Latest news with #GoldenAppleFoundation
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The Golden Apple Foundation recognizes Shelby Co. teacher for education efforts
SHELBYVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — Each year, The Golden Apple Foundation picks several teachers and principals across Illinois who have a lasting impact on students and the community. This year, one of those educators came from Shelbyville High School. Tim Aberle, who teaches world history and psychology, was selected and recognized by the foundation. He was picked out of nearly 500 nominations for 9th-12th grade teachers. Vermilion Co. Health Department announces electronic recycling event for next month 'I was just trying to take it all in as best as I could, just rolling with the punches and just looking around me and just trying to be in the moment and enjoy it,' Aberle said. Aberle has been working in the district for five years. He said what got him into this career were the ones before him. 'I love to learn, and when I was growing up, school was a warm, safe, welcoming place to me,' Aberle said. 'At school was a place where my interests were nurtured and I had teachers that inspired me and motivated me.' Now he's able to take what he's learned over his 10-year career and implement that into the classroom. 'I've been blessed to have Mr. Aberle as a teacher,' said Kenna Prosser, student of Aberle. The senior in high school said Aberle is one teacher she connected with. 'People say enough is enough' — Citizens Utility Board fighting record-breaking gas rate hike 'Truly, I've seen he cares deeply about his students. He checks in on us, he asks what we want to do in our future,' Prosser said. 'If we're struggling, he'll sit down and see how he can help us in any way.' And those are just a few qualities into why The Golden Apple Foundation picked him. 'It's incredible, it's incredible and it prompts me again to look back at all the nights and days that it wasn't always easy,' Aberle said. 'It's not always smooth, sometimes it's hard.' Aberle said this award shows the strength and resilience in not giving up. 'I'm always learning, and I'm always shifting, and I learn something from each and every one of them [his students],' Aberle said. 'And ideally, it's something I can give back to them right away, but I become a better teacher because of my interaction, my relationship with them.' He was awarded a $5,000 check and a spring sabbatical from Northwestern University. This means he'll be able to take free classes next year to learn anything he wants. Aberle and the other 10 recipients will now help play a role in preparing the next generation of teachers in the Golden Apple's scholars and accelerators programs, which are dedicated to addressing the teacher shortage in Illinois. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
El Dorado teacher honored with prestigious education award
One more mark of prestige was added atop the tall pile of educational accolades held by Hope Cahill on Friday morning. But for Cahill, 50, one of five New Mexicans honored this year with the Golden Apple teacher's award — and the only recipient in the Santa Fe school district — it was an elaborate surprise. Students at El Dorado Community School were lured to the school gym Friday morning under the guise of throwing Jell-O at their school principal John Sais, who said a big announcement was to come. ' Somebody in this room is going to be very surprised here in a few minutes,' Sais announced, wearing a full-body plastic suit to stain-proof himself. 'Can I have Ms. Cahill come down please?' he said to the students in the bleachers, with Cahill standing at the top. The students would later have their chance to pelt Sais with Jell-O, but the immediate electrified reactions to Cahill's name — without mentioning the award — proved they didn't need deception to show up and support a beloved educator. 'That's my teacher!' yelled one student, while the rest cheered wildly as Cahill bashfully descended to the center of the gym to accept the award. 050925_md_goldenapple2.jpg Richard Grainger III, right, executive director of the Golden Apple Foundation of New Mexico, presents El Dorado Community School science teacher/instructional leader Hope Cahill, center, with a Golden Apple Excellence in Teaching Award on Friday, May 9, 2025. While it is her first Golden Apple, it's not her first accolade. Cahill is heavily decorated, a recipient of the 2020 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching and the district's 2021 Teachers who Inspire Award. And she was one of two honored in 2022 as an Outstanding New Mexico Science Teacher Awardee by the New Mexico Academy of Science. Her latest award is presented by the Golden Apple Foundation of New Mexico, a teacher-centered nonprofit that has been issuing the honors for almost 30 years. Aileen Garcia, a former principal and educator, is 'probably the longest-serving member,' of the selection committee, she said, and one of the ones who sat in on Cahill's classroom. 'Hope is very humble,' Garcia said in an inerview. 'And her name, Hope, reflects the attitude she emits to all her students.' Site-visitors like Garcia from the nonprofit sit in on a teacher's classroom after they've been nominated by a student's parents and selected as a finalist by a committee consisting largely of former educators and administrators. Cahill is a relationship-builder, Garcia added, who takes serious stock in students, parents, and colleagues — and she uses those relationships to recognize how to motivate others to succeed. ' She's not just a teacher. She helps with the whole school. I mean, there's nothing she doesn't do,' Garcia said. 050925_md_goldenapple3.jpg El Dorado Community School science teacher/instructional leader Hope Cahill, center holding flowers, poses for a picture as students raise their arms in the air after Cahill was presented with a Golden Apple Excellence in Teaching Award on Friday, May 9, 2025. Cahill, who has taught across subjects and across grades at El Dorado since 2012, is heavily involved, even outside of the school. 'It's about opportunity,' Cahill said in an interview. 'We want our students to be creative, constructive thinkers, and I think it takes opportunities beyond … the classroom to get them there." Outside of her duties as teacher, Cahill also organizes the school's science fair, participates in the STEM Pathways for Girls Conference and serves as a mentor for the Santa Fe High School Supercomputing Challenge team, to name a few of her involvements. 'School was a place I've always felt safe, and I've wanted to be a teacher since I was a little girl,' said Cahill, who moved to Santa Fe from upstate New York over two decades ago. She taught at Capshaw Middle School, now Milagro Middle School in the '90s, she said, before taking a break to be a parent. She returned to teaching at El Dorado Community School in 2012. 'It's never about being the best for me,' Cahill said. 'It's about being my best. and that's what I always tell my students too.'
