Lindridge receives Robert J. Uplinger Lions Foundation award

By Carol A. Henry —

The Spencer-Candor Lions’ presented Stephen Lindridge with the prestigious Robert J. Uplinger Distinguished Service Award on Wednesday, Sept. 18, and in recognition of his “Outstanding Commitment and Dedication to Technology Teaching at Candor High School.” 

Lindridge was recognized as “Teacher of the Year” at the National and the State Level, and received a plaque by the New York State and Bermuda Lions Foundation, presented by club president David O’Konsky.

Recently retired, Lindridge was the Machine Tool Technology teacher at Candor, and has previously received such honors in the past, alluding to his commitment to not only working with his students, but to going “above and beyond” in “instilling core values in today’s young people.  

His motto, “have successful failures”, was stenciled on his classroom wall. But he also admits he has had much help from the community with equipment, supplies, and most of all support, but is honored to have received this award. 

In his own words, he stated, “I was stunned that this honor has been bestowed upon me. It is funny as I toiled day to day with work, I didn’t realize how many lives that have been touched and how many skills that were taught and expanded upon as students headed off to college and the workforce. What an honor it was to teach for 32 years and share in the students’ wonderful accomplishments that mean so much.”

He added, “I am truly blessed to have been part of the school and the lives of my students for so many years. It really is about the person and not the project.”

As for projects, many of them were not part of the curriculum, he noted, but did enhance and transform the lives of students and others in and around our community. 

Lindridge added, “I found that early in my career doing projects outside the curriculum helped my students more than crossing the Tee’s and dotting the I’s.  Seven of my female students went to Binghamton University and volunteered for a Saturday event, sponsored in part by the NYS Master Teacher Program. They helped girls from around the Triple Cities use a small CNC milling machine to make their initials in a block of Styrofoam. My students mentored and helped each of their charges make their text and use the machine.” 

Other work included the Architecture Awareness Program, which was part of the Tioga County Coalition for Better Schools; whirligigs that were displayed at the Roberson Museum as part of their home for the holidays celebration; a six-foot tall solid wood nutcracker for Roberson Museum’s home for the holidays event; a large, four-times scale battleship game designed and constructed large enough for students with mobility issues to use; and the build of two Factory Five Cobra kit cars (part of the Winner’s Circle Project) as well as constructing many wooden toys, to name a few.

A major highlight for him and his students’ accomplishments was being one of 12 schools across the country that made prosthetic limbs for people in Latin America. Combined, they made 100 legs! 

Other health projects included working with the health services class to make a device for a young lady that was injured in a car crash. As a result of the crash she was left with limited movement in her hands. The device helped the girl gain the ability to pick up a domino. 

Others made an adaptive / adjustable chair for a young student, so the student could complete work in class. Another group of students made a portable set of stairs that enabled a student with mobility issues to navigate the stairs of his bus. Some made therapy tables to be used in physical therapy in the elementary building. 

There are so many other projects that were part of the curriculum that Lindridge and his class produced, like chairs, toys, depth gauges, c-clamps, go-karts, folding fishing chairs, injection molds, chess pieces. Aluminum castings, laser cut Christmas ornaments, nameplates, penholders, and designed dream homes. And the list goes on. 

You can view these, and the many toys the classes worked on over the years on his YouTube page, https://www.youtube.com/@stephenlindridgeshophappen8638.