FLEMING COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — Several weeks ago, LEX 18's Kayleigh Randle educated us about an enterprise program that students at Fleming County High School participate in to help build career-focused skills, and Tuesday morning, the school's welding teacher was awarded a grant.
Bobby Pease is an agriculture and welding teacher at Fleming County High School. He has been teaching students for more than 20 years, and on Tuesday afternoon, he was presented with a $50,000 check from Harbor Freight Tools for Schools.
The grant program received 906 applications from teachers across the nation. The teachers had to go through multiple mini-tests and questionnaires on how they would use the money to better their trade programs and watch several videos. The judges dwindled that number down to 25 teachers and Pease was one of them.
"Definitely surprised, happy that I was selected as one of 25 in the nationwide to receive this honor. Humbled and proud of our program," said Pease. "The majority of that is because of the students I've had over the last 20 years. Definitely a good group here in Fleming County. To be able to teach and coach. Always rising to the challenges i put before them, so it's been an honor to serve those students over the last 20 years."
Pease thanks God and his students for keeping the program alive. He's decided to let his students decide what to do with the money. "Honestly, I've got a senior leadership team, and we'll probably go back to the students and ask them what tools we currently need for our program and let them select the types of new equipment we'll purchase for our program."
If you'd like to apply for the trades grant, you can visit this website for more information.
