A Hermiston middle school teacher is the recipient of a $2,000 grant from Voya Financial, Inc.
Voya Financial, Inc., is a provider of retirement plans for educators.
The grant award is part of the company’s , announced today that Robert Doherty, a teacher at Armand Larive Middle School in 2016 Voya Unsung Heroes awards competition.
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.
“At Voya, we not only have the privilege of helping teachers plan for their retirement, we also have this unique opportunity to help them dream big in the classroom and inspire their students to do the same,” said Heather Lavallee, president of Tax-Exempt Markets at Voya Financial. “We are proud to recognize those exceptional teachers who work every day to raise the bar of their profession and find new ways to spark a love of learning. As we help Americans plan, invest and protect their savings to build a secure financial future, we’re honored to help Robert Doherty go above and beyond to prepare his students for their own bright future.”
Students involved in Doherty’s program have an opportunity to prepare news stories, write scripts, and shoot interviews. The objective of the program is to provide students with the technological skills needed for video production in the 21st century, as well as focus on their writing and speaking skills.
Through the use of sophisticated video editing software, students will learn how to edit video interviews, clips, and overlay voice-overs and compile those elements into a compelling story – just as it is done in a professional ewsroom. In a class of 30 students, several computers with video editing software will provide opportunities for all students to participate in producing and finalizing their own news projects for Armand Larive Middle School’s TV program.
Selected from a group of more than 1,350 applicants, Doherty is one of only 100 winners across the country and the only grant recipient from Oregon who will receive this award to help fund and bring his program to life. In addition he 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.
