MONTICELLO, Indiana — Kim Rosenbaum, a welding teacher from Monticello, Indiana, has been named a winner of the 2021 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence, winning $15,000 for herself and $35,000 for her program.

Rosenbaum, who teaches at Twin Lakes High School, is one of 15 prize winners. Additionally, three grand prize winners together with their schools will receive $100,000 each.

“Through the welding program, the students have themselves discovered how to be teachers and to respect people of different educational levels, genders, and racial backgrounds,” said Rosenbaum. “They have learned to switch roles with authority figures and have increased their level of patience and confidence. They also experience pride in themselves for mastering a specialized skill and passing it on to others. These students have a unique opportunity to put themselves in others’ shoes, recognizing and respecting that we all have different strengths.”

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.

“High school skilled trades teachers and their programs are an essential part of addressing the skilled trades worker shortage,’’ said Danny Corwin, executive director of Harbor Freight Tools for Schools. “These dedicated educators make a huge difference in the lives of young people every day, setting them on a course for a meaningful career and to make a difference in their community.’’

The Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence was launched in 2017 by Eric Smidt, the founder of national tool retailer Harbor Freight Tools, to recognize outstanding instruction in the skilled trades in U.S. public high schools.

“Among the key things we came to appreciate during the pandemic is the value of hands-on learning and the incredible resilience and commitment of our teachers,’’ Smidt said. “We are grateful that these outstanding winners and thousands of educators like them across the country are developing tomorrow’s skilled workforce.’’

Research by NORC at the University of Chicago has found deep and bipartisan support for increased funding for high school skilled trades education. According to the study commissioned by Harbor Freight Tools for Schools, in 2019 more than 78 percent of Republicans, Independents and Democrats said school districts should make skilled trades funding a priority. Despite that enthusiastic support, high school skilled trades education in U.S. public high schools is woefully inadequate to meet the demands of a skilled workforce. Existing high school programs cannot even meet even half of the employer demand for skilled tradespeople over the next decade.