Minn. High School Teachers Win $25K Grant to Establish EMT Program

Two New London-Spicer High School teachers learned Friday they had received a $25,000 first-place prize in the national 2018 Voya Unsung Heroes awards program.

The program awards educators throughout the country with grants for innovative teaching ideas.

Chad Power and Roxanne Schmiesing teamed up to write a plan called "Tomorrow's Heroes" that will give students hands-on experiences as first responders.

The plan focuses on implementing an elective emergency medical technician course at New London-Spicer High School and CPR courses at the middle school level.

Earlier this year, Powers and Schmiesing were notified that they were among 100 winners who received a $2,000 grant and would be in the running for additional prizes—including the top prize of $25,000.

During the NLS Homecoming pep fest Friday afternoon, representatives from the Voya Unsung Heroes program surprised the teachers with word that they were the first-place winners and presented them with a check totalling $27,000.

Their proposal includes giving high school students medical and technical education experience through demonstrations, hands-on practice, volunteer opportunities and certification tests, along with the opportunity to serve their local communities through volunteer service as EMTs.

The plan also includes teaching middle school students CPR and first aid to introduce them to life-saving skills and make them aware of the EMT class they could take in high school.

The grant will allow the district to offer the class to students in the fall of 2019, according to Megan Field, NLS communications director.