On May 24, Symetra and the Seattle Seahawks honored the 24 Puget Sound-area teachers who were recognized as Symetra Heroes in the Classroom during the 2012 NFL season, at a special celebration at CenturyLink Field.

Among the 2012 honorees was Redmond High School orchestra director Paula Ferguson.

Following lunch, the teachers received an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the stadium, which included taking in a view of the field from the press box. The festivities wrapped up in the Seahawks locker room, where each teacher was surprised with a “customized” locker complete with nameplate. Each teacher’s locker’s contents included a plaque commemorating his or her “Heroes” award and a copy of the May 24 edition of the Seattle Times, which featured an ad saluting all 24 Symetra Heroes in the Classroom recipients.

Seahawks left tackle Russell Okung was a special guest, joining the teachers and guests in the players’ locker room. Okung shared a very personal story about his fourth-grade teachers Mrs. Howell and Mrs. Cook.

“Those two teachers, they believed in me,” he said. “They took me aside and they took that extra step to get me right. They had a level of belief in me that I didn’t have in myself. The patience they showed in me paid off.”