Taylorville High School Teacher Matt Blomquist Builds Trades

Overview

This article profiles Matt Blomquist, a Taylorville High School construction teacher in Taylorville, Illinois. The school has a Building Trades program that builds a student-built home for the community.

Key facts

• Teacher: Matt Blomquist.
• School: Taylorville High School.
• Location: Taylorville, Illinois.
• Program: Building Trades / construction program.
• Project: a student-built home for the community.
• Harbor Freight Tools for Schools award: $50,000.
• Matt was named Teacher of the Year last year, according to the article.
• On October 19, Matt was scheduled to appear on Shop Class Podcast.
• On October 27–28, Matt was scheduled to present at Phius Con in Chicago, Illinois.

Program details

The school found a lot for the house. The home was to sit on a corner with an alley behind it. The location was a block from the sites the students were already working on.

The article emphasizes the building envelope and high-performance house details. It says Matt focused on keeping students learning new skills and choosing products and manufacturers that matched the project goals and teaching goals.

People quoted in the article

• Tim Zavacki said Matt is a passionate construction teacher who uses new, innovative, and creative ways to inspire students.
• Duke Lazowski said Matt introduced him to the field of building sciences and shares curriculum on the Shop Class podcast.
• Mariana Pickering of Emu Systems said Matt is humble and reminds others that the best teachers remain eternal students.
• Jake Bruton of Aarow Building said Matt is a knowledgeable builder and excellent educator.

Award and recognition

In September, while students were working on the home, a camera crew, the principal, Matt’s spouse Carmen, and a giant check appeared at the school. The check was from Harbor Freight Tools for Schools for $50,000.

The article says this was a memorable moment for Matt and the high school.

Related appearances

• Shop Class Podcast appearance: October 19.
• Phius Con presentation: October 27–28 in Chicago, Illinois.

Article context

The author presents the Taylorville program as a model other towns and schools could copy. The article says more coverage will follow about Matt, the Taylorville project, and the building trades program.