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Manufacturing
Page 10 Electronic Edition: www.teachingtodaymn.com

Mark Gravelle’s 25 Years Building Futures at Northland

guide students through the Construction and recently making a sign for the City of Longville
Manufacturing Career Pathways. The curricu- and a fence for the City of Remer.
lum offers a comprehensive experience, starting The skills learned in Mr. Gravelle’s classes
with foundational Exploration classes for 6th, are universally beneficial. Advanced manufac-
7th, and 8th graders (IT 6, 7, and 8, and Jr. High turing students, Charity and Casey, are a great
Intro to Carpentry). “It really sets the founda- example. Though they are top-notch in the shop,
tion for the things we want to do when they are they are pursuing careers in nursing (Charity)
in high school. They can get started on more and social work (Casey), respectively. Casey
challenging projects earlier,” Mark says of the notes, “These are all good skills to have no
integrated middle school courses. Students then matter what career you are going into.” Both
progress through technical Experience classes students credit Mr. Gravelle’s classes for teach-
like Woodworking, Welding, Carpentry, and ing them vital technical skills like welding,
Product Development, leading to high-level forging, and machine operation. Charity per-
Excel courses such as Engineering, Outdoor fectly summed up the value of the experience:
Recreation Manufacturing, and Super Mileage. “You learn more when it is hands-on.”
Mark’s teaching philosophy centers on Northland Community Schools is located
value and relevance. “We want to make sure in beautiful north central Minnesota. We serve
that whatever we produce—whether the stu- over 350 students in the communities of Outing,
dents keep it, or if it is for the community—is Remer, Longville, Boy River and Federal Dam
something that is valued and people remember and surrounding areas.
Northland Community Schools to explore a career in education. it,” he emphasizes. A testament to this approach We are the Northland Eagles and we
Mark Gravelle, an anchor of the North- Mark entered a fast-track pathway to com- is the instant popularity of the Outdoor Recre- encourage and celebrate “Eagle Pride, School-
land Community Schools staff, is celebrating plete his 5–12 Industrial Arts teaching license in ation Manufacturing class. Last year, students wide.” The mission of Northland Community
25 years of teaching Industrial Technology (IT) just a year and a half. After student teaching in weren’t just learning skills; they were applying Schools is to educate and inspire all learners to
classes in Remer. While he started his profes- Blackduck, he found his calling at Northland, them by building fish spears, decoys, and fishing reach their full potential.
sional journey as a machinist in the Twin Cities, accepting the Industrial Tech position—and the rods, culminating in a hands-on fishing field trip
a desire to return home to Bemidji and an rest, as they say, is history. to test their creations! The program also engages www.isd118.k12.mn.us
encouraging conversation with a friend led him Mr. Gravelle’s program is designed to in valuable community work, with students

Labor and Industry Announces 2026 Youth Skills Training Grant Recipients

to this grant round reflects the continued • Great River School
momentum and value of this program,” said • HAP (Hmong American Partnership)
Nicole Blissenbach, DLI commissioner. “We • Hopkins Public Schools
are grateful to our partners for their commit-
ment to helping students build skills, explore • Itasca Area Schools Collaborative
careers, and prepare for future success.” • Parkers Prairie School District
The following 17 partnerships will • St. Cloud Area School District
receive and split a total of $1.5 million in • Stillwater Area High School
funding for programs operating from July 1, • Warroad Public Schools
2026, to June 30, 2028. The partnerships will • Westonka High School
Seventeen partnerships across Minnesota instruction, safety training, industry-recog- offer safe, meaningful work experience in
are receiving funding to develop and expand nized credentials and paid work experience advanced manufacturing, agriculture, automo- Grants can be used to create programs,
programs to offer meaningful career exposure in high-growth and high-demand occupations tive, health care and information technology. recruit students and employers, provide
and paid work experience for students aged 16 in the industries of advanced manufacturing, • Big Lake Schools training, transport students and pay for indus-
and older. agriculture, automotive, health care and infor- • Breckenridge Public Schools try-related student certifications. A 10th round
The grants are part of the Minnesota mation technology. of grant applications will open in winter 2026.
Department of Labor and Industry’s (DLI) “Youth Skills Training continues to create • Children’s Dental Services More information
Youth Skills Training (YST) program. meaningful opportunities for young people • Cloquet High School For more information about Youth Skills
The YST program encourages, promotes in communities across Minnesota. With this • Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton Public Training, contact us at YST.DLI@state.mn.us
and supports the development of local part- latest round of grants, we are proud to support Schools or 651-284-5354.
nerships between schools, employers and 11 new and six returning partnerships as they • Eden Prairie Schools
community organizations. These local partner- expand access to safe work experiences for • Farmington High School www.dli.mn.gov/yst
ships provide students with related classroom high school students. The strong response • Fergus Falls High School

