Philadelphia teacher surprised with the $5,000 Heart of Learning Award

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — A Philadelphia teacher received a huge surprise on Monday for her compassion, commitment and impact on students and families.

Brittanie Speirs was given Citadel’s Heart of Learning Award for her dedication to helping students succeed at the Laura W. Waring School in the city’s Spring Garden neighborhood.

The award comes with a $5,000 grant.

Speirs is a special education teacher supporting autistic students in grades 6 through 8.

She was selected after receiving nearly 50 nominations from colleagues, students and parents.

The recognition is part of Citadel Credit Union’s 25th anniversary Heart of Learning Awards program, which will honor 35 educators across Greater Philadelphia in 2026.

This year, Citadel is awarding a record $100,000 in grants, bringing the program’s total giving to nearly $700,000 over 25 years.

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