Inspiring Teachers: The Honored Podcast
Teacher recognition is a powerful way to keep exceptional educators engaged and fulfilled and prevent attrition—yet too often, their incredible contributions go unacknowledged. Inspiring Teachers: The Honored Podcast shines a spotlight on the extraordinary impact teachers make across the country.
Teacher recognition is a powerful way to keep exceptional educators engaged and fulfilled and prevent attrition—yet too often, their incredible contributions go unacknowledged. Inspiring Teachers: The Honored Podcast shines a spotlight on the extraordinary impact teachers make across the country.
Episodes

Monday Jan 06, 2025
Monday Jan 06, 2025
Aleah Washington, a middle school Resource Specialist at Murray Middle School in Ridgecrest, California, is the recipient of our January 2025 Honored National Teaching Award. She was nominated for this award by Jocelin Quinton, who shares the incredible impact Aleah Washington has had on Jocelin's son, Ty.
You'll hear about:
- Ms. Washington's journey to becoming a teacher
- The impact Ms. Washington's class has had on Ty and Mrs. Quinton
- Ms. Washington's dedication to building confidence and supporting her students
- The extraordinary work Ms. Washington is doing to make a life-changing impact on her students
You'll also hear from Oscar-winning actor and professor, Matthew McConaughey, who shares about a teacher who left an incredible impact on their journey. This audio is credited to Nicholas Ferroni, who is an Educator, Advocate, and Activist. You can learn more about Nicholas Ferroni in the episode credits below.
Links Mentioned:
- Read more about Aleah's story: https://www.honored.org/honoree/aleah-washington/
- Nominate a teacher: https://www.honored.org/nominate/
- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/honored/
- Follow us on Twitter: https://x.com/honored/
- Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Honored.org/
- Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/honored.org
- Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@honoredteachers
Episode Music Credits:
- Music by DanaMusic: https://pixabay.com/users/danamusic-31920663/
- Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/
- Teachers Who Inspired segment audio of Matthew McConaughey: https://www.instagram.com/p/C1nSjjquaxv/?hl=en

Thursday Dec 05, 2024
Thursday Dec 05, 2024
Joseph Keeney, a middle and high school Orchestra teacher at Lee's Summit North High School in Lee's Summit, Missouri, is the recipient of our December 2024 Honored National Teaching Award. He was nominated for this award by his student, Evita Churchill. In this episode, we are also joined by Evita and her mom, Jennifer Churchill.
You'll hear about:
- Mr. Keeney's journey to becoming a teacher
- The impact Mr. Keeney's class had on Evita
- Jennifer's heartfelt story of the impact she saw on Evita
- Mr. Keeney's commitment to creating an inclusive space where all students can have fun and feel valued
You'll also hear from our special guest, Wendy Kopp, CEO and Co-founder of Teach For All, as she shares the story of a teacher who had a lasting impact on her life.
Links Mentioned:
- Read more about Joseph's story: https://www.honored.org/honoree/joseph-keeney/
- Nominate a teacher: https://www.honored.org/nominate/
- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/honored/
- Follow us on Twitter: https://x.com/honored/
- Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Honored.org/
- Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/honored.org
- Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@honoredteachers
Episode Music Credits:
- Music by DanaMusic: https://pixabay.com/users/danamusic-31920663/
- Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/

Tuesday Nov 19, 2024
Tuesday Nov 19, 2024
Diana Fernandez, a kindergarten teacher at Pinecrest Cove Preparatory Academy in Miami, Florida, is the recipient of our November 2024 Honored National Teaching Award. She was nominated for this award by parent Lianet Sarduy, who shares the incredible impact Diana Fernandez has had on Lianet's son, Aidan.
You'll hear about:
- Diana’s inspiring journey to becoming a teacher
- Aidan’s favorite experiences in Mrs. Fernandez’s classroom
- Lianet’s heartfelt story of her son’s transformation
- Diana’s commitment to emotional learning, fostering a nurturing environment, and empowering her students to reach their full potential
You'll also hear from our special guest, Garrett Boone, co-founder of the container store, as he shares the story of a teacher who had a lasting impact on his life.
Links Mentioned:
- Read more about Diana's story: https://www.honored.org/honoree/diana-fernandez/
- Nominate a teacher: https://www.honored.org/nominate/
- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/honored/
- Follow us on Twitter: https://x.com/honored/
- Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Honored.org/
- Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/honored.org
- Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@honoredteachers
Episode Music Credits:
- Music by DanaMusic: https://pixabay.com/users/danamusic-31920663/
- Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/
Download The Episode Transcript Here:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vN9hfk4g9xB7MUYn_wLMKRwtoD6WnpPz4dIR-Do8abg/edit?usp=sharing

Tuesday Nov 12, 2024
Introduction To Honored
Tuesday Nov 12, 2024
Tuesday Nov 12, 2024
Welcome to Inspiring Teachers: The Honored Podcast, where we shine a spotlight on life-changing teachers across the country. Our podcast is brought to you by Honored, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring and elevating great teachers.
In this episode, you will hear about:
- The history and impact of Honored
- The importance of teacher recognition
- What you can expect from our podcast
Links Mentioned:
- Nominate a teacher: https://www.honored.org/nominate/
- Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/honored/
- Follow us on Twitter: https://x.com/honored/
- Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Honored.org/
- Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/honored.org
- Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@honoredteachers
Episode Music Credits:
- Music by DanaMusic: https://pixabay.com/users/danamusic-31920663/
- Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/
Download The Episode Transcript Here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/11S62uu_64l6CZk5rpH78do30mrHkESPAOMoMHslj_-U/edit?usp=sharing




