South Winneshiek teacher receives $50,000 prize

A South Winneshiek teacher has won a $50,000 prize for her and her school.

Melissa Hageman teaches STEM agriculture mechanics and engineering at South Winneshiek High School. She has been named one of 15 runners-up in the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools 2018 Prize for Teaching Excellence.  As a result, $35,000 will be given to South Winneshiek High School and $15,000 to her.

Melissa Hageman has taught STEM agriculture mechanics and engineering since 2011 at South Winneshiek High School, where she attended as a teen. She returned to rejuvenate the program after the funding was cut and the shop was turned into a weight room. Growing up on a farm instilled a deep passion for agriculture in Hageman, so she has funded her school's program herself.Under her leadership, she has created for her students a refurbished shop with state-of-the-art equipment, leading to an exponential growth in student enrollment.

"The creativity and hands-on projects that Ms. Hageman and the other winning teachers bring to their classrooms is an inspiration," said Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Executive Director Danny Corwin.