Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org
Surnames: Werner, Petri, Vantassel, Lasiewicz, Hitchcock, Kennedy
----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 3/20/2019
GHS - Crystal Apple Award Winner (Noah Werner – 5 March 2019)
Greenwood educator Noah Werner has been named one of the four Crystal Award winners for this year. The winners were chosen from among 24 Teachers of Distinction from public and private schools in Marshfield, Granton, Pittsville, Stratford, Spencer and Auburndale. Submitted photo
By Valerie Brecht
A Greenwood teacher has been recognized for his outstanding work with students.
Noah Werner, who teaches 7-12 grade technology education, was one of four area teachers to win the Crystal Apple Award. This past fall, the Marshfield Area Chamber Foundation received 760 nominations for 310 educators representing 10 local school districts.
Werner found out he won the award March 5 when family members, staff members and Chamber representatives all made a visit to his classroom.
“It was a complete surprise,” said Werner. “It was a cool experience.”
Werner, who is from Edgar, graduated from UW-Stout with a degree in technology education. He taught at Granton for one-and-a-half years and is in his fourth year at Greenwood.
“My mom’s a teacher, so that had a lot to do with [my becoming a teacher],” said Werner. “As I grew older, I enjoyed working with people and helping people.”
Werner said he enjoys being able to share his passion with kids. He teaches welding, woodworking, automotive, engineering and electronics classes. Teaching in a small school means he has to be knowledgeable in a wide range of areas. Which is a challenge, but one he enjoys, said Werner. Along with teaching specialized courses, Werner also teaches “exploring” courses for junior high students that cover several different areas.
As a technology education instructor, Werner has worked to forge partnerships with local businesses. He has also partnered with Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC). Through a National Science Foundation grant, CVTC has brought in a mobile manufacturing lab for students to use for nine weeks in a semester.
“It’s an advanced manufacturing setting with state-of-the-art equipment,” said Werner. “The focus is on robotics and automation and how that interacts with industry for a small, rural school.”
In addition, “we’ve been working towards taking our own shop and making it more industry-robust,” said Werner. Werner has applied for grants and is in the process of updating his classroom’s equipment.
Werner said teaching has been a rewarding career. For him, it’s about the relationships he builds with his students. He enjoys seeing the progress students make and seeing them take pride in their accomplishments.
“I like being able to work together to get to a final project, to reach the end goal. When the kids get there, that’s what you work for – for that ‘lightbulb’ moment when it finally turns on, or they can do something that they couldn‘t do before,” he said.
Werner lives in Marshfield. He enjoys spending time with his significant other, Lindsay, and their sons Ethan, Blake, Tarin and Wyatt. He likes watching the kids play hockey, traveling and being outdoors.
Werner will be recognized along with the other Crystal Apple Award winners and Teachers of Distinction at a banquet May 1 at Hotel Marshfield.
The other Crystal Apple Award winners are Kara Lasiewicz of Auburndale Middle and High School, Jonathan Hitchcock of Grant Elementary in Marshfield and Deb Kennedy of Columbus High School in Marshfield.
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Noah Werner, Greenwood 7-12 grade technology education teacher, poses for a photo with his Intro to Technology students after a surprise announcement that he was named a Crystal Apple Award winner. Submitted photo
