Harker Named Ohio District 8 Teacher of the Year

BOARDMAN, Ohio — Tim Harker, a technology teacher at Boardman Glenwood Junior High, has been named the Ohio District 8 Teacher of the Year for 2021.

Harker, a 24-year teaching veteran at Boardman Schools, is one of a select group of 11 educators recently recognized by the Ohio Department of Education.

“Boardman Local Schools is blessed to have exceptional educators, and Tim Harker is one of the most well-rounded and passionate individuals I have ever met,” says Glenwood principal Bart Smith.

Harker established a maker space program at Glenwood Middle School nearly five years ago so that students could use engineering and design principles to invent and create. According to the announcement of his award, he has encouraged students and accompanied them to the Solar Car Challenge events at local universities and was instrumental in a cross cultural project in 2018 with children from a small village in Thailand.

Most recently, and only days after the state ordered all Ohio school buildings closed in March because of the pandemic, Harker was using the school’s 3D printers from his home to supply local essential workers with face shields. He made and distributed hundreds to essential workers.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.