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Kewanee teacher surprised with Golden Apple Award
Kewanee High School educator Kindra Callahan positively impacts students and staff on a daily basis. 'I have been impressed since the day I met (Callahan) a year ago. She is so compassionate and cares so deeply about every student here, and she has led our FFA program to phenomenal accomplishments this year,' said Amanda Tidwell, Kewanee High School's principal. A leader in the classroom, Callahan puts her students first. 'I prioritize my kiddos every day, and I tell them I will match them step for step, but I can't take the first step,' Callahan said. 'Seeing what she has done with (her agricultural classes) here in Kewanee is amazing,' said Alan Mather, president of the Golden Apple Foundation. 'I mean, she took a program that was dying, elevated it to one of the top in the state, and what was a department of one is now a department of three.' For that dedication, Callahan was surprised in front of the entire school Thursday by being named a Golden Apple Award winner. 'It is an honor to be here to recognize her,' Mather said. 'It's the satisfaction of showing somebody else that they can win, and I get that feeling when I help my students do stuff,' Callahan said. 'I feel good witnessing it through their eyes.' The Golden Apple Award is given for excellence in teaching and leadership. 'When I got here, we needed to draw a line in the sand. There was a lot of potential, but students needed to see where that bar could be, and I was going to grind,' Callahan said. 'I'm a confidence builder, I'm a coach.' Each Golden Apple recipient receives a $5,000 cash award and a spring sabbatical provided by Northwestern University at no cost. To see the full list of winners, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Chicago Tribune
07-05-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
South Elgin High School teacher surprised with Golden Apple Award, the second U-46 winner in two years
Just before the start of one of his classes Wednesday morning, South Elgin High School teacher Matt Erbach was startled when his classroom was suddenly filled with people he wasn't expecting. Members of the Golden Apple Foundation, fellow teachers and staff members, and his wife Kathryn were there to celebrate his selection as a 2025 winner of a Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. 'My watch is already pinging, telling me my heart rate's up,' Erbach said after being bestowed with the honor and being given a gift basket from foundation President Alan Mather. Only 11 high school teachers in the state of Illinois were selected to receive the prestigious teaching award this year out of more than 470 nominees. The winners are chosen based on a number of criteria, including lasting, positive effects on students' lives and school communities. Each recipient is given a $5,000 cash award and a paid spring sabbatical from Northwestern University. They also become fellows of the Golden Apple Academy of Educators. 'We hope that Matt is going to prepare the next generation of teachers to be just like him,' Mather said during his presentation. Erbach teaches precision manufacturing and engineering, subjects that have real world applications, connect with people in other countries and will never leave a student asking, 'How am I ever going to use this?' Mather said. This is not the first time Erbach has been lauded for his work. In March, he was named Teacher of the Year by the Illinois Association for Career and Technical Education. And he's a past recipient of the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence and an Illinois State Board of Education Award of Meritorious Service. Among Erbach's initiatives was an after-school project in which a team of six students designed and produced a two-part aluminum 'leg bone' portion of a prosthetic leg. The effort resulted in the team taking second-place in the Phillips Machine Student Competition, beating out designs from college and university teams, Erbach said. The work was done in conjunction with Life Changer Manufacturing, an after-school group at Chickasaw High School in Mississippi that works with high schools across the country in designing prosthetic legs made for and delivered to amputees in Latin American nations, he said. Erbach's work on the project dates back to when he was teaching at Streamwood High School, where he taught for 16 years before coming to South Elgin two years ago. The students he works with now not only attend South Elgin but travel from other high schools in District U-46 for his classes, he said. One of the big benefits for those in his classes is a chance to work with state-of-the art CNC (computer numerical control) equipment with which they can design and make items out of metal. Erbach said South Elgin is the only high school in Illinois to have some of the machinery it uses. Senior Eddie Guerrero used the equipment to make a chess set, which Erbach praised for its detail, particularly the intricate knight pieces. 'It's been amazing working in Mr. Erbach's classes,' he said. What he's enjoyed, Guerrero said, is that Erbach allows students to think up their own projects and helps them execute them. In fact, the classes have inspired Guerrero to attend Elgin Community College in the fall to study industrial manufacturing technology. Fellow senior Soren Erikson already has an after-school job as a machinist's assistant at Haumiller Engineering in South Elgin thanks to taking the classes he's taken with Erbach since his freshman year. This summer, Erikson said, he has a paid internship with Haumiller and will learn how to program its CNC machines. In the fall, like Guerrero, he will be studying manufacturing at ECC. 'From taking classes with Mr. Erbach, I saw that you could make good money and have a good career path,' Erikson said. That's one of his goals as a teacher, Erbach said. Educating students to realize their skills can lead to future success in the industrial arts and well-paid jobs, he said. Right now he has 70 students are enrolled in his classes. 'That's too few. I'd like to see that double,' Erbach said. Erbach is the second consecutive School District U-46 teacher — and the second teaching in South Elgin — to win a Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. Last year, Aimee Legatzke, a kindergarten teacher at Fox Meadow Elementary School in South Elgin, became the first teacher is district history to receive the honor. The Golden Apple Foundation rotates which grade level of teachers it recognizes in a given year, with this year high school teachers being recognized. In the 2025-26 school year, teachers in fourth through eighth grades will be honored, followed by pre-kindergarten to third grade in 2026-27 and high school again in 2027-28.
