2026 Prize for Teaching Excellence
Honoring Outstanding U.S. Public High School Skilled Trades Teachers
2025 Grand Prize Winners
2026 Prize Winners
2026 Finalists
Ken Acton
Construction, Plumbing
J. Everett Light Career Center – Indianapolis, IN
James Allen
Construction
Huntley High School – Huntley, IL
Pam Allen
Welding
Mount Horeb High School – Mount Horeb, WI
Harris Allen
Agricultural Mechanics
Joplin High School – Joplin, MO
Allan Ballweg
Industrial Technology
Sauk Prairie High School – Prairie du Sac, WI
Randy Barnard
Automotive
Tri Valley ROP/Livermore High School – Livermore, CA
Durwin Bass
Automotive
Hannah-Pamplico High School – Pamplico, SC
Weston Berndt
Welding
Green Bay Preble High School – Green Bay, WI
Lyle Boner
Construction
Wells High School – Wells, NV
Erik Chavarria
Construction, Electrical
Career Technical Education Center of Hobbs – Hobbs, NM
Karen Chitambar
Automotive
North Country Career Center – Newport, VT
Tyler Chrystal
Automotive
Lower Pioneer Valley Career Technical Education Center – West Springfield, MA
Chad Donahue
Welding
Central Campus, Des Moines Public Schools – Des Moines, IA
Jim Dosky
Construction
Cherry Creek Innovation Campus – Centennial, CO
Terry Drum
Automotive
Hickory High School – Hickory, NC
Jerry Edens
Welding
Thunderbolt Career and Technology Center – Walterboro, SC
Grant Engel
Construction
Central Lyon Community School District – Rock Rapids, IA
Cameron Frazier
Agricultural Mechanics
South Putnam Middle/High School – Greencastle, IN
Peter Giampa
HVAC/R
Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School – Bourne, MA
Bryan Haecker
Carpentry
Earl Warren High School – San Antonio, TX
Nathan Hataj
Industrial Technology
Edgerton High School – Edgerton, WI
Adam Hewson
Carpentry, Electrical
Larned High School – Larned, KS
Nathan Hooper
Automotive
Parkside High School —Salisbury, MD
Matt Johnson
Manufacturing
Snohomish High School —Snohomish, WA
Gregory Kraus Jr.
Automotive
Amistad Continuation High School — Indio, CA
Lance Landis
Construction
Cascadia Technical Academy — Vancouver, WA
Mario Lizarraga
Automotive
Regional Occupational Center — Bakersfield, CA
Frank Loeblein
Welding
Warren Tech — Lakewood, CO
Travis Lucero
Welding, Automotive
Bingham High School — South Jordan, UT
Jamie Mack
Automotive
Lee County Career & Technology Center — Bishopville, SC
Eric Matson
Construction
Southeast Area Technical Skills Center — Walla Walla, WA
Matthew McMullen
Industrial Technology
Clio High School — Clio, MI
Nathan Moyer
Industrial Technology, Agricultural Mechanics
Greenwood High School — Millerstown, PA
Ty Neal
Agricultural Mechanics
Denton Public Schools — Denton, MT
John Park
Agricultural Mechanics
Fairfield High Schools — Fairfield, MT
Rob Parker
Automotive
Bradley Central High School — Cleveland, TN
Alan Parker
Agricultural Mechanics
Hagerman High School — Hagerman, NM
Bob Parmley
Automotive
Sheridan High School — Englewood, CO
EJ Pilarski
Automotive, Welding
Jefferson High School — Jefferson, WI
Tyler Power
Agricultural Mechanics
Council Jr-Sr High School — Council, ID
Clinton Reeser
Construction
Happy Valley High School — Elizabethton, TN
Jeff Rittenhouse
Construction
Chelsea High School — Chelsea, MI
Daniel Sartin
Agricultural Mechanics
East Burke High School — Connelly Springs, NC
Brian Schneider
Agricultural Mechanics
Napoleon Public School — Napoleon, ND
Andrew Smith
Electrical
Cheraw High School — Cheraw, SC
Tyson Smith
Welding
Payette High School — Payette, ID
Cody Sokolosky
Automotive
Northeast Technical High School — Watertown, SD
Tylor Sorgert
Automotive
North Branch Area High School — North Branch, MN
Marty Supple
Automotive
Artesia High School — Lakewood, CA
Roy Ward
Industrial Technology
Webster High School — Webster, WI
2026 Final Round Judges
Matt Albert
Director
Teshinsky Family Foundation
Michelle Cheang
Director
Catalyze
Bryan Cook
Executive Director
Construction Workforce Foundation of Colorado
Mike Degitis
2024 Grand Prize Winner
Cherry Creek Innovation Campus
Jennifer Dewees
President
Maryland Center for Construction Education & Innovation
Juanita Douglas
Executive Director
Tradeswomen Inc.
Jordan Engelhardt
2024 Grand Prize Winner
Lyons Township High School
Anna Fontus
Program Officer
ECMC Foundation
Eddie Hightower
SVP, Sustainability
Caliber Collision
Jo Mackiewicz
Professor of Rhetoric and Professional Communication
Iowa State University
Branka Minic
CEO
Building Talent Foundation
Donna Newell
2024 Grand Prize Winner
Erie High School
Parina Parikh
Associate Vice President
Jobs for the Future
Monica Pfarr
Executive Director
AWS Foundation
Dwight Threepersons
Principal Consultant, Apprenticeships & Workforce Development
Career-Technical Education and Apprenticeship Partners LLC
Robert Torres
President
ACTE
Jeff Winn
2024 Grand Prize Winner
South Kitsap High School
2026 Round 2 Judges
Shelley Adams
Baldy View ROP
George Arrants
ASE Education
Matthew Barbercheck
2018 Prize Winner
Alaina Berg
Arete Rising
Drew Bias
2024 Prize Winner
Rose Bomentre
REAL Journey Academies
Leon Burgess
Florence County School District Three
Sarah Burtner
City of Seattle
Andrea Calvo
TRIO Electric
Gerald Chaleff
LAPD (Retired)
Kate Cinnamo
Explore the Trades
Carl Coffey
SkillsUSA
Sean Dalton
Sonoma Clean Power
Mark Drury
Mark Drury and Associates
Quint Dunlap
2024 Prize Winner
Phil Engebretsen
Enumclaw School District
Jay Goninen
WrenchWay
Laurie Hilderbrand
2024 Prize Winner
Stacey Holsinger
Rob Hunter
2024 Prize Winner
Konner Keller
2023 Winner
John Kim
2024 Prize Winner
Erica Liepmann
Ready to Launch
Irma Livadic
Entertainment Industry Foundation
Brian McDonnell
2023 Prize Winner
Jodie Melancon
2023 Prize Winner
Bobby Pease
2024 Prize Winner
Andrew Rice
2024 Prize Winner
Bryan Silver
2024 Prize Winner
Penny Soat
Kreg Tools
Katie Southard
SashCo
Brian Sneed
2024 Prize Winner
John Stearns
2024 Prize Winner
Andy Vrieze
2023 Winner
Beth White
Habitat for Aviation
Jennifer Wilkerson
NCCER
2026 Round 1 Judges
A special thanks to our colleagues at the Association of Career and Technical Education (ACTE) for their stewardship of Round 1 judging.