Voya Financial Congratulates 2016 National Teacher of the Year Jahana Hayes

NEW YORK, April 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), proudly honors Jahana Hayes, a history teacher at John F. Kennedy High School in Waterbury, CT, who today was named the 2016 National Teacher of the Year. Next week, Hayes will be honored, along with the other 2016 State Teachers of the Year, by President Obama at a White House Ceremony. 

Voya is the presenting sponsor of the prestigious National Teacher of the Year program, which recognizes excellence in the classroom, highlights the important positive impact that skilled teachers can have on the lives of their students, amplifies teachers' voices and empowers them to participate in policy discussions at the state and national levels. This year marks Voya's 12^th year supporting the National Teacher of the Year program, run by the Council of Chief State School Officers.

"Voya has a long history of supporting children's education and financial literacy.  We are proud to support programs like National Teacher of the Year that shine a spotlight on some of the best teachers in the nation," said Carolyn Johnson, president of Annuities and Tax-Exempt Markets, Voya Financial. "Jahana's success teaching and motivating her students through community service is an inspiration.  Voya would like to congratulate her and all of the 2016 State Teachers of the Year."

Hayes is known for uniquely connecting education with community involvement to help students improve their community, while also strengthening their character. She has done this by creating volunteer opportunities with organizations like Habitat for Humanity and by organizing community events that address obstacles her students face in their personal lives. Hayes' approach has been so successful that today she is developing a service-learning curriculum for her school district. As the 2016 National Teacher of the Year, she will spend the next year traveling the nation to represent educators and advocate on behalf of teachers and students.

Supporting programs like National Teacher of the Year furthers Voya's mission and vision, which is to help all Americans — including teachers — become financially and emotionally ready for their retirement. Through its charitable giving arm, Voya Foundation, the company is committed to programs that help young people stay in school, graduate on time and become prepared to enter the 21^st-century workforce. At the core of Voya Foundation is the belief that education is the key to healthy communities, which in turn fosters the sustainability and growth of the economy.  

In addition to Hayes, the finalists for the 2016 National Teacher of the Year are:

• Nathan Gibbs-Bowing, a social studies teacher at Lincoln High School in Tacoma, WA,
• Daniel Jocz, a social studies teacher at Downtown Magnets High School in Los Angeles, CA and
• Shawn Sheehan, a specialized education algebra teacher at Norman High School in Norman, OK. 

Learn more about Voya's support of the National Teacher of the Year program here.

About Voya Financial^®

Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), helps Americans plan, invest and protect their savings — to get ready to retire better. Serving the financial needs of approximately 13 million individual and institutional customers in the United States, Voya is a Fortune 500 company that had $11 billion in revenue in 2015. The company had $452 billion in total assets under management and administration as of Dec. 31, 2015. With a clear mission to make a secure financial future possible — one person, one family, one institution at a time — Voya's vision is to be America's Retirement Company™. The company is equally committed to conducting business in a way that is socially, environmentally, economically and ethically responsible — Voya has been recognized as one of the 2016 World's Most Ethical Companies^® by the Ethisphere Institute, and as one of the Top Green Companies in the U.S., by Newsweek magazine. For more information, visit voya.com. Follow Voya Financial on Facebook and Twitter @Voya.

About Voya Foundation

Voya Foundation's mission is to improve the quality of life in communities where Voya Financial® operates and its employees and customers live. Voya Foundation provides grants and establishes signature partnerships in the areas of financial literacy and children's education and fosters employee engagement to deepen our positive impact on the community. For more information, visit www.voyafoundation.com.

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SOURCE Voya Financial, Inc.