Two high school welding teachers win Harbor Freight prize

Aaron Ervin and Blair Jensen receive their prizes.

Two high school welding teachers and their programs have been named winners of the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence: Aaron Ervin of Pike Lincoln Technical Center in Eolia, Mo., and Blair Jensen of Jordan Academy for Technology & Careers-South Campus in Riverton, Utah.

Across the country, 20 high school skilled trades teachers in 15 states received the prize this year. In all, $1.25 million in cash prizes were awarded to the teachers and their programs. Ervin and Jensen both won $50,000, with $15,000 for themselves and $35,000 for their programs.

The prize was created to recognize excellence among high school skilled trades teachers. Since 2017, the program has awarded more than $6 million to more than 100 U.S. public high school teachers and their schools, supporting tens of thousands of students along the way. The mission of Harbor Freight Tools for Schools is to increase understanding, support, and investment in skilled trades education in U.S. public high schools.

“We cannot overstate the impact that high school skilled trades teachers are having in the classroom. Hands-on skilled trades classes are making a comeback, and we couldn’t be prouder to celebrate the accomplishments of these remarkable teachers and their programs,’’ said Danny Corwin, executive director of Harbor Freight Tools for Schools.