, a traditional English pub in Vienna.
He has since returned to Marshall Academy to teach and mentor aspiring culinary professionals.
“I am incredibly honored to be back where my journey began,” Appleby said. “Teaching students and helping them discover their potential in the culinary arts is deeply meaningful to me.”
Academy administrator Greg Luongo praised Appleby for bringing enthusiasm and professional experience into a student-centered classroom.
“He has worked to help students find their own passion in the culinary world while continuing to improve and refine his teaching craft,” Luongo said. “He facilitates a student-centered classroom that provides hands-on learning for all students while they participate in work-based learning experiences.”
Appleby and the other award recipients are scheduled to receive formal recognition in September 2026. Winning at the Region II level would send him to the national competition against winners from the other ACTE regions.
The honor comes during Career and Technical Education Month in February. FCPS offers CTE courses across its middle and high schools, including programs in business and information technology, family and consumer sciences, health and medical sciences, marketing, technology and engineering, and industrial trades. The courses are designed to prepare students for higher education and entry-level employment through technical instruction and work-based learning.