FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Receives $5,000 cash and podcast feature

Devon Houghton, a 4th-grade teacher at Beatrice H. Wood Elementary School in Plainville, Massachusetts, has been given the prestigious Honored National Teaching Award for January 2026. As part of her honor, she received a $5,000 cash award and was featured on Inspiring Teachers: The Honored Podcast.

Mrs. Houghton is dedicated to building strong relationships with her students and cultivating a growth-oriented learning environment where they feel brave and celebrated. Through morning meetings and end-of-day check-ins, students are encouraged to share openly and show up authentically. She also incorporates affirmations throughout the day to build confidence, and models how trust is reciprocal—sharing parts of her life so students truly know her, too.

Mrs. Houghton was nominated for the Honored Award by her former student, Sammy. As Sammy transitioned to 5th grade, she was bullied by another student, which affected her confidence. She didn’t want to go to school and lost her love for learning. During this time, Mrs. Houghton’s classroom remained a safe space for her where Sammy felt believed in, listened to, and supported during a time when she needed it the most. On Mrs. Houghton’s impact, Sammy said, “She changed my life. I want to be like she was to everyone else, and I want to be a teacher because of her.” 

To hear more about the inspiring impact of Devon Houghton’s teaching, listen to her story at https://www.honored.org/honoree/devon-houghton/.

Honored is a national nonprofit, nonpartisan 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