Phillies honor 10 Philadelphia-area teachers on Teacher Appreciation Night
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A South Jersey teacher received a surprise visit Friday morning from World Series champion coach Milt Thompson and the Phillie Phanatic after being named an "all-star teacher" by the Philadelphia Phillies.
Forrest Harding, a former children's television puppeteer, teaches fifth grade at Eleanor Rush Intermediate School, and he's one of 10 local teachers the Phillies will honor Friday at Citizens Bank Park during Teacher Appreciation Night against the San Francisco Giants.
Harding found out about the honor during a pep rally at the school Friday morning with Thompson and the Phanatic.
"Shocked," Harding said. "I'm still processing what I just saw and experienced."
Many students said Harding deserved the recognition.
"It's great," Mason Sawyer said. "It's an honor to have him as a teacher this year. He's been really fun this year."
Harding is known for wearing Hawaiian shirts on Fridays and playing the ukulele, and his fellow teachers described him as an inspiration.
"He brings so much humor and joy to all of the students' lives," Karen Sweet, his co-teacher, said. "I feel so lucky to work with not only a wonderful teacher, but he's just an amazing human being all around and a wonderful friend."
The Phillies will open a four-game series with the Giants on Friday night - and it's another Nike City Connect game. The game will be broadcast exclusively on Apple TV+.