McHenry Teacher Is Golden Apple Finalist

MCHENRY, IL — A high school teacher in McHenry has been selected as a Golden Apple finalist.

Otto Corzo teaches Spanish for Heritage at McHenry Community High School and is one of 30 finalists in the state whose been picked for the prestigious award. Corzo has advocated for traditionally under-represented groups, especially English language Learner students, and believes "success is not the finish line, success is the journey."

The Latinx teacher believes this is especially important in predominantly white communities like McHenry, according to a news release.

Here is one example of how Corzo has gone above and beyond to instill these beliefs in his students and help them to "understand, honor and accept the differences that exist in the micro-community of his classroom."

"Upon return from a year of remote learning, Corzo implemented a team building exercise involving a collaborative cup-stacking process where some students were tasked with communicating instructions, and others were tasked with physically executing the task. After completing the assignment, students built bonds and were able to better construct an internal classroom culture free of shame when mistakes were made. This, in turn, allowed them to encourage each other to take greater risks in discussions and activities, fostering a greater sense of appreciation throughout the class," according to a news release.

Corzo took additional courses to attain an English language learner endorsement, and also pushed for greater district-wide communication about the EL instruction team.

The Golden Apple Foundation, the leading Illinois nonprofit committed to preparing, honoring and supporting educators who advance educational opportunities for students, announced its 2022 finalists Tuesday for the prestigious Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching. A highly competitive award process resulted in the selection of 30 9th to 12th grade teacher finalists.

The complete list of 2022 Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching finalists, which included teachers in Lake, McHenry, Cook and DuPage counties.

“These last two years have truly taken a toll on teachers, staff, families, and students,” said Alan Mather, President of Golden Apple. “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. Teacher finalists demonstrate — in their teaching and results — significant, positive impact on their students’ growth and learning.

“Teachers - like these finalists - are in high demand across our state and country,” said Alicia Winckler, CEO of Golden Apple. “The Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching recognizes and elevates this critical profession. With a growing teacher shortage, we need more highly effective teachers to positively impact the lives of students in all of our communities.”

The selected 2022 Golden Apple Award recipients will be surprised in the spring, and Northwestern University funds 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, according to a news release.