Engineering teacher, Kit Shanholtzer.

Kit Shanholtzer, engineering teacher at Lake Stevens High School, was just named Washington State Industrial Technical Educators Association Teacher of the Year.

Shanholtzer was recognized for his enthusiasm for teaching, dedication to students and passion for continuing to learn, challenging himself and his students.

Shanholtzer teaches and has taught Aerospace Engineering, Principals of Engineering, Civil Engineering and Architecture, Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Engineering Design and Development, and Introduction to Engineering Design. He serves as the Department Head for Technology Education for Lake Stevens High School.   Additionally, he has served as Assistant Girls Soccer Coach and is currently Head Boys Soccer Coach.

“I really appreciate being awarded the WITEA Teacher of the Year, but it is a tough honor to accept when I am surrounded by so many other wonderful teachers, paras, office staff and administrators,”  Shanholtzer stated.

Dan Bushnell, Director of CTE, shared, “Mr. Shanholtzer weaves collaborative and individually challenging lessons with hands-on activities which keep all students authentically engaged.  Lessons build upon one another as students learn how to draw lines using the computer to building an aircraft or designing a home.”

Also recognized is Mr. Shanholtzer’s skill to integrate differentiated instruction throughout his courses by engaging every student to work at their own ability and pace.  Students come in before school, during lunch and after school to work on their projects.  An example of his ability to work with students at different skill levels is most evident in his last period of the day where he teaches a combination class of Advanced and Beginning Engineering.

For the past two years he has taken summer classes to become certified in Project Lead the Way classes that then become eligible for students to earn community college credits for high school engineering classes.  This summer he intends to enroll in two classes, Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Design and Development – the Capstone Project class.   All of this work is allowing him to align his courses to state and national standards, which in turn prepares students to pursue their goals upon graduation from Lake Stevens High School.

blog comments powered by Disqus