Congratulations to these extraordinary teachers and winners of the coveted Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching!

Golden Apple Foundation, which is dedicated to recognizing and developing excellence in teaching, today announced the names of 10 Chicago-area winners of the 2008 Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching in grades 4 through 8.

The 10 winners include six CPS teachers; one Cook Co. suburban school (Sunset Ridge, Northfield); one Kane Co. school (Sunny Hill, Carpentersville); one Lake Co. school (Lake Zurich North Middle, Hawthorne Woods), and one Will Co. school (Kennedy Middle, Plainfield).

Congratulations to our Golden Apple Teachers

Monica Gil	7th grade	Gray Elementary School
Samina Khan	Science, 6-8	Clark Academic Preparatory Magnet High School
Natalie Neris-Guereca	5th grade	Pershing West Magnet School
John Nieciak	Language Arts, 6th & 8th	Sheridan Math and Science Academy
Brooke Thompson	Music, K-8	Pierce School of International Studies
Donnell White	Math, 7-8	Clark Academic Preparatory Magnet High School

A total of 850 teachers from Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake and Will counties were nominated for the award, which was first presented in 1986. Thirty-one finalists were named in March.

Each of the 10 Golden Apple Award winners will receive a tuition-free spring-term sabbatical at Northwestern University; a personal computer from IBM; $3,000; and membership in the Golden Apple Academy of Educators, which now has inducted 220 expert teachers who work together to ensure that all children have the excellent teachers they deserve.

The Awards selection committee is comprised of distinguished Chicago-area educators. Two selection committee members observed each of the 31 finalists in their classroom and interviewed their principal and selected colleagues, parents and students.

In addition to the award winners, Golden Apple is recognizing several Teachers of Distinction — Award finalists whose superior teaching work was noted by the selection committee. The Teachers of Distinction are recognized for their distinguished contribution to teaching and are asked to participate in Golden Apple programs.

Congratulations are also due to the eight CPS teachers who were recognized as Teachers of Distinction.

Margaret Burns	5th grade	Gallistel Language Academy
Jennifer Cho	4th grade	National Teachers Academy
Lisa Espinosa	7th grade	Ruiz School
Virginia Kogen	7-8 grades	Madero School
Mary Meade	Science, 1-8	Christopher School
Mark Nelson	Fine Arts, K-8	Stone Academy
Esther Ohito	English, 6-8	Pershing West Magnet School
Claudine Randolph	5th grade	University of Chicago Charter School – Donoghue Elementary

The Award winners and Teachers of Distinction will be honored at an award ceremony on Sept. 6 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, which subsequently will be aired as a one-hour prime-time special on WTTW/Channel 11.

About the Golden Apple Foundation

Created in 1985 to honor outstanding Chicago-area teachers as grandly as Hollywood honors its movie stars at the Academy Awards, the first Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching ceremony was presented on public television as a black-tie gala spotlighting 10 teachers and showing their inspiring work in the classroom.

In the decades that followed, Golden Apple has grown into an institution that continues to recognize gifted teachers, and also prepares and strengthens teachers who make a critical difference in the lives of all children, with a special emphasis on those teaching children from disadvantaged schools.

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Golden Apple Foundation
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