Jason Askenaze

Askenaze’s innovative teaching idea, “Woodshop Makes a Difference,” focuses on sending student-made wooden cars to orphanages in impoverished countries. He and his woodshop students have designed and built toys for children in Ukraine, India, Mexico and Uganda. During the year Askenaze spent researching service-learning for his Master’s thesis, he discovered that students have a higher degree of interest and retain information better when they know that their work is benefitting someone other than themselves. This inspired him to develop his toy car project, which has now been operating for over a decade. Through this project, Askenaze aspires to help his students understand that there are great needs in this world – and that they can make a difference.