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Local industrial arts teacher nets national award

Harbor Freight Tools District Manager Darlene Walsh, left, poses with a ceremonial check presented to Republic- Michigamme Schools Superintendent Kevin Luokkala and industrial arts teacher Matthew Barbercheck in at the school on Friday. Barbercheck and the school received a total of $50,000 as one of 15 second-place winners in the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence. The school’s portion will be used to bring existing tools to peak operation and expand skilled trade offerings at the school. (Photo courtesy of Republic-Michigamme Schools)

REPUBLIC — Having an excellent teacher has paid off for Republic-Michigamme Schools woodworking students again.

Matthew Barbercheck had more than sawdust and power tools waiting for him in his wood-shop classroom on Thursday. The teacher, and the school netted $50,000 as one of 15 second-place winners in the 2018 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence.

Barbercheck, who is in his fourth year at Republic-Michigamme, said school’s $35,000 portion of the award will be used to bring existing tools to peak operation and expand skilled trade offerings at the school to include small engine instruction, residential wiring and sheet metal.

He said an additional benefit of the contest is that it shines a much-needed light on building and other industrial-related trades, and their inclusion in a public school setting.

“I think it’s very important for trades awareness to be available in a public school setting for many reasons,” Barbercheck said. “For one, it is an excellent stage for testing problem-solving skills in an authentic manner. Secondly, it’s important that students understand the ‘making’ that goes on behind a lot of the products they will interact with as nothing else than a consumer even. Thirdly, students should be shown what careers are actually out there and be presented with a simulated experience of career paths to better make decisions on their path in life. Teaching skilled trades in a public setting helps to do all of those things.”

Barbercheck sums it up best in a written response to the question, “What do you love most about being a skilled trades teacher in general, and about what you teach in particular?”

“I teach because after and before juggling a few dozen bowling pins, things stop, they become calm as students are just doing. No discipline, no off-task behavior, just doing, and learning,” Barbercheck said. “And I could almost become invisible. I teach because, the eye of that storm, is a beautiful place to be. I do what I do because there is a need for better minds, and I have just enough hope for myself that I can help deliver on that need.”

Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Executive Director Danny Corwin said the “creativity and hands-on projects” that Barbercheck and the other winners bring to the classroom is inspirational.

“This is education at its best, and we are humbled to honor these teachers and shine a light on excellence in skilled trades education,” Corwin said.

Tools for Schools is a program established by Harbor Freight founder Eric Smidt “to support the advancement of skilled trades education in America,” the press release states. “With a deep respect for the dignity of these fields and for the intelligence and creativity of people who work with their hands, this program was created to foster and shine a light on excellence in skilled trades education in public high schools.”

Lisa Bowers can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 242.

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