Half Day School teacher Sharyn Powell listens to a student during class Sept. 27. Her teaching skills were recently honored by Symetra with the firm's Heroes in the Classroom award. | Buzz Orr~Sun-Times Media

Half Day School teacher Sharyn Powell's teaching style earned her a Heroes in the Classroom award. Teachers have been tasked with implementing a new Common Core curriculum to prepare students for college and careers. | Buzz Orr~Sun-Times Media

Half Day School teacher Sharyn Powell and her colleagues across Lincolnshire and Buffalo Grove have been tasked with implementing a new common core curriculum to prepare students for college and careers. | Buzz Orr~Sun-Times Media

Half Day School teacher Sharyn Powell leads her class Sept. 27. Powell was recently honored with Symetra's Heroes in the Classroom award. | Buzz Orr~Sun-Times Media

Half Day School's Sharyn Powell teaches her third-graders Sept. 27, 2012. As a Heroes in the Classroom award winner, Powell was a VIP guest at the Chicago Bear's game Sept. 23. | Buzz Orr~Sun-Times Media

Students in Sharyn Powell's third-grade class feak out as Brian Hutchens from Gallagher Benefit Services hands Powell a giant-sized replica of the $1,000 check Gallagher and financial firm Symetra will donate to Powell's school, Half Day Elementary. (Daniel Fairs~courtesy Symetra)

Brian Hutchens from Gallagher Benefit Services tells Half Day third-grade teacher Sharyn Powell about some of the prizes she has just won as that week's recipient of the Heroes of the Classroom award. (Daniel Fairs~courtesy Symetra)