2023 Prize for Teaching Excellence
Honoring Outstanding U.S. Public High School Skilled Trades Teachers
2023 Grand Prize Winners
Kristie Jones
2022 Grand Prize Winner
Carpentry, Construction
Franklin County Career and Technical Center, MS
2023 Prize Winners
2023 Finalists
Kenneth Adkins
Automotive; Welding
Maine East High School– Park Ridge, IL
Alexander Adkisson
Manufacturing; Construction
Green Mountain High School – Lakewood, CO
John Alvarez
Plumbing
Construction Careers Academy – San Antonio, TX
Keith Baker
Automotive
Texas School for the Deaf – Austin, TX
David Barresi
Carpentry
Frankfort High School – Frankfort, MI
Ken Beaudet
Carpentry
Lynn Vocational Technical Institute – Lynn, MA
Alex Bechtler
Manufacturing
Southeast Career Technical Academy – Las Vegas, NV
Dallas Bergstrom
Manufacturing
Arthur Miller Career & Technology Center – Katy, TX
Dennis Blochlinger
Carpentry
Wyandotte High School – Kansas City, KS
Andy Buehler
Automotive
Upper Valley Career Center – Piqua, OH
Ty Casteel
Construction; Carpentry
Etowah High School – Woodstock, CA
Karen Chitambar
Automotive
North Country Career Center – Newport, VT
Travis Crate
Welding
Venango Technology Center – Oil City, PA
Dave Darden
Automotive
Cedar Shoals High School – Athens, GA
Matthew Duerre
Construction; Carpentry
Enumclaw High School – Enumclaw, WA
Jordan Engelhardt
Automotive
Lyons Township High School – LaGrange, IL
Jared Fernandez
Carpentry
East Haven High School – East Haven, CT
John Fitzgerald
Welding
Delcastle Technical High School – Wilmington, DE
Joe Gabardi
Industrial Technology
Nashwauk-Keewatin High School – Nashwauk, MN
Daniel Granato
Industrial Technology
Adirondack High School – Boonville, NY
Ron Grosinger
Industrial Technology
Memorial High School – West New York, NJ
Jay Hales
Automotive
Riverton High School – Riverton, UT
Glenn Harrison
Manufacturing
Dr. Martin Luther King Early College – Denver, CO
Laurie Hilderbrand
Welding
Soquel High School – Soquel, CA
Zac Hirschi
Industrial Technology
Sky View High School – Smithfield, UT
Liz Honeysett
Industrial Technology
Portage Central High School – Portage, MI
Konner Keller
Manufacturing
Upper Valley Career Center – Piqua, OH
Dale Koehler
Industrial Technology
Turtle Lake High School – Turtle Lake, WI
Scott Larson
Construction
North Baldwin Center for Technology – Bay Minette, AL
David McCoy
Welding
Pleasure Ridge Park High School – Louisville, KY
Brian McDonnell
Automotive
GST BOCES Coopers Education Center – Painted Post, NY
Matthew McMullen
Industrial Technology
Clio High School – Clio, MI
Jodie Melancon
Agricultural Mechanics
Avoyelles High School – Moreauville, LA
Don Murrell
Welding
Garden City High School – Garden City, KS
Chris Nielsen
Automotive
Olympus High School – Holladay, UT
Rudolph Petrella
Automotive
West Orange High School – West Orange, NJ
Steven Ratzlaff
Construction
James T. Hutchison High School – Fairbanks, AK
Hugh Roberts
Carpentry
Cabell County Career Technology Center – Huntington, WV
Daniel Scarmack
Carpentry
Hubbard High School – Hubbard, OH
Roger Schuyler
Construction
Huntington Park High School – Huntington Park, CA
Desi Severance
Agricultural Mechanics
Southeast Region Career & Technology Center – Wyndmere, ND
Rylyn Small
Agricultural Mechanics
East Prairie High School – East Prairie, MO
James Simmons
Construction
North Scott High School – Eldridge, IA
Jeremy Tarbet
Automotive
Canyon del Oro High School – Tucson, AZ
Andrew Vrieze
Carpentry
Lewis-Palmer High School – Monument, CO
Jeff Webb
Manufacturing
Southern Michigan Center for Science and Industry – Hudson, MI
Jason Werstler
Construction
Washington High School – Massillon City, OH
Juwan Willis
Automotive
Oakland Schools Technical Campus Northeast – Pontiac, MI
Don Willson
Construction
Battle Ground High School – Battleground, WA
Garrett Zink
Industrial Technology
Cedar Bluffs High School – Cedar Bluffs, NE
2023 Final Round Judges
Derek Wray
2021 Grand Prize Winner
Automotive & Diesel Technology
Salem High School
Automotive, Diesel
Dan Belcher
Director of Workforce Development
National Center for Construction Education and Research; Build Your Future
2023 Round 2 Judges
Jay Abitz
2021 Prize Winner
George Arrants
ASE Education Foundation
Matthew Barbercheck
2018 Prize Winner
Jessica Bowlin
2021 Prize Winner
Travis Brungardt
Catalyst Build
Sarah Burtner
City of Seattle
Gerald Chaleff
LA Police Department (Retired)
Jennifer Cowns
Oklahoma Department of Commerce
Clare de Briere
Skanska USA
Mireya Eavey
Mireya Eavey Company
John Gunderson
2021 Prize Winner
Gregory Jefferson
AFL-CIO
Henrietta Jutson
2019 Prize Winner
Charles Klasman
Subaru
Clara Karger
CCALA
Jeremy Leffelman
Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence
Stephen Lindridge
2021 Prize Winner
Irma Livadic
Entertainment Industry Foundation
Matt Risinger
Catalyst Build
Kim Rosenbaum
2021 Prize Winner
Paola Santana
Lumina Foundation
Andrew Saweikis
2021 Prize Winner
Staci Sievert
2021 Prize Winner
Nicole Taylor
2021 Prize Winner
Brian Welch
2021 Prize Winner
2023 Round 1 Judges
A special thanks to our colleagues at the Association of Career and Technical Education (ACTE) for their stewardship of this Round.