OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — An Omaha teacher is smiling a bit bigger this week.
Second grade teacher, Christine Koltas, was chosen as the winner of Braces Omaha’s ‘Smiles for Teachers’ program.
Dr. Clarke Stevens shared the news with Koltas by surprising her in her classroom in front of her students at Rose Hill Elementary.
She now gets a free aligner or braces treatment.
The community sent in around 25,000 votes between 22 applicants. Koltas received more than 8,200 of those votes.
In her application, she wrote that her goal as a teacher is to help "young children become successful adults."
Koltas says she has looked into getting braces and aligner treatment but couldn't afford it.
“I'm going to try not to cry, but this is such a wonderful opportunity. The other 21 people are just so deserving, but I’m also so humbled that an orthodontist would do this for teachers," Koltas said.
This is the fourth year of the Smiles for Teachers program.
Dr. Stevens says the program is designed to recognize local educators who go above and beyond.