Chicago Tribune
21-04-2025
- Automotive
- Chicago Tribune
Community news: Golden Apple for area principal, car show in River Grove, more
Prospect School principal receives Golden Apple Award Kristin Cummings, principal at Prospect School in Clarendon Hills, recently received a Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership, one of six finalists to earn the honor in Illinois. She and the other finalists received their award earlier this month from the Golden Apple Foundation during its Celebration of Excellence in Teaching & Leadership at the Q Center in St. Charles. The event honored ninth to 12th grade teachers and pre-K to 12th grade school leaders. The awards are presented in honor of Golden Apple board member Stanley Golder. Cummings, who has more than 25 years of experience in education, including being a principal for seven years at a Title I school. She has increased student performance through professional learning communities that allow teachers to collaborate on student data and talk about best practices. Illinois Assessment of Readiness reading scores rose to 81% from 72% over four years, according to a news release. Beyond academic achievements, she helps lead an annual toy drive at Prospect for Hope Children's Hospital, with students collecting toys for children who have medical challenges. She also heads up clothing, book and food drives for the People's Resource center and Prospect's sister school, William Penn Elementary School. Car show revs up in River Grove Triton College hosts its annual car show from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 27 in the West Campus parking lots at Fifth Avenue and Hemingway Drive in River Grove. Voting for the competition begins at 10 a.m. Competitors vie for Best in Show, Best Truck, Best Student Care, Peoples Choice and Beat Paint Job. Winners will be named at 12:30 p.m. Admission and parking are free, and there's no fee to be an exhibitor. Exhibitors check in from 8 to 10 a.m. Register to show off a vehicle at Advance registration closes at noon April 25. During the show, hundreds of car enthusiasts from across the Midwest are expected to attend and show off their vehicles. The show will feature antique and classic cars, trucks and modern vehicles, as well as special awards, food, music and fun for families. Food and beverages will be sold. Tobacco, pets and alcohol are not allowed on the campus. Triton's Automotive Program offers associate degrees as well as several certificate options. Tours will be available at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. in the T Building. They include an automotive faculty member giving a brief program overview followed by a 50-minute walking tour. Registration is required for the tours. Check-in starts 15 minutes before each start time. The rain date is May 4. Information is at 708-456-0300, Ext. 3062, or by emailing carshow@ Raise money for counseling by joining Walk the Walk Walk the Walk for mental health steps off at 9 a.m. May 18 at The Community House, 415 W. Eighth St., Hinsdale. The 1-mile 'color walk' raises money for the counseling center at The Community House to provide 'equitable access to life-changing mental health services for children, young adults, and families in need,' according to a news release. An expo with local vendors, colorful opening ceremony and fun takes place before the walk begins, and music, games and food trucks will be available afterward. Participants can walk alone or create a team; everyone receives a free event T-shirt. New this year are prizes for raising money: a baseball cap for raising $100 and a hoodie for bringing in $250 or more. Register at or by calling 630-323-7500. Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra performs Gershwin George Gershwin's piece 'An American in Paris' opens the Elmhust Symphony Orchestra's final performance of the 2024-25 season at 7 p.m. May 3 at Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church, 149 W. Brush Hill Road, Elmhurst. The program, conducted Music Director Stephen Alltop, also includes Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson's 'Sinfonietta for Strings (II and III),' Gershwin's 'I Got Rhythm Variations featuring Sylvia Wang on Piano and Maurice Ravel's orchestration of Modest Mussorgsky's 'Pictures at an Exhibition.' The evening begins with a pre-concert talk at 5:45 p.m. to offer insight into the musical selections. The Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra is a community-based professional ensemble. Tickets cost $35 to $45 for adults, $32 to 42 for older adults and $12 for students with ID. Visit or call 630-941-0202. 'Midsummer Night's Dream' hits stage BrightSide Theatre presents 'A Midsummer Night's Dream at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sunday, April 25 to May 11, at 2 p.m. at Meiley-Swallow Hall, 31 S. Ellsworth St., Naperville. The show, a new version of William Shakespeare's comedy, includes three songs with original music that incorporates his text. Tickets cost $32 to $37 and are available at or by calling 630-447-TIXS.
