This summer, Todd Kapsner plans to retire from teaching. Kapsner has spent the last 32 years teaching industrial tech classes in Stillwater. He mainly teaches woodworking class and is considered to be one of the most helpful teachers.

“Some of Mr. Kapsner’s best traits are his ability to use his knowledge of woodworking and apply it to help students with projects. He also helps make you a better person in life outside of school,” sophomore Vincent Toscano said. 

Kapsner first attended college at North Dakota State University, where he spent two years taking education courses. He then transfered to Bemidji State so he could get a degree in technology. Kapsner received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Bemidji State and later earned his Masters degree from the University of Wisconsin – Stout. He has been teaching at Stillwater ever since.

“I started at NDSU in Fargo, North Dakota. I went there for two years and took an education class there and that got me thinking about doing this as a career. So that’s what I decided to do my sophomore year of college,” Kapsner said. 

Kapsner is able to teach all the classes with expensive and delicate equipment. He is easily able to teach students how to use the equipment. 

“What separates Mr. Kapsner from other teachers is how he knows how to build and run everything in the woods lab. Not just any teacher can go into his classroom and be as successful as he is,” Toscano said.

Once Kapsner retires, it will be tough to replace him. Not only has he been teaching at the school for over three decades, but he is also very skilled in a difficult field. 

“Finding Mr. Kapsner’s replacement will be very hard to do. It will be hard because his teaching style and his techniques are perfect for what he does. On top of that he just wants his students to succeed in the woods lab and metals lab,” freshman Maxwell Boldenow said. 

Although and exceptional teacher, Kapsner acknowledges it is not without its challenges, especially where technology is concerned.

“Probably one of the hardest things is keeping up with technology and current machines and software that’s available,” Kapsner said.  

Kapsner’s favorite part of teaching is helping students learn to use technology and how to use the complicated machines in the classroom. All the different tools and materials students learn to use in Kapsner’s class are meant to be beneficial outside of class as well. 

Kapsner said the most satisfying thing about teaching is “helping kids find out what they’re good at, what they like to do, and where they want to go in life.”

After Kapsner retires he plans to spend his time doing the activities he was not able to do because of his teaching schedule. 

“I’ll be doing some hunting and fishing, I’ll do a little bit of farming and traveling. Just things that I’ve wanted to do that the teaching schedule doesn’t allow you to take time off for,” Kapsner said.