Two Northwest Arkansas teachers named among national prize semifinalists

NWA Democrat-Gazette/J.T. WAMPLER Chris Weeks, the construction professions teacher at Bentonville West High School, shows students a variety of power tools Tuesday Aug. 23, 2016.
NWA Democrat-Gazette/J.T. WAMPLER Chris Weeks, the construction professions teacher at Bentonville West High School, shows students a variety of power tools Tuesday Aug. 23, 2016.

Two Northwest Arkansas high school teachers were named semifinalists for a national prize for excellence in teaching.

Chris Weeks of Bentonville High School and Jared Wyatt of Siloam Springs High School were among 50 teachers and teacher teams in competition for the 2019 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence, according to a news release.

A contractor for 25 years, Weeks rejuvenated Bentonville's construction management program after seeing a lack of job training that would help students enter the industry, according to the release.

All of his students earn an industry certification and almost all earn college credit while also participating in community service projects that involve construction projects.

Since Weeks' arrival three years ago, the school's Ignite Professional Studies program has doubled in size, according to the release.

Wyatt earned a degree in agriculture education and was the first member of his family to earn a college degree.

His industrial equipment maintenance program helps students develop skills through paid internships, factory visits and conversations with industry professionals, according to the release.

Wyatt is in his second year of teaching at Siloam Springs.

The teachers were chosen from 749 skilled trades teachers who applied for the prize by an independent panel of judges, according to the release.

The second round of the competition asks semifinalists from 26 states across the country to respond to video learning modules with related teaching ideas.

Judges will choose 18 finalists before announcing three first-place winners and 15 second-place winners on October 24.

The 18 winners will split $1 million in prizes, according to the release.

The programs of the first-place winners will be awarded $70,000 while $30,000 will go to the teachers themselves.

Second-place winners will receive $35,000 for their programs and $15,000 for themselves.

NW News on 07/18/2019

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