SkillsUSA Instructors Recognized as Winners for the 2025 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence

SkillsUSA Contact:
Clare Briner, cbriner@skillsusa.org

Leesburg, Va., Oct. 8, 2025 — SkillsUSA instructors are among 25 outstanding teachers from 18 states who are winners for the 2025 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence. In total, $1.5 million in cash prizes were awarded to the teachers and their programs.

The Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence was started in 2017 by Eric Smidt, owner and founder of Harbor Freight Tools. “In recent years we have seen growing support for the expansion of skilled trades education in high schools,” Smidt said. “The skilled trades are experiencing significant labor shortages and these outstanding teachers are leading the way in developing a new generation of skilled trades professionals.”

One SkillsUSA instructor won a $100,000 Grand Prize ($70,000 for their school’s skilled trades program and $30,000 for the teacher):

• West Virginia – Hugh Roberts, Carpentry, Cabell County Career Technology Center

Twenty teachers won $50,000 each ($35,000 for their school’s skilled trades program and $15,000 for the teacher), including these SkillsUSA instructors:

• Arizona – Travis Black, Construction, Valley Academy for Career and Technology Education
• California – Kurt Chapman, Carpentry/Construction, Sultana High School
• Kentucky – Wylie Messer, Manufacturing/Welding, Great Crossing High School
• Missouri – Chris Rushing, Manufacturing, Lebanon Technology and Career Center
• New York – Scott Brauer, Manufacturing, Niagara Career and Technical Center
• Ohio– Joseph “Joe” Drury, Automotive, Jackson High School-Massillon
• Oklahoma – Robert “Robby” Adams, Carpentry, Southern Oklahoma Technology Center
• Virginia – Rebecca Fenton, Automotive, Marshall High School
• Washington – Jon Cerio, Construction, Rogers High School – Puyallup
• Wisconsin– Chris Glinski, Industrial Technology, West De Pere High School
• Wyoming – Clayton Christensen, Welding, Sheridan High School

In most cases, the $50,000 winners received $35,000 for their school’s skilled trades program and $15,000 for themselves. In some cases, due to school, district or state policy, the school’s skilled trades programs will receive the entire prize winnings. See the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools winners list.

“Through a rigorous application process, our prizewinners shared their unique depth of experience and skill for teaching the skilled trades,” said Danny Corwin, executive director of Harbor Freight Tools for Schools.

In addition to the cash awards, they will join a network of more than 150 previous winners working to help boost skilled trades education in their local communities and nationally.

This year there were more than 1,000 applications for the prize. The application process included three rounds of judging, each by an independent panel of experts from education, industry, nonprofits, and philanthropy.

About SkillsUSA

SkillsUSA is the #1 workforce development organization for students, empowering them to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders and responsible community members. SkillsUSA represents more than 444,000 career and technical education students and teachers in middle schools, high schools and college/postsecondary institutions nationwide. Those members represent 130 in-demand occupational areas, from 3-D animation to welding. A vital solution to the skills gap, SkillsUSA has served over 15 million members since its founding in 1965. Learn more at skillsusa.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

About Harbor Freight Tools for Schools

Harbor Freight Tools for Schools is a program of The Smidt Foundation, established by Harbor Freight Tools owner and founder Eric Smidt, to advance excellent skilled trades education in U.S. public high schools. With a deep respect for the dignity of these fields and for the intelligence and creativity of people who work with their hands, Harbor Freight Tools for Schools aims to drive a greater understanding of and investment in skilled trades education, believing that access to quality skilled trades education gives high school students pathways to graduation, opportunity, good jobs and a workforce our country needs. Harbor Freight Tools is a major supporter of the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools program. For more information, visit: HFTforschools.org