He came back to make an impact.
Andrice Tucker had graduated from the Central Nine Career Center with the hopes of building the skills to succeed in his chosen career, automotive technology. After working in the automotive industry for 14 years, he returned to Central Nine, this time as an instructor.
His mission — to teach the next generation of technicians how to be successful in the industry.
“I came back home just because I saw that skills gap. That opportunity to teach in my program, it’s a lifelong dream,” he said.
Through his hard work and dedication to his students, Tucker has done that. Now, he’s receiving a huge boost in expanding that vision.
Tucker was chosen as one of 20 winners of the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence. On Oct. 4, the Central Nine community — administrators, fellow instructors, automotive students and his family — joined representatives from Harbor Freight to surprise Tucker with an oversized check and a bright green rolling toolbox.
The $50,000 prize will allow him to add to the automotive program and develop more opportunities to prepare them for life after high school.
“I’m very, very passionate about these students. It’s a win for them; it’s not a win for me, it’s a win for my students. I care more about their future than I do my own,” he said. “This is a big deal for me.”
The Harbor Freight Tools for Schools prize was created in 2017 by Eric Smidt, founder of Harbor Freight Tools, a national tool retailer. The idea was to recognize the best instruction in the skilled trades in public high schools across the country.
Applicants are required to submit responses to questions and a series of video learning modules designed to solicit each teacher’s experience, insights and creative ideas about their approach.
This year, more than 760 applications for the award came from all 50 states. Winners were chosen through three rounds of judging by an independent panel of experts from industry, education, trades, philanthropy and civic leadership. Harbor Freight awarded $1.25 million to those teachers this year.
Tucker was the only Indiana teacher chosen for the award.
“When you think about trade skills, we look at you as a hero,” said Chip Williams, district manager for Harbor Freight Tools. “We look at your ability to influence, to inspire the trade students around you, and we want to thank you for your contribution.”
Tucker has run the automotive program at Central Nine for the entirety of his teaching career. During his time as a student at Central Nine, he credits the program with teaching him discipline, punctuality and responsibility, in addition to the skills required of the automotive technician trade.
After graduation, he earned nine Automotive Service Excellence certifications, as well as an associate’s degree in automotive technology. For 14 years, he worked at Firestone Complete Auto Care, eventually becoming lead technician.
But along the way, Tucker noticed a lack of prior training when working with new technicians in the shop. He decided that he could use his skills to make sure young people are better prepared to enter the industry and succeed.
In his application for the Tools for Schools prize, he wrote, “I feel that our country forgets that we will need these students working in skilled trades more and more over the next century. Innovation isn’t just for four-year students with bachelor’s or master’s degrees, they require technicians to maintain and fix technology, as well, as we move forward.”
In his classroom, Tucker blends collaborative learning with theory-based discussion before students move to hands-on lab activities. He breaks his classes into teams that work together for an entire school year.
Students complete assignments as if they were employees, working through different diagnostic and repair issues on the 26 vehicles donated to the Central Nine program.
“We’re proud, here at Central Nine. Andrice is one of our outstanding instructors year after year, and this is just one piece that shows the great work that he does every day. We’re really excited to call Andrice one of our own,” said William Kovach, executive director at Central Nine.
Students admit that Tucker is tough on them. But his intensity brings out their best.
“He can be a little strict, but as soon as you get to understand the importance of the job and the safeties that are in place, you start to understand and get used to it,” said Isaiah Scott, a junior in the automotive program at Central Nine.
Tucker had been a finalist for the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools prize in 2018 and 2020, but this is the first time he was chosen for the award.
“I’d gone through this before a couple of times, and it is challenging. It’s a lot of work, it really is. But I’m not doing it for me, I’m doing it for these kids,” he said. “This is for our school and for our future.”
As he unknowingly left the classroom and walked into Central Nine’s service garage on Oct. 4, he walked into a wall of applause from those gathered to honor him. Tucker pulled off his protective eyewear, rubbed his eyes and smiled wide.
His students crowded around him. Off to the side, his wife, Amanda, and his daughters Andrianah, 11, and Avalee, 6, held silver and blue balloons for him.
“Wow,” he said. “My goodness, wow.”
With the $50,000 prize, Tucker plans to put it back into his students and the automotive program. He has a roadmap for the next five to 10 years, something he, other program instructors and Central Nine administrators will bring together in the near future.
“It’s been awesome to teach these kids, not only the way I learned, but better,” he said.
