ACTEN Teacher of the Year and Trade and Industrial Education Teacher of the Year
Ronald Haefner, Trade and Industrial Education Teacher
Columbus Public Schools
On June 10, 2021, the Association of Career & Technical Education of Nebraska (ACTEN) announced Columbus High School Automotive Instructor, Ronald Haefner as the ACTEN Teach of the Year and Trade and Industrial Education Teacher of the Year.
Ronald Haefner grew up on a dairy farm in northeast Kansas. It was in this environment that he developed his early mechanical and electrical skills which greatly assisted in the maintenance and operation of the farm. Ronald attended Fort Hays State University with an emphasis in industrial technology and industrial education. He graduated in 1989, with the following areas of concentration: automotive, machining, and woods. He completed his Master of Science in Industrial Education at Fort Hays State University in 1991. In 1989 he began teaching automotive technology at Columbus High School.
Mr. Haefner was named Nebraska Valvoline Teacher of the Year in 1993. He led the Columbus High School students to the National Automotive Skills Contest 14 out of 28 years, with a 5th place national win in 1999. He has authored three different automotive textbooks, The Car Care Book, 3rd and 4th editions, and Automotive Technology: For General Service Technicians and was named Columbus Public Schools Teacher of the Year in 2014.