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Prince George's Co. teacher gets $27K for job skills program

The innovative teaching idea will focus on helping high school students with severe cognitive disabilities develop real-world skills.

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. — A Prince George's County teacher was all smiles Thursday when she got an A+ surprise in the form of a check.

LeAnn Holden-Martin, a teacher at Charles H. Flowers High School in Springdale, was surprised by her students and co-workers with her Voya's Unsung Heroes award.

The big honor was given by the organization that provides grants to teachers who have inspired success in the classroom. Voya Unsung Heroes helps educators turn their innovative ideas into reality for their students. 

According to the Voya website, Holden-Martin's innovative teaching idea is called 'Sonny House Job Skills Program' which focuses on helping high school students with severe cognitive disabilities develop real-world job skills. The program will help students receive specialized training for a broad range of jobs including housekeeping, laundry care, grocery bagging/shelving, mail sorting, car detailing, gardening and office work. 

"The skills students learn will promote positive self-esteem for a population that struggles every day to be accepted in the community," the website said. "According to Holden-Martin, the project will allow students to explore different skills, which she hopes will empower them to make more informed decisions for themselves and develop self-determination."

Holden-Martin was the first place winner for 2022. She beat out 50 other teachers nationwide for the title that comes with some bragging rights and a $27,000 check.

Watch Next: DC teacher honored by Amazon's "Regular Heroes" as he transforms his kitchen into a chemistry lab

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