Inspired by his fellow prizewinning skilled trades teachers at Harbor Freight Tools for Schools’ Let’s Build It convening last summer, Blair Jensen came up with an idea to combat bullying at the elementary schools in his local community of Riverton, Utah. Blair received a small community impact grant to bring the idea to life and … Continued
As a digital marketing professional at one of the top commercial mechanical firms in the DC region, Stacey Holsinger began questioning why certain construction roles were so hard to fill. To gain real insight, she assigned two interns to shadow an HVAC technician and document a day in his life. The resulting video resonated widely—garnering … Continued
Photo © Ben Lonergan – USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Back in 2020, the Holiday Farm Fire caused widespread devastation and loss in and around Springfield, OR. When presented with the opportunity to apply for a $7,500 community-impact grant from Harbor Freight Tools for Schools, teacher Mark Simmons and students in his automotive … Continued
Teachers at Garrett High School in Garrett, Indiana have put a new spin on the traditional job fair. Instead of inviting businesses to set up tables and present their companies as a place to work, the school stationed students at the tables and gave them the responsibility of presenting their skills and enthusiasm to potential … Continued
In his tenure as a teacher, 2023 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence winner Dave Barresi has successfully set up 17 skilled trades programs. We asked him to draw from over thirty years of experience to share the three most important steps in establishing a program that focuses on student success: Facility … Continued
Jeremy Tarbet, a winner of the 2023 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence, has discovered over time that fostering students’ creativity can boost their knowledge in the shop. When it comes to students not feeling engaged in problem-solving projects, Tarbet knows it takes engaging solutions. Below is Tarbet’s description of one of … Continued
A new school year is underway! After keeping in touch over the summer, past winners of the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence were eager to share their best tips for easing back into the academic calendar: “Pace yourself. We start the year with lots of energy and new ideas. If you … Continued
Summer is here, giving teachers across the nation the opportunity to reflect on the past academic year and look forward to the next. When asked how they spend their summer refreshing, past winners of the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence were happy to share: Summer Project: “I try to identify a … Continued
by Education Advisor, Bob Kilmer The way things look and how one feels when they enter your environment can have a positive effect on the productivity and mental wellbeing of those entering the space. Here are five simple things you can do to improve the aesthetics in your learning lab/worksite to make it a … Continued
Working Nation’s mission is to create and distribute powerful stories about the nation’s current and future state of work that educates, inspires, and connects people, thereby driving decision makers to scale solutions that can produce and sustain a thriving workforce. Harbor Freight Tools for Schools was honored to be featured in an article on their … Continued