Adam Hewson, a high school carpentry and electrical teacher from Larned, has been named a winner of the 2026 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence, winning $25,000 for himself and $50,000 for his school’s program.
Hewson, who teaches at Larned High School, is one of 25 public high school skilled trades teachers across the United States who were surprised with the news that they had won. A total of $2 million in cash prizes were awarded today.
"Building a successful skilled trades program requires persistence, creativity, and strong relationships,” Hewson wrote in his prize application. “Access to the right tools can transform learning, and students will rise to high expectations when given the opportunity."
Notes of Excellence
- Business & Industry Alignment: The City of Larned partners directly with the program to coordinate civic builds, enabling students to construct local bus shelters, rebuild playground equipment, and install garden facilities like an equipment garage, restrooms, a bridge, and a greenhouse.
- Key Program Impact: Focuses heavily on workforce credentials aligned with Kansas Department of Labor high-wage, high-demand careers, advancing student certifications in NCCER Core, Carpentry Level 1, Electrical Level 1, OSHA 10, CPR/First Aid, and CDL licensing.
- Community Connection: Designed and built a multi-trade greenhouse for the community garden, combining carpentry, cabinetry, and electrical systems into a functional asset for local residents.
The winners teach a variety of skilled trades, including construction, carpentry, electrical, welding, automotive, agricultural mechanics, advanced manufacturing, and industrial technology.
The total amount awarded this year increased from $1.5 million to $2 million to mark the 10th anniversary of the prize. More than 550 teachers applied from 49 states.
The prize was created to recognize excellent high school skilled trades teachers, a group of educators who are frequently overlooked and underappreciated. As of today, over $12 million has been awarded to 208 teachers and their programs through the prize. 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.
This year there are winners from 18 states, including: California, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin, Washington, and Vermont.
A full list of winners is here.
The Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence was started in 2017 by Eric Smidt, owner and founder of Harbor Freight Tools.
“When we started the prize a decade ago, our goal was to recognize and celebrate the best skilled trades teachers and programs across America,” Smidt said. “Today, we have a nation-wide shortage of skilled trades workers and the need for high school classes to prepare students for that work has never been higher. That’s why we’re excited to increase the prize to bring attention to these inspiring teachers and invest even more in their important work.”
As artificial intelligence raises new questions about the future of work, Harbor Freight Tools for Schools earlier this year released findings from a new national poll it commissioned showing overwhelming support for expanding skilled trades classes in U.S. public high schools. The poll was conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago.
The application process included three rounds of judging, each by an independent panel of experts from education, industry, nonprofits, and philanthropy.
The 25 winners and their programs will receive a total of $2 million in cash prizes as follows:
Five Grand Prize Winners
Amount: $100,000 each
($70,000 for their school’s skilled trades program and $30,000 for the teacher)
Twenty Prize Winners
Amount: $75,000 each
($50,000 for their school’s skilled trades program and $25,000 for the teacher)
In some cases, due to school, district or state policy, the schools’ skilled trades programs will receive the entire prize winnings.
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