In July, nearly 60 past winners of the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence met in Los Angeles for Let’s Build It. The annual event is designed to produce creative ideas that can dramatically improve skilled trades education in high schools and communities across the country. Let’s Build It offers prizewinners time for reflection, relationship-building and “hard-fun,” leaving them recharged and motivated for the year ahead.
A few highlights:
PRIZEWINNERS SUPPORT U.S.VETS
On Tuesday, July 9, Let’s Build It participants headed to the West Los Angeles Veterans Administration Campus. The teachers spent the afternoon building picnic tables, shade structures and landscaped the property surrounding the new U.S.VETS temporary service center. U.S.VETS and the Veterans Collective aim to provide housing and supportive services to more than 3,000 veterans and their families.
Some Before and After Shots
Area One – Before
Area One- After
Prizewinner Kathy Worley was so inspired by the project that she gave four guitars built in her shop to veterans. Kathy presented the guitars to U.S.VETS on Tuesday.
ADOLFO CAMARILLO HIGH SCHOOL VISIT
On Wednesday, July 10, Peter Wachtel, a 2019 prizewinner, hosted the group at Adolfo Camarillo High School, where teachers participated in a carpentry competition.
COURAGE, COLLABORATION & COMMUNITY
In addition to the adventures all over Los Angeles, the prizewinners participated in workshops led by Harbor Freight Tools for Schools’ partner Bendable Labs. The sessions were designed to further participants’ personal and professional growth and deepen their individual and collective ability to elevate the skilled trades education sector’s performance, prestige, and standing in society.
LACMA CONSTRUCTION
On Thursday, July 11, prizewinners enjoyed a hard hat tour of the stunning new construction project at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Thank you to all the prizewinners who traveled to Los Angeles to join us and to all of our local partners who made Let’s Build It 2024 so special.
