On June 5, Durango Daybreak Rotary presented the “Vocational Excellence Award.” This is an annual award given to an individual or group in the community who excels in their profession, going above and beyond the expected.
This year’s winner was Shaun Smith, a woods teacher at Durango High School. Smith has been a teacher for 30 years and a coach for the Durango Skills USA team. He and his students have won numerous awards at the local, regional and the national level.
Retired DHS teacher David McKeever said Smith has helped numerous young people in areas of development, especially in areas of building trades and woodworking. He volunteers his time after school to open the shop for students to work on projects and develop their skills. In addition, he has collaborated with the local Home Builders Association to build a program where students get certifications they can take to job interviews to document the skills and training they have had. .
