50th Anniversary Honouring the heart, courage, and vision of our 50 champions

Following the close of the nomination period, a selection committee at Educators Financial Group carefully reviewed all eligible submissions. The 50 winners were chosen based on how clearly their nomination demonstrated one of the hero qualities with specific, real-world examples, as well as the depth of the impact the nominee has had on their students, school, or local community.

The contest was open to all current or former members of the education community in Ontario’s private or publicly funded elementary, secondary, and post-secondary schools. This included any role across the education sector, from teachers and administrators to support staff, custodian, and more.

The six qualities are core values we believe embody an Education Hero. Each of our 50 winners was celebrated for demonstrating one of these key qualities: • Goodness: They are honest and trustworthy and show deep compassion for others. • Courage and bravery: They act with strength and confidence in the face of challenges. • Selflessness: They prioritize the needs of their students and/or school community above their own. • Perseverance: They demonstrate unwavering dedication and determination to overcome obstacles. • Leadership: They inspire and empower others to achieve their full potential. • Wisdom: They share their knowledge and guidance to help others grow and succeed.

In celebration of our 50th anniversary, each of the 50 Education Heroes received a prize of $500 as a thank you for their hard work and dedication.

Simply navigate to the winner's page to read a summary about each winner and the lasting impact they have made.

Educators Financial Group has been proudly serving Ontario’s education community for 50 years. Originally created as a union benefit by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF), our mission remains the same: to create peace of mind for members of the education community in Ontario by delivering financial solutions tailored to their unique needs.

This contest is part of our 50th anniversary celebration, and its our way of giving back and recognizing the incredible heroes within the community we’ve been dedicated to serving for the last 50 years.