An “unsung hero” is someone who makes a difference in the lives of others, but whose accomplishments often go unnoticed.
Eric Cleveland, a teacher at New Roads High School in Santa Monica, has been named one of the nation’s most innovative educators in the 2005 ING Unsung Heroes awards program.
Cleveland created a “Tools to Save the Planet Workshop” program to address the effect that conventional energy sources have on the ecosystem and explore alternative energy sources, specifically, sources involving electricity.
In “Workshop,” a daily discussion of newsworthy issues relating to energy provides a starting point from which students will develop a comprehensive understanding of conventional and alternative energy. They will also explore why conservation and the development of sustainable, less toxic energy should be at the forefront of scientific study.
To culminate their study of energy and how to incorporate cleaner energy into their daily lives, students will communicate news of their work with the entire student body through science fairs and special presentations. Parents and the community will learn of the findings through articles in New Roads’ publications and the local newspapers.
Cleveland lives in Beverly Hills.
One of 100 winners, he received a $2,000 award to advance his work. He is now vying with other winners for one of the top three prizes – an additional $5,000, $10,000 or $25,000.
This year’s winners were selected from a group of nearly 1,150 educators.
The Unsung Heroes program recognizes kindergarten through 12th grade educators nationwide for their innovative teaching methods, creative educational projects, and positive impact on their students. Created in 1995, the program has now awarded more than $2.3 million to nearly 1000 educators across the United States.
“As we celebrate 10 years of the ING Unsung Heroes awards program, ING is honored to award educators like Eric Cleveland who go above and beyond to show their unwavering dedication and commitment to our youth,” said Bill Jasien, senior vice-president of ING U.S. Financial Services.
To learn about this year’s winning projects, as well as those from previous years, visit the ING Unsung Heroes website at www.ing.com/us/unsungheroes. Applications for the 2006 ING Unsung Heroes awards are available by calling 1.800.537.4180 or emailing ing@scholarshipamerica.org.
About ING: ING Group is a global financial institution of Dutch origin offering banking, insurance and asset management to more than 60 million private, corporate and institutional clients in more than 50 countries. With a diverse workforce of more than 112,000 people, ING comprises a broad spectrum of prominent companies that increasingly serve their clients under the ING brand.
ING is a leader in providing 403(b) plans to kindergarten through 12th grade educators and other employees of nonprofit organizations in America. In the U.S., ING offers a comprehensive array of financial services to retail and institutional clients that includes retirement plans, mutual funds, managed accounts, alternative investments, direct banking, institutional investment management, annuities, life insurance, employee benefits, financial planning, and reinsurance.Currently, ING holds top-tier rankings in key U.S. markets and serves more than 14 million customers across the nation. For more information, visit www.ing.com.
