Recently, TJ Herniak, a local educator and coach from Madison-Grant Jr./Sr. High School, made it to the Top Ten of the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield 2025 Classroom Quarterback competition and was recognized for his many roles at the school.
Lauren Welch, the marketing coordinator for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, said the 2025 Classroom Quarterback is in its fourth year and is a nomination platform created to recognize educators or school staff throughout Indiana who go above and beyond for their students, schools and communities.
“We select the finalists based on their involvement and degree of positive impact on the school and community as well. So of course, we want to hear about their commitment to education, their experience. If there’s any health and wellness initiatives, or any other community involvement,” Welch said.
She also said Herniak was the perfect candidate and example of what the program stands for, with many responsibilities and a strong dedication to students.
When partnering with the Colts, Welch said they share the same values as Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. After the pandemic, she said schools took a big hit, and the organizations wanted to find ways to recognize the staff who keep schools going.
As a finalist, Herniak received a $100 Amazon gift card for school supplies, two tickets to the Colts’ first regular-season home game of the 2025 season, and Colts merchandise.
“Anthem is just proud to be able to support our schools across the state and TJ is providing impactful experiences for strengthening the development of his students. So we are just so proud to be able to recognize him in this way,” Welch said.
A teacher for nine years, Herniak was recently voted in as the new athletic director at Madison-Grant during a school board meeting. Previously, he taught computer science, engineering and business, and said he never thought he would be in the teaching role he holds today.
During his time at Madison-Grant, Herniak has been heavily involved in athletics, coaching football, basketball, track and field, and cross-country. In addition to teaching and coaching, he also served as the assistant athletic director.
“For me, it was just kind of honoring to know that people appreciate the things that I do, and they see me doing stuff. And you know, I don’t do it for that recognition, but it is nice to know that people see that,” Herniak said. “I don’t know that this recognition necessarily changes anything for me, because that was already my goal long before this recognition ever, ever came about. But you know it is, it is honoring, and I am humbled, and I feel blessed to be recognized.”
Before becoming a teacher, Herniak said he never saw himself in education and didn’t have a desire to teach until a former coach, Brian Trout, asked him to help with coaching.
“He asked me a few years in a row to help coach, and I couldn’t, because of my job. And so me and my wife sat down after, I think, the second or third time he had asked me to coach, and we kind of put our heads together,” he said. “And I was like, ‘What do I have to do to get a job that allowed me to coach,’ because that was kind of what I really wanted to do at the time. And my wife was like, well, just be a teacher.”
Herniak said what he enjoys most about teaching and coaching is helping students reach goals they didn’t think were possible.
“Just having belief in them, coaching them really hard and then watching them succeed, like, that’s like the ultimate gift,” Herniak said. “Just seeing kids achieve and do things that they don’t think that they can do is really why I enjoy it.”
“It’s just really rewarding to know that you’re helping them develop and just helping them grow into a good person that they can be,” he added.
Herniak said he had never heard of the Classroom Quarterback program until his wife spearheaded the campaign to submit his nominations. During the selection process, Welch said Herniak received 10 nominations – something rarely seen.
“The nominations weren’t just from his professional life, but personal life as well. Students and parents took the time to submit a nomination for TJ, so that really stood out to us. And then just reading through these, you can tell he is leading by example, going above and beyond for his students, but just fulfilling various roles. It sounds like wherever he’s needed, he’s willing to fill in for the greater good,” Welch said.
Everyday, Herniak has a goal to be one percent better than the day before, a notion he found to be helpful after reading ‘Atomic Habits’. He uses this method every day, making incremental improvements to better himself and to help those around him.
“If I can get a little bit better and it helps the Madison-Grant community, that’s what I desire to do, just kind of give back to the community,” he said.
Herniak will be taking his son to the Colts-Dolphins game using the tickets he won as a finalist. He thanked his wife for playing a significant role in encouraging his career transition, and former coaches and mentors Chris Smedley, Brian Trout and former Athletic Director Ryan Plovick for teaching and supporting him along the way.
Brianna Coffing is a reporter for the Chronicle-Tribune. She can be reached with comments and concerns at bcoffing@chronicle-tribune.com