Harbor Freight "Tools for School" Prize

Once again the people at Harbor Freight have put their money (and quite a bit of it too!) where their business is: recognizing and rewarding the teachers who work tirelessly to keep the ranks of our skilled trades strong and well-trained.  

The skilled trades are the very backbone of this country and the sort of training and encouragement that they are given is more critical than ever.

My guess is that many of our community-minded LACar readers across the country either know or have heard about a local teacher who should be so recognized … If you do please take this opportunity to tell Harbor Freight about that hero. - DS

Letter below from Eric Smidt, Owner and Founder of Harbor Freight Tools.

This past year, the rest of America has been reminded of something Harbor Freight customers and associates have known all along: skilled trades workers are the backbone of our country. They are essential. We rely on them every day to keep our homes, cars, workplaces and infrastructure running smoothly.

Before someone can start a career in the skilled trades, they need a great teacher. All too often skilled trades teachers are unsung heroes who don’t get the recognition or funding they deserve. And of course this year, like all teachers, they’ve faced new challenges, pivoting quickly to virtual learning and working against all odds to keep students engaged. These teachers deserve our respect and gratitude.

For the last several years, you’ve likely noticed in our stores a poster of a smiling teacher holding a big check for $100,000 after winning the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence. Every year, Harbor Freight Tools for Schools awards over $1 million in cash prizes to be shared among 18 outstanding U.S. public high school skilled trades teachers and their programs.

This year, the teacher you’ll see on our poster is Brian Manley, an automotive technology teacher from Colorado, who is smiling (behind his mask) because he had just won the 2020 Prize for Teaching Excellence.

Is there an excellent high school skilled trades teacher in your community? Skilled trades teachers get so little recognition but make such a big difference. Please take a moment to thank them and then encourage them to apply for the 2021 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence at hftforschoolsprize.org. Tell them they deserve to be recognized for their incredible work and, even during this difficult time, they deserve to be celebrated.

Featured photo couresty of JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash.