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TAYLORVILLE — Taylorville High School building trades teacher Matt Blomquist knew something exciting was about to happen when he saw the school’s media class show up to his class job site.
They were followed by the principal, his wife, brother, parents and other media outlets.
“I knew what was going on,” he said. “Today is the morning.”
On Tuesday, Blomquist was surprised with the announcement he was one of 20 winners of the 2022 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence. The prizes, which included $50,000 and a tool chest, were presented to Blomquist in front of his students and others in his life.
Taylorville High School construction teacher Matt Blomquist is all smiles as he talks about receiving the prize from Harbor Freight Tools. Blomquist’s house building program gives hands-on experience to the students in the Building Trades curriculum.
Blomquist has applied for the award in the past. He knew to be watching for the Harbor Freight’s announcement in October.
“This is my third year applying, second year being a finalist, and finally winning,” he said. “It is not an easy one to win.”
Taylorville High School construction teacher Matt Blomquist, right, teaches students Judd Bates, Aiden Seiler and Luke Ellinger how to use a pocket-hole machine. Blomquist was recognized Tuesday as a 2022 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence. The $50,000 prize recognizes skilled trade educators nationwide and benefits their schools’ programs.
Blomquist’s students, however, were unaware of the award and their teacher’s hopes of winning.
Taylorville High School construction teacher Matt Blomquist receives the 2022 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence in Taylorville on Tuesday. Blomquist’s house building program gives hands-on experience to the students in the Building Trades curriculum.
Owen Morgan and Seth Hughes are upperclassmen working at the current site. “We had no clue any of this was going to go on today,” Owen said.
The media students have visited the construction sites in the past for their own school projects. “Then I saw a big, old check,” Seth said.
Taylorville High School construction teacher Matt Blomquist, left, observes senior Luke Ellinger at the Building Trades construction site in Taylorville.
Michelle Rosa, district manager for Harbor Freight Tools, presented Blomquist with his Harbor Freight Tools for Schools’ prizes. According to Rosa, the application convinced the company that Blomquist deserved the award. “It’s no small achievement,” she said.
More than 750 applications from across the country were submitted. “He was chosen as one of 20 winners,” Rosa said.
Taylorville High School construction teacher Matt Blomquist shows students how to use a pocket-hole machine after receiving the 2022 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence in Taylorville on Tuesday. The $50,000 prize recognizes skilled trade educators nationwide and benefits their schools’ programs.
Judges included industry experts in education, civic leadership and philanthropy. Other winning teachers came from trades careers such as automotive, construction, carpentry, industrial technology, welding, agricultural mechanics and machining.
The majority of the prize money, $35,000, will fund the building trades program. Blomquist is free to use the remainder of the funds for himself. “This will do a lot for us,” he said.
Taylorville High School junior Owen Morgan and senior Luke Ellinger use a pocket-hole machine at the Building Trades class’s construction build site in Taylorville on Tuesday.
Although he had just found out he had won the award, Blomquist had a list of uses for the funds which includes marketing items, student rewards, class trips and special projects. The trades program will hopefully be able to use the funds during the next few years.
“Some of it is fun things,” he said. “But specialty tools, equipment. We are very fortunate that we do get donations from other companies.”
Blomquist began teaching at Taylorville High School six years ago after he taught the construction occupations certificate class at the local prison for Lake Land College.
Taylorville High School students in the Building Trades curriculum work on a construction build site in Taylorville on Tuesday.
The high school’s current class project, refurbishing of a house on Vandeveer Street in Taylorville, was started more than a year ago and expected to be finished and ready to be sold by next semester. “This is our 28th house in the program since 1969,” Blomquist said.
Taylorville students are taught the basics of construction, including tools, materials, and rules, before they are placed on a site to get hands-on training. Convincing the students to sign up for the class is easy, Blomquist said.
“It’s not a hard sell,” he said. “We have plenty of kids who want to try and do it.”
Taylorville High School construction teacher Matt Blomquist leads students at a build site after receiving the 2022 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence in Taylorville on Tuesday. The $50,000 prize recognizes skilled trade educators nationwide and benefits their schools’ programs.
Blomquist has been approached by companies throughout the country who’ve found out about his trades students and their experiences, which includes electrical, welding and contracting.
“You can show up and be an asset on the job site,” Blomquist said. “It shows that what they are doing is appreciated, too.”
1958: 'Little Debbie,' the 5-foot rocket put together by three Niantic-Harristown High School juniors, has just been launched from its platform, obscured by white smoke, at the Orthey Koonce farm launching site. The boys, their helpers and onlookers are observing the takeoff from behind bulletproof glass plates resting against a ladder. At the extreme left foreground is physics teacher H. Lee Angus, and at the far right, recording the event on film, is Wilford Hudson, the shop teacher, both of whom helped the boys.
1980: Paul Marchant of Charleston sorts through some of his collection of baseball cards which numbers in the millions. He left his job as a high school teacher to become a full-time baseball card collector and dealer.
