Phillies and Constellation team up to surprise an All-Star Teacher

Mr. Forrest Harding, a hilarious, thoughtful and kind fifth-grade inclusion classroom teacher at Eleanor Rush Intermediate School is known for wearing Hawaiian shirts on Fridays and singing along with students while playing his ukulele. This past Friday, Mr. Harding, a former puppeteer who chose education as a second career, got the surprise of his life when he was honored as a 2024 Phillies All-Star Teacher, a program powered by Constellation.

Mr. Harding was under the impression that his students were attending an outdoor pep rally to get students ready for next week’s standardized testing. Instead, he was led down a red carpet and greeted by the cheers of 600 of the school’s students, who were all wearing leis in honor of their favorite teacher.

Phillies broadcaster Gregg Murphy and the Phillies Ballgirls led the surprise, and presented Mr. Harding with his very own Phillies City Connect jersey. He was given a Phanatic hand puppet, which he used for an impromptu puppet show, and joined the school’s choir with his ukulele as they sang "Take Me Out to the Ballgame."

Mr. Harding also took part in an All-Star ceremonial first pitch with 1993 National League champion and 2008 World Series champion coach Milt Thompson. Additionally, his colleague Kerry DiSimone, the school’s principal, read the essay that she wrote to the Phillies to nominate him, which was selected from nearly 600 All-Star nominations.

Finally, Mr. Harding celebrated his achievement with a victory lap around the school’s courtyard with his fellow teachers.

The event was held in advance of that evening’s Teacher Appreciation Night powered by Constellation at Citizens Bank Park. Mr. Harding joined nine local All-Star Teachers to be honored before that night’s game against the San Francisco Giants.