Citadel Credit Union has opened the nomination period for its annual Citadel Heart of Learning Awards program.

Nominations will be accepted through Jan. 15, 2024.

The program honors local teachers throughout Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties who go above and beyond for their students at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.

Posters will be provided in schools across the area with QR codes directly linking to the form. In addition to a written nomination form, Citadel will accept video nominations on TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook, tagging @citadelcreditunion on TikTok or @CitadelBanking on Instagram and Facebook with the hashtag #CitadelHeartofLearning.

Winners will be announced in May 2024 and will receive a total of $60,000 in grants and awards, along with a heart-shaped, glass-blown trophy.

“Recognizing and celebrating educators who make a difference in the lives of young people throughout the Greater Philadelphia area is an honor for us all at Citadel,” said Bill Brown, Citadel’s President and CEO. “Citadel’s commitment to the community is one of the values that brought me to the organization, and we are thrilled and humbled to give back to these impactful individuals year after year.”

The Citadel Heart of Learning Award is one of Citadel’s longest-standing initiatives, officially founded 23 years ago in partnership with the Chester County Intermediate Unit to acknowledge local teachers who go above and beyond, both in and out of the classroom. Throughout the program’s history, more than 400 teachers have received this prestigious award out of thousands of nominations received each year.

“It’s great to see administrators and entire schools get involved to rally around their teachers,” said Mike Schnably, co-founder of the Citadel Heart of Learning Awards program. “We have so many amazing educators, schools, and districts here in southeast Pennsylvania, and we’d like to give them a reason to celebrate.”

Complete eligibility information and details can be found at Citadel Credit Union.