Tools for Schools

By Issac Padilla

Back on October 24, 2019, Mr. Cox, the Redwood High School auto tech teacher, was rewarded with a $50,000 check from the HarborFreight Tools for Schools program.

The application for the program was extensive. Cox estimates that he spent 60 hours writing it. He had to document how his class helps students become leaders and helps them plan for the future.

The sad part is, Cox has filled out this application twice. He did it 3 years ago and didn’t hear back from the HarborFreight Tools for Schools program. He wasn’t going to give up, though.

He did it all again.

Teachers from all over the world sign up for the HarborFreight Tools for Schools program. For the 2019 competition, there were 750 worldwide signups. Cox and his auto program made the top 50 and later Cox was rewarded with a $50,000 check. He was 1 of 18 teachers who received this top prize.

In addition to the money, the tools for schools program gives winning teachers 100 bags of customized tools for their students to use and practice with while remote learning.

At Redwood High school, there are 220 students in Auto tech, so Cox had decided to use a portion of the $50,000 grant money to purchase 120 more $50 customized sets of tools for students.

When the HarborFreight Tools for Schools program heard that Cox planned to use his grant money for additional tool purchases for his students, the company decided to donate them instead of making Cox pay for them.

Cox is glad he does not have to use about $6,000 of his winning money and he can buy other things for his auto tech class.