A Kentucky high school skilled trades teacher is among 50 teachers and teacher teams from across the country who were named today as semifinalists for the 2019 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence.
Adam Wallingford, who teaches welding at Mason County Career Magnet School in Maysville, and his skilled trades program are in the running for a share of $1 million in total cash awards.
Wallingford was chosen by an independent panel of judges from among a field of 749 skilled trades teachers who applied for the prize. The semifinalists — some competing as individuals and some as teacher teams — hail from 26 states and specialize in trades including manufacturing, welding, construction, automotive and agriculture mechanics.
“We never cease to be amazed by the talent, creativity and resourcefulness of skilled trades educators,” said Danny Corwin, executive director of Harbor Freight Tools for Schools. “This year’s semifinalists teach more than a dozen trades and have spent a collective 800 years in the classroom — teaching our students critical skills that our country needs — and we couldn’t be more excited to honor their work.”
Wallingford started his teaching career in 2009 when he began training welding apprentices. He joined the faculty at Mason County Career Magnet four years later. His classroom employs project-based learning, encouraging students to develop deep content knowledge while also addressing real-world challenges. For example, students in Wallingford’s class researched and created a workplace safety plan for a local distribution center that is still used to train the center’s adult employees. Wallingford also encourages students to pursue community service, such as creating basketball goals for a neighborhood park and sculptures for the Maysville Military Memorial Park, in honor of veterans and fallen soldiers.
Realizing that not all students have the family and friends network needed to find jobs, Wallingford helps students develop strong relationships with local industry through site visits, job shadowing, work-based learning and mentorships. All his students graduate with a 3G welding certification for road and bridge construction.
The 2019 semifinalists now advance to a second round of competition, where they will be asked to respond to online expert-led video learning modules designed to solicit their insights and creative ideas about teaching practices. The contenders will be asked how ideas from the modules might be used to inspire students to achieve excellence in the skilled trades. Two rounds of judging, each by separate independent panels of reviewers, will narrow the field to 18 finalists and, finally, name the three first-place and 15 second-place winners. Winners will be announced on Oct. 24.
The 18 winners will split $1 million in prizes. First-place winners will each receive $100,000, with $70,000 going to their public high school skilled trades program and $30,000 to the individual skilled trades teacher or teacher team behind the winning program. Second-place winners will each be awarded $50,000, with $35,000 going to their public high school program and $15,000 to the teacher or team. Past winners have dedicated their winnings to modernizing their shops, investing in specialized tools, promoting their programs to families and purchasing equipment to prepare students for higher-level accreditations. Semifinalists whose school, district or state policy prohibits receipt of the individual portion of prize earnings were eligible to apply on behalf of their school’s skilled trades program. If they win, the entire prize will be awarded to the school.
The Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence was started in 2017 by Eric Smidt, the founder of national tool retailer Harbor Freight Tools. The prize recognizes outstanding instruction in the skilled trades in U.S. public high schools and the teachers who inspire students to learn a trade that prepares them for life after graduation. Now, in the third year of the prize, more than 150 teachers have been recognized as winners or semifinalists. Winners are invited to attend an annual convening to share best practices for advancing excellence in skilled trades education.
“Skilled trades teachers help hundreds of thousands of students each year experience the satisfaction and sense of accomplishment that comes from learning a trade,” Smidt said. “These teachers, their students and skilled tradespeople everywhere, too often don’t receive the respect and gratitude they deserve. Without them, construction would halt, homes, cars and appliances would fall into disrepair, and our infrastructure would crumble. We are thrilled to be able to honor and elevate the importance of their work.”
