Jesse Wren, a teacher at Riverfield Country Day School in Tulsa, has received a $2,000 grant as part of the Voya Financial, Inc.’s 2025 Unsung Heroes awards competition. Wren is the only winner in the entire state of Oklahoma and is one of only 50 winning submissions to receive the award to help fund and bring his program to life. Selected from the hundreds of applications Voya , a leading provider of retirement plans for educators, received from throughout the United States, Wren 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.
For 29 years, the Voya Unsung Heroes program has awarded grants to K-12 educators in the United States to recognize and support their innovative teaching methods, creative educational projects, and their ability to positively influence the children they teach. Since the program’s inception, Voya has awarded more than $6 million nationally in support of educators.
“This award is an opportunity to recognize the creativity and tireless dedication that educators demonstrate in the classroom each day” said Braeden Mayrisch, VP, Impact & Culture at Voya Financial and vice president, Voya Foundation. “At Voya, we are so proud to celebrate these “unsung heroes” and the impact they make within the lives of their students and communities.”
Wren’s innovative teaching project, “Amplifying Student Voices,” empowers students by providing a platform for them to share their voices through podcasting. Leveraging their interest in YouTube, vlogging, and digital storytelling, students will create podcasts that integrate core subjects like literacy, social studies, and science. They will develop research, writing, and public speaking skills while producing episodes on academic and personal topics. The project includes training in recording and editing, fostering creativity and collaboration. The Voya grant will help pay for equipment, software, and podcast hosting. Ultimately, students will have the opportunity to engage real-world audiences, gain confidence and achieve media literacy. Wren also believes podcasting will also deepen curriculum connections and amplify student voices, creating an authentic and impactful learning experience.
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, go here.
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.
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® (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.