2024 Prize for Teaching Excellence

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

Winners
Finalists
Judges

2023 Grand Prize Winners

Construction, Manufacturing

Green Mountain High School, CO

Automotive

Upper Valley Career Center, OH

Carpentry, Construction

North Baldwin Center for Technology, AL

Agricultural Mechanics

East Prairie High School, MO

Automotive

Oakland Schools Technical Campus Northeast, MI

2023 Prize Winners

Plumbing

Construction Careers Academy, TX

Automotive

Texas School for the Deaf, TX

Carpentry

Frankfort High School, MI

Manufacturing

Miller Career & Technology Center, TX

Welding

Venango Technology Center, PA

Industrial Technology

Nashwauk-Keewatin High School, MN

Automotive

Riverton High School, UT

Manufacturing

Dr. Martin Luther King Early College, CO

Manufacturing

Upper Valley Career Center, OH

Welding

Pleasure Ridge Park High School, KY

Automotive

GST BOCES Coopers Education Center, NY

Agricultural Mechanics

Avoyelles High School, LA

Welding

Garden City High School, KS

Construction

James T. Hutchison High School, AK

Agricultural Mechanics

Southeast Region Career & Technology Center, ND

Construction

North Scott High School, IA

Automotive

Canyon del Oro High School, AZ

Carpentry

Lewis-Palmer High School, CO

Manufacturing

Southern Michigan Center for Science and Industry, MI

Construction

Washington High School, OH

2024 Finalists

Joe Abercrombie

Welding
Edward Bell Career Technical Center – Camp Hill, AL

Jerry Agan

Agricultural Mechanics
Elizabethton High School – Elizabethton, TN

Craig Bal

Agricultural Mechanics
Tanque Verde High School – Tucson, AZ

Allan Ballweg

Industrial Technology
Industrial Technology – Prairie du Sac, WI

Randy Barker

Construction; Carpentry
Evanston High School – Evanston, WY

Alex Bechtler

Manufacturing
Southeast Career Technical Academy – Las Vegas, NV

Andrew Bias

Manufacturing
Folsom High School – Folsom, CA

Katie Bush

Agricultural Mechanics
South Central Calhoun High School – Lake City, IA

Anthony Christian

Manufacturing
Arrowhead Union High School – Hartland, WI

Jonathon Clingerman

Carpentry
Randolph Technical Center – Elkins, WV

Christian Coltharp-Parr

Construction
Southern School of Energy and Sustainability – Durham County, NC

David Darden

Automotive
Cedar Shoals High School – Athens, GA

Mike Degitis

Construction
Cherry Creek Innovation Campus – Centennial, CO

Lisa DiClerico

Construction
Stephen T. Mather Building Arts & Craftsmanship HS – New York, NY

Brian Diehl

Diesel Technology
Dauphin County Technical School – Harrisburg, PA

Quint Dunlap

Automotive
Pinecrest High School – Southern Pines, NC

Jordan Engelhardt

Automotive
Lyons Township High School – LaGrange, IL

Jared Fernandez

Carpentry
East Haven High School – East Haven, CT

Michael Fleming

Automotive
Monte Vista High School – Spring Valley, CA

Cameron Frazier

Agricultural Mechanics
Agricultural Mechanics – Greencastle, IN

Laurie Hilderbrand

Welding
Soquel High School – Soquel, CA

Rob Hunter

Automotive
Flathead High School – Kalispell, MT

Cole Hurley

Construction
Andover Central High School – Andover, KS

Dan Kernion

Manufacturing
Redmond High School – Redmond, OR

John Kim

Manufacturing
Ypsilanti Community High School – Ypsilanti, MI

Robert Lambert

Construction
DJB Technical Academy – Lehigh Acres, FL

Michael Landis

Construction; Carpentry
The Mill National Training Center – Colorado Springs, CO

David Linnenbrink

Industrial Technology
Industrial Technology – Eldridge, IA

Jared Massic

Welding
Maple Mountain High School – Spanish Fork, UT

Trevor Motley

Industrial Technology
Stevensville High School – Stevensville, MT

Donna Newell

Welding
Erie High School – Erie, PA

Chris Nielsen

Automotive
Olympus High School – Holladay, UT

John Park

Agricultural Mechanics
Fairfield High School – Fairfield, MT

Alan Parker

Agricultural Mechanics
Hagerman High School – Hagerman, NM

Robert Pease

Welding
Fleming County High School – Flemingsburg, KY

Christopher Pilling

Construction
Burrillville High School – Burrillville, RI

Andrew Rice

Automotive
J. Everett Light Career Center – Indianapolis, IN

Michael Schaffer

Construction; Carpentry
Hoffman Estates High School – Hoffman Estates, IL

Bryan Silver

Manufacturing
Kalani High School – Honolulu, HI

Chris Small

Automotive
Warren Tech – Lakewood, CO

Brian Sneed

Automotive
Cordova High School – Cordova, TN

John Stearns

Construction
Amity High School – Amity, OR

Austin Thorson

Automotive
Elkhorn Area High School – Elkhorn, WI

Scott Towery

Agricultural Mechanics
Silverton High School – Silverton, OR

John Townsend

Industrial Technology
Union High School – Union, OR

Nick Traini

Industrial Technology
Philomath High School – Philomath, OR

Oakley Van Oss

Construction; Welding
Summit County High School – Breckenridge, CO

Jeff Winn

Construction; Carpentry
South Kitsap High School – Port Orchard, WA

Carol Wright

Agricultural Mechanics
Hugh C. Williams High School – Canton, NY

Aaron Younger

Automotive
Metro Technology Center – Oklahoma City, OK

2024 Final Round Judges

VP-Programs and Strategies

ECMC Foundation

2022 Grand Prize Winner

Founder

Power Up Inc.

2022 Grand Prize Winner

Executive Director

All Within My Hands Foundation

President

Alliance for Community Empowerment

Founder

The Lime Foundation

2022 Grand Prize Winner

Technical Training Education Manager

Subaru of America

CEO

Building Talent Foundation

2022 Grand Prize Winner

President-Elect

ACTE

Executive Director

AWS Foundation

Executive Director

Glendale College Foundation

2022 Grand Prize Winner

Co-Founder

Big Picture Learning

2021 Winner

Martha Welborne

HR&A Advisors, Inc.

2024 Round 1 Judges

A special thanks to our colleagues at the Association of Career and Technical Education (ACTE) for their stewardship of this Round.