Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Accepting Nominations for 10th Prize for Teaching Excellence

Applications are now being accepted for the 2026 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools (HFTS) Prize for Teaching Excellence.

In this the 10th year of prize, the HFTS is increasing the total amount awarded to $2 million. Five $100,000 Grand Prizes will be awarded with $70,000 going to the school and $30,000 to the instructor. An additional $75,000 prizes will be awarded with $50,000 going to the school and $25,000 to the instructor.

The prize honors outstanding U.S. public high school skilled trades teachers and their programs.

Last year, Jon Cerio, ACE Academy Instructor at Gov. John R. Rogers High School in Puyallup, Washington, was the third WCA EDUcation member to win the prize. Staci Sievert of Seymour High School, Seymour, Wisconsin, and John Stearns of Amity High School, Amity, Oregon, won the award in 2021 and 2024 respectively.

The application deadline is Friday, May 1. To learn more or begin an application, visit hftforschoolsprize.org.

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.