EXTON, PA — Citadel Credit Union distributed more than $100,000 in awards to educators and schools across the Philadelphia region through its 25th annual Heart of Learning Awards program, with a Chester County art teacher receiving one of six countywide grand prizes.
Matthew Handerhan, an art teacher at Scott Middle School in the Coatesville Area School District, was named Chester County’s grand prize recipient. The award included $5,000 for Handerhan and an additional $5,000 for Scott Middle School.
The annual program recognizes teachers nominated by students, parents, colleagues, and community members for their contributions inside and outside the classroom. Citadel honored more than 30 educators across Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties this year.
Other Chester County educators recognized through the program were Jeffrey Ferguson, a seventh-grade math teacher at E.N. Peirce Middle School in the West Chester Area School District; Joseph Hawkins, a chemistry teacher at Owen J. Roberts High School; Brigid Redmond, an autism support teacher at Devon Elementary School in the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District; Connor Tabak, an autistic support teacher at Great Valley Middle School; and Dana Webb, an English teacher at Oxford Area High School.
Beth Adams, a first-grade teacher at New Eagle Elementary School in the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District, also received one of three special 25th Anniversary Awards recognizing educators with at least 25 years of service.
Citadel reported awarding more than $100,000 in prizes during the 2026 program. Each county grand prize winner received $10,000, split evenly between the educator and their school, while additional winners received $1,000 awards.
The credit union also recognized three educators with 25 or more years of experience through special anniversary awards that included $2,500 prizes. Alongside Adams, recipients included Nancy Cubano of Independence Charter School in Philadelphia and Arlene Gibble of Park Elementary School in Columbia Borough.
According to Citadel, the Heart of Learning Awards program has recognized more than 465 teachers and distributed approximately $700,000 in grants and prizes since its launch.
Among this year’s other county grand prize winners were Beth Madden of Holicong Middle School in Bucks County, Brittany Hagan of Garnet Valley Middle School in Delaware County, Kimberly McFadden of McCaskey High School in Lancaster County, Betina Roher of Abington High School in Montgomery County, and Brittanie Speirs of Laura W. Waring Elementary School in Philadelphia.
Citadel has opened nominations for the 2026-27 Heart of Learning Awards cycle. Community members may nominate educators at https://www.citadelbanking.com/nominate.
A complete list of winners is available at https://www.citadelbanking.com.
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