Golden Apple Finalists: Local Teachers Get Prestigious Nods

NORTHWEST SUBURBS, IL — Finalists for the prestigious Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching have been announced, and there is definitely some local flavor.

Rolling Meadows teachers Michelle Marconi (Grade 12, English, AVID) and Miguel Parra Garcia (Grades 9-12, Foreign Language), along with Hoffman Estates teacher Dr. Kerri Largo (Grades 10-12, Business Education) and Schaumburg High School teacher Mary Lopez (Grades 10-11, United States History) are among the finalists.

Annually, the awards are given out by the Golden Apple Foundation, an Illinois nonprofit "committed to preparing, honoring and supporting educators who advance educational opportunities for students." In a news release, the organization said it narrowed down the highly competitive award process to 30 teachers in grades 9 through 12.

Bios of local teachers from Golden Apple Foundation:

• Michelle Marconi — "While Marconi admits her beginnings as an English teacher started with an outdated approach to grading — she would assess students based on how she was graded in high school, with points deducted for late work or poorly finished assignments — she now believes that proper grading comes from helping students climb to their “next level” of understanding, rather than penalizing them for misunderstanding an assignment. Through her work with the AVID program as its current coordinator, Marconi has been able to better instruct students with exciting exercises that keep her class engaged with the work at hand."
• Miguel Parra Garcia — "Garcia uses the cyclical approach to teaching by giving his students time to master course curriculum through repeated practice. In one such exercise, Garcia asked students what Hispanic heritage meant to them, allowing them to journal responses before diving deeper into course learning and peer-to-peer discussion. After consulting readings and one another, Garcia asked students to re-visit their responses and write new, more in-depth answers based on new learnings. After engaging in this conversation on their own identities, Garcia noted that many of his Latinx students realized they have been battling with disadvantages based on their backgrounds since they were born. Garcia, in turn, shared with them the teachings of the labor leader Cesar Chavez, who wrote: “You cannot uneducate the person who has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. And you cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore.” Students walked away from the lesson with a greater sense of control over their own lives, and many had a renewed faith in the importance of education."
• Dr. Kerri Largo — "Dr. Largo looks to create an inclusive and educational learning environment by becoming intricately involved in and outside of her classroom. Often recognized as the first to join committees, volunteer for extracurricular events, sponsor clubs, assist fellow colleagues and support students in need, Dr. Largo is a community-first instructor at both a school and district level. In the words of fellow instructors and students, every business management course she has taught has been improved by way of her infectious energy, knowledge and passion brought to the classroom. Her approach to class instruction as a lifelong learner means Dr. Largo is always challenging herself to provide an even better course curriculum than her previous attempt. In the pursuit of more complete knowledge, she has attained her Ph.D. in Education to better serve her students and fellow instructors."
• Mary Lopez — "Working mainly with junior high school students who come from immigrant families, many of whom will soon be first-generation undergraduate students, Lopez seeks to create courses that apply directly to her pupils’ unique backgrounds. One such lesson involves asking students to create fictional university applications from known historical figures during previous eras. By focusing on Progressive Era reformers, Lopez has been able to marry historical information to real-world procedures — namely, the college application process — for a class unit that ultimately helps her students acclimate to the university admissions process in a low-stress, highly educational way."

RELATED: Complete list of 2022 Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching finalists

“These last two years have truly taken a toll on teachers, staff, families, and students,” said Alan Mather, President of Golden Apple, in a statement. “While great teachers have always been impactful, this is particularly true during this past year, where these finalists have demonstrated the commitment to providing ongoing support and high-quality instruction to their students and we are proud to honor them.”

The Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching honor outstanding teachers for having lasting, positive effects on students’ lives and school communities, according to the Golden Apple Foundation. Teacher finalists demonstrate — in their teaching and results — significant, positive impact on their students’ growth and learning.

The Golden Apple Foundation said the selected 2022 Golden Apple Award recipients will be surprised in the spring. Northwestern University provides a spring sabbatical to award recipients at no cost. Each recipient receives a $5,000 cash award. Award recipients become Fellows of the Golden Apple Academy of Educators, a community of educators who play an important role in preparing the next generation of teachers in the Golden Apple Scholars and Accelerators programs — which are dedicated to addressing the teacher shortage in Illinois.