On Wednesday, May 7, 2014, Golden Apple, a leader in advancing the teaching profession in Illinois for 29 years, proudly announced the first recipients for the 2014 Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. The 2014 honorees, selected from a pool of 620 nominations and 272 applicants, represent 4th through 8th grade teachers throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. Luke Albrecht, [Morrison High School Class of 1993] who teaches 6, 7, and 8th grade mathematics, algebra, and community at Crown Community Fine Arts Academy in Chicago, IL, was surprised in his classroom.
Albrecht became a teacher because he is committed to a life of service and believes “one person’s impact causes a ripple effect on others’ capacity to help even more people.” Albrecht enjoys teaching mathematics as a process of educating students how to think. He gears his entire class around looking at how people think. He links the Common Core Mathematical Practice of reasoning abstractly and quantitatively strengthening students’ ability to understand themselves and others. He feels strongly that this approach helps create an environment of respect and learning inside and outside the classroom walls. Albrecht insists that teaching is not only about teaching mathematics.
President and CEO of Golden Apple, Dominic Belmonte, praised the recipients. “These amazing teachers demonstrate the skill, enthusiasm, and passion needed to inspire their students to achieve greatness. Each is a shining example of excellence in education, and we are proud to honor them for all they do as teachers.”
Golden Apple has recognized outstanding Chicago-area educators annually since 1986, for their contributions to building a stronger, better-educated citizenry. Golden Apple’s mission is to inspire, develop, and support teacher excellence in Illinois. Golden Apple award recipients play a critical role in furthering the programs of Golden Apple, particularly as members of the faculty, who help prepare the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois to be future teachers within schools of need.
Research shows a high-performing teacher can boost lifetime earnings of a classroom of 20 students by more than $400,000. That is a $2 million aggregate, lifetime earnings increase from just five years of dedicated and quality teaching.
“We all know the impact a well-prepared teacher can have–not only in one classroom–but for future generations of students,” said Belmonte. “Great teachers such as those we honor this week are priceless.”
Each Golden Apple Award recipient receives a tuition-free, spring quarter sabbatical to study at Northwestern University and $3,000. Perhaps most importantly, Award recipients become Fellows of the Golden Apple Academy of Educators, giving them a stronger voice and a larger stage from which to make a difference in education within Illinois and Nationally.
Recipients of the 2014 Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching will be honored at a black-tie gala on Friday, October 24, at WTTW/Channel 11 Studios in Chicago. WTTW will broadcast the awards in a one-hour television program following the event.
Teachers who are eligible for nomination must be full-time classroom teachers at public or non-public schools within Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, or Will Counties, and committed to continue teaching in Illinois for two subsequent years after the sabbatical. The Golden Apple Awards concentrate on specific grade levels each year. In 2014, the focus was on 4-8 grade teachers.
The selection process includes classroom observations of all finalists and interviews with colleagues, administrators, students, and parents.