EACHING
T TEACHING TODAY
MINNESOTA’S K–12 EDUCATION CONNECTIONTODAY Spring 2025
MN
MN ™
Did you miss an issue of Senior to Pursue Electrical Engineering nesota Teacher of the Access back-issues at
Experience as Theater’s
Lighting Director Led BHS
Teacher of the Year Candidate Field
Narrowed to 31 Semifinalists
This year’s program
will name the 61st Min-
T TEACHINGEACHING MN ™ Center for Performing Arts, Lucas does a little went to the tech side and really enjoyed it, so I about 10 finalists from among the group. of the Year are listed alphabetically by last teachingtodaymn.com
Year. The program cel-
ebrates the tradition of
excellence in teaching
in Minnesota. Eligible
candidates include pre-
through
kindergarten
12th-grade, Early
Childhood Family Edu-
cation and Adult Basic Education teachers,
from public or private schools.
TODAYODAY
T
• Intend to teach in Minnesota during the
The field of possible candidates for this
2025-26 school year.
year’s Minnesota Teacher of the Year honor
Semifinalists for 2025 Minnesota Teacher
has been narrowed to 31. An independent
selection panel of 21 community leaders
Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191
name below, including the district and school:
chose the semifinalists from an initial field
of 142 candidates from across the state.
MN
• Stacy Bartlett, Stillwater Area Public
Lucas Croatt prefers to stay out of the
The panel will review the semifinal-
Schools, Stillwater Area High School
involved that better suited him.
ists’ portfolios again, along with semifinalist
in acting, so he found a different way to be
spotlight. In fact, the senior found his niche
at Burnsville High School by putting the spot-
video submissions. The panel will select
light on other students - literally.
• Garrett Bruce, Robbinsdale Area
“I wasn’t going to be on that stage, so I
Public Schools, Robbinsdale Cooper
stuck with it,” he said.
High School
The current Minnesota Teacher of the Year,
As lighting director at the school’s Mraz
Lucas appreciates the freedom he’s
• Katelyn Bruce, Minneapolis Public
bit of everything behind the scenes to make
Tracy Byrd, will announce his successor at
the Minnesota Teacher of the Year banquet,
Schools, Lake Harriet Lower Campus
allowed in his role as lighting director. He
erCentre.
gets to be creative in how he lights each show,
scheduled for May 4 at the Saint Paul Riv-
sure productions go off without a hitch. In
• Jodi Carufel, Bloomington Public
addition to planning and setting up the light-
ing, he helps run the audio systems and builds
Schools, Olson Middle School
which makes it that much more satisfying for
Eligible nominees must meet these criteria:
sets. He’s worked on 15 plays and musical
him to see the final production come together.
“We do a shot and it’s kind of up to me
• Teach in a public or nonpublic pre-
• Ryan Collins, Mahtomedi Public
productions, the most recent being “Clue” in
Schools, Mahtomedi Middle School
kindergarten–12th grade school, or
February, and dozens of other events over the
last four years.
what I want to do for it, how I want to go about
in an Adult Basic Education or ECFE
to see it.”
doing it,” he said. “When the show comes on,
• Ben Cuevas-Rengstorf, Minneapolis
program, working at least 50 percent of
the work you put in pays off because you get
Public Schools, Roosevelt High School
Lucas started in theater as a freshman
the time directly with students.
• Have a Minnesota teaching license.
because his older sister acted in plays through-
• Christoph Dundas, Austin Public
out her time at BHS. He wasn’t interested
In the classroom, Lucas has been explor-
Schools, Austin High School
• Hold a bachelor’s degree and a Minne-
sota teaching license.
ing his interest in engineering by taking
• Laura Eid, Eden Prairie Schools,
Central Middle School
Continued on Page 22
• Have completed at least five full years of
• Ted Erickson, Anoka-Hennepin School
teaching by the nomination deadline.
District, Blaine High School
Continued on Page 26
THANK YOU TO OUR ADVERTISERS FOR YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT!
Northland Community & Technical College • St. Cloud State University • Hamline University • Productivity, Inc.
North Dakota State College of Science • St. Mary’s University Minnesota • Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture
University of Minnesota Crookston • Viterbo University • Bellin College • South Dakota State University • Minnesota HOSA
Uponor Manufacturing • Minnesota West Community & Technical College • Herold Precision Metals • International Wolf Center