Northern Tool + Equipment donated $5,000-worth of new equipment to staff and students at the Career & Technical Education Academy through their “Northern Tools for the Trades” Program. Nick Opdahl, the carpentry teacher at CTE Academy, received a pressure washer, leaf blower, knee board, floor jack, and 300-feet of garden hose through the donation. Students were able to demonstrate how powerful the pressure washer is by removing baked-on oil from an old engine (which is used by students in the automotive technology program at CTE). In addition, Northern Tools provided 19 carpentry students with a $50 gift card to their store.

Northern Tools is a family-owned business that has been operating for 40 years. The “Tools for the Trades” Program encourages students to pursue technical education and careers in the trades. Steve Spears, the senior regional director of retail sales at Northern Tool, toured CTE Academy and said, “I’ve been to schools all over the country, and I’ve never seen anything like this!”