Independence Blue Cross (IBX) selected Sarah Damato, a Special Education teacher at Springfield High School in Delaware County, as the third winner of the recently launched IBX Honor Roll campaign. The IBX Honor Roll is a joint initiative with the Philadelphia Phillies that recognizes exemplary teachers in the Philadelphia five-county and New Jersey regions.
The winning nomination noted the extraordinary amount of effort, love, and passion Ms. Damato brings to the classroom every day, her professional capabilities, and how she “always does what is in her students’ best interests.” A 12-year teaching veteran, Ms. Damato shared her love of building connections with students and watching them grow over the years, saying “My students bring me joy every day and they are all so strong and resilient. I love getting the chance to show other students what inclusion looks like and hope they can take that into the real world when they graduate.”
Key highlights
Ms. Damato’s outstanding accomplishments both within and outside of the classroom include:
- Being a caring, supportive, hard-working mother figure to the students within her classroom.
- Serving as a sought-after mentor for numerous teaching assistants (16 during the 2024-2025 academic year), helping them teach beyond perceived disabilities, demonstrating methods that foster dignity, and giving them the support necessary to succeed in both classroom and social settings.
- Cultivating an environment where students and athletes of all abilities come together in friendship and camaraderie beyond the classroom.
- Coaching lacrosse, field hockey, and bocce for the students in her classroom.
- Creating Support a Sport, a non-profit organization giving children with disabilities of all ages the opportunity to participate in sports just like their peers.
As an IBX Honor Roll winner, Ms. Damato will receive:
- A $500 gift card
- An on-field experience and recognition at the July 20 Phillies game
- Recognition on ballpark concourse signage and IBX social media
- An IBX swag bag, including a Phillies jersey and cap
- And a behind-the-scenes Citizens Bank Park tour to share with students or staff.
In total, the IBX Honor Roll campaign will recognize six teachers in 2025 who are hitting it out of the park with their achievements both in and out of the classroom. The first two winners were Rick Asman of Stephen Decatur School in Philadelphia and Allyssa Churchwell from Pennsbury High School in Bucks County.