1946: The 68 members of the Garfield Glee club, from the intermediate department at the Garfield school presented a cantata, "T'was the Night Before Christmas" as the feature of the school's Christmas program. the glee club directors are Miss Virginia Schoby, 5B teacher; Miss Vera Miller, 4B teacher and the pianist is Maythel Fairweather, 4B teacher.
1947: Donor of an original Lincoln picture to the Decatur Public library's Lincoln collection is Miss Grace R. Barnwell of Lincoln, former Decatur resident and retired school teacher. In her left hand is a photo that was believed to have been taken in Decatur. In her right hand is the newly authenticated Lincoln photo. She gave the recently discovered photograph to the Decatur Public Library because, she said, "it belongs to Decatur."
1994: Students at Northwest Christian Church squealed with delight as the winner and loser of the Kiss-A-Pig contest were announced. Students voted by contributing money to their favorite candidate. The $365 raised went toward uniforms for the school basketball team. Drawing the most votes, to the tune of $122.77, was teacher Scott Brown; the least was Cindy Morse with $1.25. However, the first to plant a kiss on the snout of a Hampshire piglet held by Greg Durbin was WSOY Radio personality Dean Yianas. He bet on the Bears in their game against the Vikings and had to kiss up.
1952: A celebration in honor of Principal W. Earl Phelps and Clara Grell, dean of girls of Johns Hill Junior High School, was held in the Staley clubhouse by the Parent Teacher Association. They both received luggage and Grell also received a silver sugar and creamer set. Left to right are, Mrs. Jack Franklin, new PTA president; Phelps; Grell; Mrs. Phillip Hohrein, retiring PTA president; and Lyle Musick, new Johns Hill principal.
1982: Computers share teaching duties with human teachers these days in Decatur schools. Lori Roby, left, daughter of Martha Roby and Angie Miller, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Miller, work on a computer in Shirley Williams' class at Enterprise School.
1982: Durfee School teacher Kathy Luecke, center, speeds through a hand-clapping routine during music time conducted by Thomas Moore, an opera singer, musician, composer and conductor turned educator. Moore worked on song and dance with Durfee students.
1993: Dennis School teacher Robert Winters introduces Ashley Sykes, 5, to her kindergarten classroom as her parents, John and Marsha Sykes look on. A pilot program in three Decatur elementary schools called Off to a Good Start is making the transition into kindergarten easier for students, parents and teachers.
1967: Rich Edwards, left, and John Campbell, right operate TV cameras at Lakeview High School. At the high school, television is more than just viewing educational or entertaining programs. Classes are being videotaped and played back with the aim of aiding teachers in improved teaching methods.
1989: An above-average idea has netted a student more than average attention. Eight-year-old Arlen O'Dell had an idea for a temperature-sensitive baby bottle. The idea won him first place in the nationwide Weekly Reader inventors contest, third-grade division. He received a $250 U.S. savings bond and his drawing was featured at the National Inventors Expo at the Patent and Trademark Office in Washington, D.C. Standing behind Arlen is Barbara Kingery, his science teacher.
1958: Sylvia Barnes begins her second-grade class promptly at 9 a.m. in a single-story school built in 1948 of cinder block and glass. Barnes has had 4 years of teachers college with many psychology courses. Class dismisses at 3:30 p.m.
1961: Teachers certificates by the hundreds are viewed by William Woodward, Macon County superintendent of schools. The certificates are turned in to Woodward's office for registration. About 800 have been received. Another 700 are still to come.
Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983. Follow her on Twitter: @donnettebHR
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"Together Decatur" Columnist and Food/Drink Reporter
“Together Decatur” columnist and food and drink reporter for Lee Enterprises Central Illinois.
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Taylorville High School construction teacher Matt Blomquist, right, teaches students Judd Bates, Aiden Seiler and Luke Ellinger how to use a pocket-hole machine. Blomquist was recognized Tuesday as a 2022 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence. The $50,000 prize recognizes skilled trade educators nationwide and benefits their schools’ programs.
Taylorville High School construction teacher Matt Blomquist is all smiles as he talks about receiving the prize from Harbor Freight Tools. Blomquist’s house building program gives hands-on experience to the students in the Building Trades curriculum.
Taylorville High School students in the Building Trades curriculum work on a construction build site in Taylorville on Tuesday.
Taylorville High School construction teacher Matt Blomquist, left, observes senior Luke Ellinger at the Building Trades construction site in Taylorville.
Taylorville High School junior Owen Morgan and senior Luke Ellinger use a pocket-hole machine at the Building Trades class’s construction build site in Taylorville on Tuesday.
Taylorville High School construction teacher Matt Blomquist receives the 2022 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence in Taylorville on Tuesday. Blomquist’s house building program gives hands-on experience to the students in the Building Trades curriculum.
Taylorville High School construction teacher Matt Blomquist shows students how to use a pocket-hole machine after receiving the 2022 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence in Taylorville on Tuesday. The $50,000 prize recognizes skilled trade educators nationwide and benefits their schools’ programs.
Taylorville High School construction teacher Matt Blomquist leads students at a build site after receiving the 2022 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence in Taylorville on Tuesday. The $50,000 prize recognizes skilled trade educators nationwide and benefits their schools’ programs.
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