This year’s Let’s Build It took place from July 6-8. The fourth annual event saw 39 past winners of the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence gather virtually for three days of learning, growth and networking. Let’s Build It fosters opportunities for skilled trades teachers to recharge and have a greater impact … Continued
One of the goals of Harbor Freight Tools for Schools is to highlight excellence in high school skilled trades education. In May, Bob Kilmer and Scott Springer, educator advisors at Harbor Freight Tools for Schools, had the chance to visit Cherry Creek Innovation Campus in Centennial, Colorado. Opened in August 2019, Cherry Creek Innovation Campus … Continued
The Go Ollie Go Project Eli Murphy, an eighth-grade student from Enumclaw, Washington, put his skilled trades training to good use by retrofitting a rideable electric toy car for Ollie, a three-year-old Denver boy who experiences significant mobility challenges. The pilot project, funded by Harbor Freight Tools for Schools, is a great example of the … Continued
Dear Fellow Skilled Trades Teachers, My name is Demetrius Wilson and I am a mechatronics instructor at Oakland Schools Technical Campus Northeast in Pontiac, Michigan. As an educator of 30 years, I am proud to be a part of a profession, composed of individuals like yourself, who work tirelessly and selflessly to educate the young … Continued
Dear fellow skilled trades teachers, My name is Tom Aubin. I teach the welding program at Champlain Valley Educational Services in Plattsburgh, New York. I am a veteran teacher of 28 years and still excited to take in all the knowledge and new information I can to keep my program strong. I suspect that you … Continued
Dear Fellow Skilled Trades Teachers: My name is Kathy Worley and I teach a Manufacturing Engineering Pathway, a Guitar Construction course, and Woodshop at West Hills High School in San Diego County, California. Steadfastness: “the quality of resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering.” I believe all skilled trades teachers have the quality of steadfastness (and … Continued
We’ve been blown away by the creativity, resilience and humility of trades teachers in bringing hands-on learning of critical skills to remote learning. We asked a few of our prizewinning teachers for their advice to other educators in this challenging time: “We are the true experts in our field and it’s up to us to … Continued
Last spring, we shared ideas for teaching the trades online—from teachers for teachers. As schools across the country head into the new school year, with many operating entirely or partially online, we wanted to update and expand our list. Here it is! To start, teachers suggested several digital tools for online teaching and learning that … Continued
At our annual Let’s Build It, held virtually earlier this month, we asked prizewinning teachers how they fared teaching remotely this spring and what their big takeaways were. Here’s what they had to say. On managing a class “Eliminate frustrations for students, like uploading big files. Have students drop off assignments and take exams in … Continued
Dear Fellow Skilled Trades Teachers, My name is Peter Wachtel and this is my fourth year as an architecture and product innovation design teacher at Adolfo Camarillo High School in Camarillo, California. In 2017 and 2018, I applied for the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence, and was named a finalist in … Continued