MOULTRIE, GEORGIA – September 17, 2025–
Colquitt County High School English and Drama Teacher Jennifer Bowers was awarded a $2000 grant from Voya Financial, Inc. as part of their Unsung Heroes Program. According to the press release from Voya, "Bowers is the only winner in the entire state of Georgia and is one of only 50 winning submissions to receive the award to help fund and bring her program to life. Selected from the hundreds of applications Voya received throughout the United States, Bowers will now compete with other finalists for one of the top three prizes — an additional $5,000 for third place, $10,000 for second place, or $25,000 for first place from Voya Financial."
Voya has awarded grants to K-12 educators through the Unsung Heroes program for 29 years. The grant program supports educators in the United States by funding innovative teaching methods, creative educational projects, and ways to influence the children they teach positively. They have awarded over 6 million dollars nationally to date. In the press release from Voya, Braeden Mayrisch, Vice President of Impact and Culture, stated, "At Voya, we are so proud to celebrate these 'unsung heroes' and the impact they make within the lives of their students and communities."
The press release also shared Bowers' creative project idea: Bowers' "Performance Space," which involves providing dedicated performance space for students at Colquitt County High School. Although there is an auditorium in the community that the school currently shares with local residents, students do not have access to the light and sound booths, and the school's drama classroom does not have curtains or technical equipment. The Voya grant will help fund the installation of a stage curtain, stage lighting, and sound equipment to create a functional, dedicated space for student performances. This project will provide students with not only an official stage, but also hands-on experience in technical theatre, allowing them to learn lighting design, sound design, and stage management—essential skills for future careers in the arts. According to Bowers, this project will enhance performance opportunities, develop technical theater skills, foster creativity and confidence, and provide equitable access to theatre education while growing the performing arts program because it will allow for opportunities beyond performances.
"I am so incredibly thankful to get to do what I do in a place where the arts are so supported by the administration and the district," shared Bowers. "We have an enormously talented Fine Arts family here, and I want to give our students every opportunity I can. This grant will allow us to install a curtain, lights, and sound in our drama classroom, creating an equitable environment for all drama students."
About Voya and the Unsung Heroes Program
To learn more about this year's winning projects, as well as those from previous years, visit the Unsung Heroes website. To apply for the 2026 Voya Unsung Heroes grant, visit https://www.voya.com/page/voya-unsung-heroesr.
Unsung Heroes is part of Voya Foundation's signature program, Voya Teacher Voices, that focuses on empowering teachers to become leaders by promoting the teaching career, recognizing high-achieving educators, providing training opportunities, and offering financial support to achieve their goals.
About the Voya Foundation
Voya Foundation's mission is to improve the quality of life in communities where Voya Financial operates and its employees and customers live. Voya Foundation provides grants and establishes signature partnerships in the areas of financial literacy and children's education, and fosters employee engagement to deepen our positive impact on the community. For more information, visit VoyaFoundation.com.
About Voya Financial®
Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA) is a leading retirement, employee benefits, and investment management company. Voya's services and solutions help clear the path to financial confidence and a more fulfilling life for approximately 15.7 million individual, workplace, and institutional clients. Certified as a "Great Place to Work" by the Great Place to Work® Institute, Voya fosters a culture that values customer-centricity, integrity, accountability, agility, and inclusivity. Voya employees fight together with customers and partners for everyone's opportunity for a better financial future. For more information, visit voya.com and follow Voya Financial on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.