California teacher gets the surprise of his life with jaw-dropping prize in front of his students

By New York Post (U.S.) | Created at 2026-10-03 21:41:34 | Updated at 2026-10-03 23:46:33 2 hours ago

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One California high school teacher walked into school expecting a routine morning — only to be blindsided with a six-figure prize.

The stunned educator was greeted with cheering students after learning he had been awarded $100,000 for his work running an automotive technology program at an Indio high school.

Gregory Kraus, a teacher at Amistad High School, is one of just 25 grand prize winners of the 2026 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence, which recognizes public high school skilled-trades teachers and their programs.

Amistad High School automotive technology teacher Gregory Kraus is surprised with a $100,000 check after being named one of 25 grand prize winners of the 2026 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence in Indio, Tuesday. NBC Palm Springs

Gregory Kraus, an automotive technology teacher at Amistad High School in Indio, won the 2026 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence. Kraus received $30,000 and his CTE program received $70,000 to strengthen students’ technical training. Facebook/EL INFORMADOR DEL VALLE

But Kraus wasn’t tipped off that the big reveal was coming.

An administrator first interrupted his automotive class and pulled him aside under the pretense of discussing school budget matters.

His students were handed over to a counselor, and Kraus was eventually brought to the school gym — where the real surprise was waiting. His students were waiting there to celebrate him.

“This program is my passion,” Kraus told the Merced Sun-Star. “I came into this with just the mindset of, ‘I want to change the world in a positive way, one student at a time.’

For Kraus, that mission is deeply personal because shop class quite literally changed the course of his life. Decades ago, as a young single father, he needed a reliable way to provide for his daughter.

Thanks to the practical skills he had picked up in his own high school automotive classes, he was able to jump straight into the workforce. He spent the next 15 years climbing the ranks of the automotive industry, including a long stint at a Honda dealership.

Yet, despite a successful career, he eventually found himself searching for a deeper sense of purpose. When his mother suggested he try teaching, Kraus initially laughed it off because he didn’t have a college degree.

However, she showed him that his real-world industry expertise was exactly what the school system needed for Career and Technical Education programs.

Kraus listened, transitioned to the classroom, and has spent the last nine years building Amistad’s program.

For every single one of those years, he submitted an application for the Harbor Freight prize, eager to put his school on the map. Every year prior, he fell short, never making it past the initial round — making this year’s breakthrough all the more meaningful.

The prize isn’t just a ceremonial honor, either. Kraus will personally pocket $30,000, while Amistad’s career and technical education program gets the other $70,000.

The program has already helped propel students toward competitive technical careers. Past graduates have gone on to positions at Tesla, Toyota and Boeing.

Kraus, who holds a master’s degree in Educational Administration from CSU San Bernardino, finally saw years of persistence pay off.