2025 Prize for Teaching Excellence
Honoring Outstanding U.S. Public High School Skilled Trades Teachers
2025 Grand Prize Winners
2025 Prize Winners
2025 Finalists
Matthew Abel
Industrial Technology
De Pere High School – De Pere, WI
Robert Adams
Carpentry
Southern Oklahoma Technology Center – Ardmore, OK
Jerry Agan
Agricultural Mechanics
Elizabethton High School – Elizabethton, TN
Travis Black
Construction
Valley Academy for Career and Technology Education – Cottonwood, AZ
Scott Brauer
Manufacturing
Niagara Career and Technical Education Center – Sanborn, NY
Jon Cerio
Construction
Gov. John R. Rogers High School – Puyallup, WA
Kurt Chapman
Construction; Carpentry
Sultana High School – Hesperia, CA
Clayton Christensen
Welding
Sheridan High School – Sheridan, WY
Scottie Cook
Agricultural Mechanics
Alexander Central High School – Taylorsville, NC
Michael Driscoll
Industrial Technology
Bay View High School – Milwaukee, WI
Joseph Drury
Automotive
Jackson High School – Massillon, OH
Grant Engel
Industrial Technology
Central Lyon Community School District – Rock Rapids, IA
Samuel Evans
Agricultural Mechanics
Franklin-Simpson High School – Franklin, KY
Rebecca Fenton
Automotive
George C. Marshall High School – Falls Church, VA
Shelby Fishman
Agricultural Mechanics
Atwater High School – Atwater, CA
Cameron Frazier
Agricultural Mechanics
South Putnam High School– Greencastle, IN
Nic Fullington
Automotive
Grafton High School – Grafton, WI
Hilario Garcia
Industrial Technology
Patterson High School – Patterson, CA
Sam Garson
Industrial Technology
Friday Harbor High School – Friday Harbor, WA
Chris Glinski
Industrial Technology
West De Pere High School – De Pere, WI
Justin Goodnight
Agricultural Mechanics
Mena High School – Mena, AR
Craig Harvey
Manufacturing
Walker Career Center – Indianapolis, IN
Julia Hudyncia-Davis
Agricultural Mechanics
Oppenheim-Ephratah-St. Johnsville Sr. High School – St. Johnsville, NY
Cole Hurley
Construction
Andover Central High School – Andover, KS
Eslie Jones
Automotive
Stafford Technical Center – Rutland, VT
Karl Jordan
Marine Systems Technology
Port Townsend High School and West Sound Tech – Port Townsend, WA
Ryan Judy
Automotive
Triplett Business and Technical Institute – Mt. Jackson, VA
Jacob Kessler
Agricultural Mechanics
East Central High School – San Antonio, TX
Kyle Kowalski
Construction
Oak Lawn Community High School – Oak Lawn, IL
Lance Landis
Construction
Cascadia Technical Academy – Vancouver, WA
Joshua Marmolejo
Automotive
Clint High School – Clint, TX
John Marquez
Construction; Manufacturing
Kingsburg High School – Kingsburg, CA
Cody McClain
Agricultural Mechanics
Seneca East Local Schools – Attica, OH
Wylie Messer
Welding; Manufacturing
Great Crossing High School – Georgetown, KY
Benjamin Peters
Industrial Technology
Nekoosa High School – Nekoosa, WI
Dean Reichel
Agricultural Mechanics
New Bloomfield High School – New Bloomfield, MO
Austin Reid
Manufacturing
Career Elevation and Technology Center – Longmont, CO
Hugh Roberts
Carpentry
Cabell County Career Technology Center – Huntington, WV
Chris Rushing
Manufacturing
Lebanon Technology & Career Center – Lebanon, MO
Michael Schmidt
Automotive
Opportunity Central – Forney, TX
Robert Schwarz
Automotive
Middle Bucks Institute of Technology – Jamison, PA
Scott Seacrist
Manufacturing
Lincoln High School – Lincoln, CA
Jessica Shaw
Agricultural Mechanics
Antelope Union High School – Wellton, AZ
Sheila Stalberger
Industrial Technology
Eden Prairie High School – Eden Prairie, MN
Terrell Taylor
Construction
Merrillville High School – Merrillville, IN
Kelsey Thomas
Agricultural Mechanics
Lowndes County Career Technical Center – Hayneville, AL
Miles Tokheim
Automotive
Vel Phillips Memorial High School – Madison, WI
Allen Turton
Manufacturing
Alden High School – Alden, NY
Aaron Younger
Automotive
Metro Technology Center – Oklahoma City, OK
Randy Zimmerman
Automotive
Union County High School – Blairsville, GA
2025 Final Round Judges
Alexander Adkisson
2023 Grand Prize Winner
Lesford Dixon
2018 Prize Winner
Scott Larson
2023 Grand Prize Winner
2025 Round 2 Judges
John Alvarez
2023 Winner
George Arrants
ASE Education
Toni Bower
Explore the Trades
Mary Beth Bruggeman
Mission Continues (Retired)
Leon Burgess
Florence County School District Three
Sarah Burtner
City of Seattle
Andrea Calvo
Trio Electric Education
Gerald Chaleff
LAPD (Retired)
Michelle Cheang
Catalyze
Ziven Drake
North Atlantic States Carpenters Training Fund
Jay Goninen
WrenchWay
Tim Hobbs
AGC Georgia
Jenny Krusoe
AltaSea
Erica Liepmann
Ready to Launch
Irma Livadic
Entertainment Industry Foundation
Brandon Mabile
Associated Builders and Contractors
David McCoy
2023 Winner
Sam Olivieri
Step Up Tutoring
Desi Severance
2023 Winner
Penny Soat
Kreg Tool Company
Jeremy Tarbet
2023 Winner
Casie Wise
National Indian Education Association
Mark Wille
The Build Show
2025 Round 1 Judges
A special thanks to our colleagues at the Association of Career and Technical Education (ACTE) for their stewardship of this Round.