FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Receives $5,000 cash and podcast feature

Julian Coleman, a K-8 Music teacher at Global Leadership Academy West in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has been awarded the prestigious Honored National Teaching Award for February 2026. As part of his honor, he received a $5,000 cash award and was featured on Inspiring Teachers: The Honored Podcast.

Mr. Coleman was nominated for the Honored Award by the nonprofit organization Summer House Institute for his life-changing impact. As a performer, recording artist, and mentor, he brings his lived experience into the classroom to remind his scholars of the possibilities through music. By sharing his life and experiences outside of the classroom, he is building stronger relationships with his scholars, gaining their trust, and building a space where they can find a safe haven. 

In talking with his scholars, Trinity Boyd-Bloom said that seeing Mr. Coleman on The Voice “shows that anybody can do anything they put their mind to as long as they believe. And it encouraged me to keep moving forward and doing what I’m doing because if Mr. Coleman can do that, then I can too.” Another one of his scholars, Zarrah Pitts, shared that the music room “is a place where I can come to when I need an escape from everyday schoolwork that gets really tough for me.” 

To hear more about the inspiring impact of Julian Coleman’s teaching, listen to his story at https://www.honored.org/honoree/julian-coleman.

Honored is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping great teachers in the classroom and inspiring a new generation of talent to pursue teaching. Each month of the school year, Honored shines a spotlight on a teacher who has changed the life of a single student. The Honoree receives a $5,000 cash award, and Honored shares their story on their podcast and social media. Honorees are selected from Pre-K-12 teachers of all subjects at public, private, and charter schools across the country.

For more information about Honored, visit honored.org. To nominate a teacher, visit honored.org/nominate.  For regular updates on Honored and our monthly Honorees, follow and like us on Facebook, X, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Instagram. You can also listen to our podcast at https://honored.podbean.com/.

Honored Press Contact

Hannah Bowyer-Rivette

[email protected]

‪540-315-7052‬