2023 Prize for Teaching Excellence

Honoring Outstanding U.S. Public High School Skilled Trades Teachers

2023 Grand Prize Winners

Jason Blackwell

Jason Blackwell

2022 Grand Prize Winner

Industrial Technology

Escambia Career Readiness Center, AL

Bill Culver

Bill Culver

2022 Grand Prize Winner

Carpentry, Construction

Evergreen High School, WA

Kristie Jones

Kristie Jones

2022 Grand Prize Winner

Carpentry, Construction

Franklin County Career and Technical Center, MS

Jared Monroe

Jared Monroe

2022 Grand Prize Winner

Automotive

Columbia Area Career Center , MO

Cory Torppa

Cory Torppa

2022 Grand Prize Winner

Construction, Manufacturing

Kalama High School, WA

2023 Prize Winners

Jeff Bearinger

Jeff Bearinger

2022 Prize Winner

Construction

Lumpkin County High School, GA

Matt Blomquist

Matt Blomquist

2022 Prize Winner

Construction

Taylorville High School, IL

Ashton Bohling

Ashton Bohling

2022 Prize Winner

Industrial Technology

Johnson Brock High School, NE

Joshua Bowles

Joshua Bowles

2022 Prize Winner

Carpentry

Alexander Central High School, NC

Taylor Donnelly

Taylor Donnelly

2022 Prize Winner

Agricultural Mechanics

Sheridan High School, AR

Aaron Ervin

Aaron Ervin

2022 Prize Winner

Welding

Pike Lincoln Technical Center, MO

Kevin Finan

Kevin Finan

2022 Prize Winner

Manufacturing

Atlantic Technical College & Technical High School, FL

Blair Jensen

Blair Jensen

2022 Prize Winner

Welding

Jordan Academy for Technology & Careers, UT

David Moye

David Moye

2022 Prize Winner

Automotive

Lyman High School, FL

Mark Simmons

Mark Simmons

2022 Prize Winner

Automotive, Diesel

Springfield High School, OR

Leif Sorgule

Leif Sorgule

2022 Prize Winner

Industrial Technology

Peru Central School, NY

John Stratton

John Stratton

2022 Prize Winner

Automotive

Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES, NY

Andrice Tucker

Andrice Tucker

2022 Prize Winner

Automotive

Central Nine Career Center, IN

Jim VanBladel

Jim VanBladel

2022 Prize Winner

Automotive

John Hersey High School, IL

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

Scott Burke

Scott Burke

2021 Grand Prize Winner

Construction

Green Mountain High School

Construction

Jeffrey Bertke

Jeffrey Bertke

2021 Prize Winner

Electrical Trades

Upper Valley Career Center

Electrical

Derek Wray

Derek Wray

2021 Grand Prize Winner

Automotive & Diesel Technology

Salem High School

Automotive, Diesel

Dan Belcher

Dan Belcher

Director of Workforce Development

National Center for Construction Education and Research; Build Your Future

Monica Pfarr

Monica Pfarr

Executive Director

American Welding Society Foundation

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.