A surprise announcement at Hickory High School on Sept. 29 recognized automotive teacher Terry Drum with a $75,000 national prize. The school will receive $50,000 for its automotive program, while Drum receives $25,000. Hickory High said he was one of 25 winners of the 2026 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence and the only winner from North Carolina.
Drum’s path to teaching began in a driveway. In a profile published by Harbor Freight Tools for Schools, he recalls helping his father repair vehicles as a child. That early interest grew into a deliberate course of study: Drum took every trade course available at his high school, then attended Universal Technical Institute and the Ford FACT program. He earned all 11 Ford certifications before working as an ASE-certified technician and service manager.
The profile says Drum later moved into teaching to invest in the next generation of skilled-trades workers. Hickory High’s announcement describes a classroom where students problem-solve, troubleshoot, learn from mistakes, and build confidence and independence. Drum told the prize organization he had to shift his mindset “from preventing failure to allowing productive struggle in a safe, controlled environment.” That view puts the learning process at the center of automotive work: students must figure out what is wrong before they can decide how to fix it.
In Automotive Service I, the profile says, students complete hands-on assessments that include diagnosing drum and disc brake systems, responding to customer concerns, and using brake lathes to resurface rotors and drums. The work extends from routine oil changes to troubleshooting on classic and modern vehicles. Students’ assignments are tailored to individual interests and skill levels, according to the profile, while mistakes are treated as a part of learning rather than something to avoid.
The classroom links practical tasks with preparation for work. Hickory City Schools says career and technical education connects learning to real-world skills and practical knowledge, while developing teamwork, independent work, creative thinking, and problem-solving. The district lists Automotive Service and Work-Based Learning, including internships and job shadowing, among Hickory High’s high-school course offerings.
In Drum’s program, those connections reach local employers. WBTV reports that students intern with nearby auto dealerships. The prize organization’s profile adds that Drum works with Mike Johnson Toyota of Hickory to provide direct technician internships and twice-yearly advisory updates. The partnership gives students a chance to see how classroom skills relate to a working shop, while employer input keeps the program connected with the trade.
Students also have opportunities to demonstrate their abilities. Drum’s students placed second among 22 teams in the Greater Charlotte Auto Dealer Association competition, according to the profile. More than 90 percent attain safety credentials through SP/2 and Lifting It Right, the profile says. Advanced coursework gives them access to all 10 ASE-aligned certification exams. WBTV also reports that students have won multiple competitions and that most earn industry-recognized certifications before graduation.
The profile describes one graduate who took part in a custom engine-swap project and was placed in a specialized German-automotive shop in the area. The employer reported that the graduate’s technical skills were above expectations. It’s a concrete example of one student’s experience following the class into a workplace.
The profile also identifies Drum as Hickory High’s 2026 Teacher of the Year and a 2025 North Carolina Career and Technical Education Teacher of the Year finalist. His teaching philosophy, described by the school and the prize organization, emphasizes making room for students to try, troubleshoot, and learn from mistakes. In automotive work, where a repair depends on understanding a problem, that practice gives students a chance to build technical knowledge and confidence in their judgment.
Hickory High’s $50,000 share recognizes both Drum’s instruction and the automotive program where students learn by doing. The school’s account of his teaching points to a practical through line: diagnose, test, learn from mistakes, and build confidence in independent work. The prize places resources behind that environment, while Drum’s profile records students earning credentials, entering internships, competing, and taking what they have learned into local shops.
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