Dale Moon, Ph.D. and Deron Fort, M.Ed recognized for expanding career-connected learning and using student aptitude data to create personalized workforce experiences for students
AMERICAN FORK, Utah, June 2, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- YouScience®, the leading education technology company transforming college and career readiness through its award-winning platform Brightpath, today announced Dale Moon, Ph.D., Director of Workforce Development, and Deron Fort, M.Ed, Career Connected Learning Systems Navigator, both from Linn-Benton Community College in Albany, Oregon, as national award recipients of the 2026 YouScience® Innovative Educator Award.
This national award recognizes educators and leaders who are transforming career-connected learning through innovative approaches that help students discover and pursue career or educational pathways aligned to their strengths and future opportunities.
Moon and Fort were recognized for their exceptional leadership, innovation, and commitment to creating a world-class workforce for Linn and Benton counties, Oregon, and beyond. Through their work at Linn-Benton Community College, they provide leadership and oversight for Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, workforce initiatives, and related planning efforts designed to strengthen career readiness and workforce alignment across the region.
In 2021, Moon recognized the value aptitude-based career discovery could bring to students and proactively leveraged Perkins funding to implement YouScience across all 13 high schools in the region—laying the foundation for transformational growth in career-connected learning opportunities.
"Dale and Deron have been incredible partners in helping schools create more meaningful career exploration opportunities for students," said Chrissy Shanks, Associate Principal, Lebanon High School in Lebanon, Oregon. "Their work with YouScience has helped students better understand their strengths, interests, and future possibilities, while also giving staff stronger tools and data to support conversations around engagement, pathways, and planning. They have helped students make stronger connections between their school experience and future opportunities beyond high school. The collaboration, leadership, and opportunities they have created across our region have made a real difference for our students and schools."
Moon and Fort have worked collaboratively with district and school leaders to increase adoption and engagement across the region. Through hands-on administrator and principal trainings, strategic implementation support, and a strong focus on aligning YouScience to district goals, the region has experienced extraordinary growth in student participation.
In the 2023–2024 school year, the region recorded 258 completed YouScience® Aptitude & Career Discovery assessments. Just a few years later, in the current 2025-26 school year, that number has grown to more than 2,500 completed assessments, with nearly all of the regional high schools actively utilizing YouScience in their college and career planning efforts. Additionally, expansion efforts are underway to provide YouScience tools to middle schools in the region.
What makes their work especially innovative is how they have transformed student aptitude and interest data into highly personalized, hands-on career-connected learning experiences. Using YouScience data, Moon and Fort organized regional career fairs centered around the top-performing industry and career clusters identified within their student population. These events connect students in grades 9–12 with local employers and industry professionals through interactive experiences aligned to students' demonstrated aptitudes and interests.
Over the past two years, the region has successfully hosted both Healthcare and Manufacturing career fairs, strengthening employer partnerships while exposing students to regional workforce opportunities in high-demand industries.
"It's so much more than career fairs," said Deron Fort, M.Ed, Career Connected Learning Systems Navigator at Linn-Benton Community College. "YouScience allows us to use student data to inform and prioritize student projects and all Career Connected Learning activities, promoting relevant learning experiences."
Fort recently shared this philosophy while presenting at the Oregon ACTE Conference, where he highlighted how data-informed career-connected learning can create stronger alignment between students, educators, and workforce needs.
"Dale and Deron exemplify what it means to create transformational career-connected learning experiences for students," said Edson Barton, CEO of YouScience. "YouScience is designed to be a tool that empowers educators with actionable data and insights, and their work demonstrates the incredible impact that can happen when innovative leaders use those tools to create real-world experiences and stronger workforce pathways for students."
The YouScience Innovative Educator Award celebrates educators and leaders who are implementing forward-thinking approaches to career readiness and helping students build confidence, direction, and real-world connections through education.
Educators, students, and parents are encouraged to nominate deserving candidates who champion career exploration through YouScience products for future awards.
To learn more about YouScience, please visit youscience.com.
About YouScience
YouScience® is the leading education technology company dedicated to empowering individuals with the data and credentials needed to succeed in school, career, and life. Its award-winning platform, Brightpath, is the only College & Career Readiness solution built for both compliance and impact–powered by scientifically backed aptitude discovery, industry-recognized certifications, and meaningful career connections. YouScience has served more than 13,400 educational institutions and millions of users nationwide, making it the preferred choice for individuals, parents, educators, and counselors to achieve real outcomes through education and career pathways.
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