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Wayne Violet Named Harbor Freight Tools 2020 Prize Winner for Teaching Excellence

Posted October 14, 2020

Hagerstown, MD (October 14, 2020) - Wayne Violet, automotive technology teacher at Washington County Technical High School, has been named a $50,000 winner in the 2020 Harbor Freight Tools Prize for Teaching Excellence program. The company annually honors outstanding trades educators across the country and Mr. Violet was one of 18 recognized this year. He has been a finalist the past two years and was the only finalist from Maryland this year.

Mr. Violet is teaching at his alma mater and holds 12 Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certifications while attending training courses year-round to provide students with a competitive education. Violet’s cooperative work program allows students to begin their careers while attending school, including job shadowing and paid apprenticeships. His class also runs a used car dealership where students conduct mock inspections, repair cars and compare costs to the book value of a vehicle before its purchase by a community member. Mr. Violet supports his students to qualify and pass the nationally recognized Maintenance and Light Repair Entry Level ASE exam. He is also involved in Apprenticeship Maryland, a program that facilitates the hiring of students as paid apprentices with the goal of continued employment after graduation. 

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