Manufacturing instructor Andrew Bias is one of just 25 recipients of annual Harbor Freight award
Folsom High School teacher Andrew Bias showed up to work in his classroom just like he does every day on Tuesday, where he passionately plays a crucial role in the Folsom Cordova Unified School District as a manufacturing instructor in the district’s Career Technical Education (CTE) program. It wasn’t long into the morning when Bias learned the day would be far from ordinary, as his passion for the program reached a new plateau as he won a major and lucrative award.
Shortly after 9:30 a.m., Bias received a visit from FCUSD School Superintendent Erik Swanson, retired Superintendent Dr. Sarah Koligian, current CT Coordinator Shanan Spears, retired coordinator Alicia Caddell, members of the FCUSD cabinet, Principal Howard Cadenhead, Congressman Kevin Kiley and members of the media to deliver the news. That news was that Bias has been named one of the $50,000 winners in the 2024 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence. The group was joined by representatives of Harbor Freight who personally carried the giant check to Bias’ classroom.
Bias was beyond elated Tuesday as he was presented with the $50,000 check. Bias’s high school skilled trades program will receive $35,000 of the funds, while Bias himself earns $15,000 of the prize. Since he was a high school student himself, Bias has had a love for manufacturing, following in the footsteps of his father.
“What this check will do is help fund the program and resources to help students pursue their dreams,” said Bias, who was elated and a bit overwhelmed as the group delivered the news before his morning students. “This doesn’t happen with just me, I’ve got a supportive admin team. We have a really good staff here at the district, the high school and the Folsom Cordova School Board, and it’s not just one or the other, or just the teacher. It’s about the team. So, thank you, I appreciate everything and congratulations to everyone involved in this.”
In his first shop class in ninth grade, Bias developed a growing interest in sheet metal. In his senior year, he worked in the same machine shop as his father. Upon graduating and feeling finished with school, Bias enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. He then worked in the HVAC field for nine years, where he trained dozens of mechanics and even wrote the training manual for the company.
In 2011, Bias returned to school to become a teacher and obtained credentials in both social science and industrial technology. Since starting the CTE manufacturing program in 2018, he has grown the program from two sections to seven sections in a three-course pathway that includes Honors Manufacturing.
His curriculum begins with “Ten Things That Require Zero Talent,” and he emphasizes work ethic and professional skills all year long, alongside project-based learning and real-world scenarios. Students in the introductory class learn the importance of time management as they choose and work on their projects in carpentry, sheet metal, welding, and machining.
Students in the advanced and honors programs pursue their own passions, including HVAC and plumbing, and Bias creates tailor-made academic and career plans for each senior. The instructor is known for great communication with his students and his love of sharing his collection of “dad jokes,” which he even offers to close out Tuesday’s event after being urged by Cadenhead.
“Bias meant a lot to me for the four years that I’ve been here. He’s a great mentor,” said Cody Coleman, senior at Folsom High School.” I’m passionate about welding and metal cutting with C&C Machines that shape metal with make a program we design.”
In the last five years, Bias set up agreements with two local community colleges, where his advanced manufacturing program articulates with Sierra College and the welding program articulates with Cosumnes River College. Bias strives to be a collaborative leader in his school and community by fostering a culture of inclusivity, continuous learning, and excellence in the skilled trades. He creates opportunities for faculty to work on curriculum development and pedagogy to lift up all teachers and students.
From 2023 to 2024, Bias’s program has seen a 20 percent increase in student sign-ups, with female students now making up 30 percent of enrollment, the highest in his region. One notable success story includes a young woman who joined his manufacturing class as a senior after taking his world history class as a sophomore. She joined the Harbor Freight Fellows program and gained 160 hours of welding experience with a construction company.
Today, she works at Siemens in their railcar production facility. In May 2023, Bias earned his Master’s in Educational Leadership/Administration, which includes an administration credential.
While this is by far the highest profile accolade for Bias, it is not the first time his efforts have made headlines recently as well. As featured in Folsom Times earlier this year, Folsom High School students in the CTE program, many of whom were led by Bias, took home seven medals at the SkillsUSA 57th State Leadership and Skills Conference in Ontario, including three golds, three silvers, and one bronze.
Career Technical Education (CTE) is a program of study involving a multi-year sequence of courses integrating core academic curriculum with technical and occupational curriculum to provide students with a pathway to post-secondary education and careers. The pathways create an educational environment that integrates core academics with real-world relevance to prepare students for college and career readiness. Many CTE programs are aligned with the field of study known as STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics).
Key components of CTE programs include high-quality curriculum and instruction: alignment with California Standards for Career Ready Practice, Knowledge and Performance Anchor Standards, CTE Pathway Standards, Common Core State Standards (CCSS), and industry standards in pathway classes. Learn more about the district’s program at www.fcusd.org.
Since 2017, more than $8.9 million has been awarded to over 150 teachers and their school programs. This year, there were more than 900 applications for the prize. The application process included three rounds of judging, each by an independent panel of experts from education, industry, nonprofits, and philanthropy. In 2024, there are winners from 19 states.
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.
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