CTE Teacher Spotlight: Wayne McManus Is Introducing Marine Tech to Razdolna, Alaska Students 

Wayne McManus is a Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher at Razdolna School, a K–12 school in the Russian Old Believer village of Razdolna, located near the end of East End Road, about 45 minutes outside Homer, Alaska. In this remote community, Wayne plays a crucial role in preparing students for hands-on careers by teaching a diverse range of subjects, including mathematics, science, personal finance, business mathematics, welding, construction, and small engine repair.

Originally from northern Maine, Wayne was self-employed for over two decades before turning to teaching. He sees great value in blending academic and trade-based learning, especially when it comes to making math relevant and engaging. “If you look at a student who's good at math, they often don’t know how to use it practically,” he says. “And then you'll get students who have no interest in math—until they start welding or working on engines. Suddenly, fractions and ratios matter.”

Last year, Wayne attended his first For Teachers course at Prince William Sound College (PWSC), marking his introduction to both the college and Yamaha’s certification program. After completing the Yamaha Intro to Outboard Systems (ITOS) online course and attending hands-on training in Valdez, he brought that experience back to Razdolna. With support from his school and community, Wayne launched a small engines course using Briggs & Stratton engines.

In just one semester, Wayne’s 12 students earned 43 certifications—a remarkable accomplishment for a small, rural school. “Some of these students don’t test well in traditional academics,” Wayne explained. “But give them an engine, and they’ll tear it down and rebuild it in a few hours. They’re incredibly skilled with their hands.”

This year, Wayne returned to PWSC to participate in another For Teachers Yamaha training, led by Anthony Gerasch Jr., PWSC’s Marine Technology Instructor, and Dan Jedlicka, Yamaha’s District Service Manager. The program includes:

Completion of the ITOS online pre-course

In-person enrollment in the Yamaha Maintenance Certification Program (YMCP)
Training in core maintenance modules such as:
Portable Engine
Mid-range Engines
Inline Engines
V-Engines

Participants receive certified credentials, a classroom-ready curriculum, and access to Yamaha’s tools and MCP – the maintenance certification program. Wayne expects to complete three certifications this summer—Intro to Outboard Systems, Portable Outboards, and Inline Outboards—and hopes to finish the remaining modules in January when the instructor visits Soldotna.

Wayne’s wife, Shilo McManus, who took the Marine Ecology For Teachers class last year, also teaches at Razdolna, working with 4th- and 5th-grade students. Together, they form a collaborative teaching team that blends academic foundations with real-world applications. 

With the support of programs like For Teachers and the dedication of educators like Wayne and Shilo, students in Razdolna, Alaska, are gaining meaningful, job-ready skills in mechanics and marine tech—critical steps in building Alaska’s next-generation workforce.