Ward Central Teacher Honored with $2,000 Grant

A Ward Central Elementary teacher has been honored with a $2,000 Voya Unsung Heroes Grant for innovative teaching.

JoAnne Wilbanks' innovative teaching idea, “Blinding You With Science,” is focused on creating an environment to help science come alive for her kindergarten students. Wilbanks' believes kindergarten is the perfect opportunity to instill a passion for the scientific process. 

During each unit, she will transform her classroom into a hands-on science lab, complete with manipulatives, glowing mucus/slime and real-life insects. Additionally, she will use virtual reality equipment to help her kindergarten class dive into the ocean, rocket through space and explore the circulatory system of the human body. Wilbanks' hopes her innovative program will inspire her students to become the next generation of scientists.

Selected from a group of more than 1,350 applicants, Wilbanks is one of only 100 winners across the country who will receive this award to help fund and bring her program to life. In addition she will now compete with other finalists for one of the top three prizes, an additional $5,000, $10,000 or $25,000 from Voya Financial. 

Through the Voya Unsung Heroes program, Voya Financial awards grants to K-12 educators nationwide to honor their innovative teaching methods, creative educational projects, and their ability to positively influence the children they teach. This year marks the program's 20th anniversary. Since 1996, it has awarded nearly $5 million in grants to more than 2,000 educators across the United States. 

Click here to read the entire Press Release.

Congratulations to JoAnne Wilbanks and Ward Central Elementary!