As one of 100

winners, Filko will now vie with other winners for one of the top three

prizes - an additional $5,000, $10,000, or $25,000.

The Education's

Unsung Heroes Awards recognizes kindergarten through 12th grade educators

nationwide for their innovative teaching methods, creative educational

projects and ability to make a positive influence on the children they

teach. Now in its seventh year, the program has awarded more than $1.5

million to 660 educators across the United States.

Filko's "Science

in the Palm of Our Hands" project puts hand-held computers in the

hands of third to fifth grade students to collect and analyze scientific

data in the field. In one activity, students visit two lakes, two ponds,

a creek and a wetland to take temperature readings and measure pH and

oxygen levels to gauge overall water quality. The data is transferred

to computers at the school for further analysis and report writing. Findings

are published on a student Web site and shared with the local water system,

an environmental group, and the Environmental Protection Agency. Through

this, students gain a better understanding of science concepts and deepen

their appreciation for local ecology, history and geography.

"One of

the great joys of working with educators like we do, is getting to see

these remarkable programs first-hand," said ING Senior Vice President

O.V. Williams, Jr. "There's some tremendous teaching by some fantastic

teachers out there. We're just elated to play a small part in the continuing

success of these projects in schools all across the country."

To participate

in the competition, educators submit applications describing the projects

they have initiated or envisioned for the future. Their applications are

judged on project description, benefits to students and the use of funds

for the project. The top three award winners are selected each year by

ING Northern Annuity's Educators Advisory Board, which consists of seven

distinguished educators from across the United States.

Anyone who

would like to learn about this year' winning projects, as well as those

from previous years, can visit ING's Education's Unsung Heroes Awards

web site at www.unsungheroes.com. Applications for the 2003 Education's

Unsung Heroes Awards are available on the Web site or by calling 866-464-7355,

option 1, ext. 25209.