NN A A A fi ANNNDLLYY LCV TDN LA ALARA A QS XL Y\ Unsung Heroes Are Rewarded For Their Hard Work (NAPSA)—Eachday, the nation’s Vegetable Bio-fuel from Waste Vegetable Oil” program. The program gives at-risk participants in sixth through eighth grade a chance to develop a usable alter- educators work hard to develop creative lesson plans and offer uniquely effective ways to help their students succeed—often dipping into their own pocketsto help fundprojects. Outside classroom walls, these efforts may go ll unnoticed. Fortunately, an awards pro- gram has honored these “unsung heroes” for more than a decade and is committed to recognizing en se iil usdiie t i and rewarding educators for their hard work. The ING Unsung Heroes awards program recognizes the nation’s kindergarten through 12th grade educators for their innovative teaching methods, creative educational projects and ability to makea positive influence on the children they teach. Since handing out the first award in 1996, the program has awarded more than $2.5 million to more than 1,000 educators. After receiving more than 1,100 Teachers whopositively influence their students are rewarded and honored as Unsung Heroes. Participating students will complete projects after school, on weekends and on breaks. Stu- dents will also help select makeover applicants, showing their involvement throughout the entire process. Key learning skills will be addressed over the course of the fuel vehicles with those operated by diesel fuel. Smithers and his class want to reduce the amount of fossil fuels that the school consumes. Smithers and Open Meadow Middle School were awarded $12,000. The third-place award went to Michael St. Pierre for his “Computer Architecture Learn & Serve” program to help salvage old computers and computer parts. His students refurbish donated computers and parts and put them back into working circulation in classrooms, libraries and community-based programs, as well as homes of children in such programs as ESL (English as a Second Lan- applications this year and choosing 100 initial $2,000 award winners, Scotty Herrell, a teacher at Clinton Middle School in Clinton, Tenn., was selected to receive the program’s top prize. As the winner, science and pre-engineering prin- guage) and special education. St. struction ideas. “Through Scotty’s efforts, we have seen the level of excitement School in Galliano, La., were $25,000 dents increase tremendously,” said Herrell will receive an additional for his “Extreme program as students apply math, nate fuel. The idea behind the project is to make enough fuel to replace all of the school’s unleaded ciples to their design and con- and motivation among ourstu- Makeover: Middle School Edition” service learning program. Herrell’s program will teach students how to use engineering Middle School. “His dedication and excitement about the program project will help improve the of learning and service and has a lasting impact on the community.” The program’s 2006 second- principles for civic purposes in their community and beyond. The homesof those touched by tragedy through the application of carpentry, landscaping and design skills by his students. Sue Voskamp, principal of Clinton provides our students the opportunity to experience the excitement place award went to Brian Smithers of Portland, Ore., for his “Waste Not, Want Not: Making Pierre and South Lafourche High awarded $7,000. To learn about this year’s winning projects, as well as those from previous years, visit www.ing.com/us/unsungheroes. For applications for the awards, e- mailing@scholarshipamerica.org or call (800) 537-4180. ING is a global financial institu- tion. The ING family of companies offer 403(b) plans to kindergarten through 12th grade educators and other employees of nonprofit organizations. For more information, visit www.ing.com/us.
