Fremd welcomes home Illinois Teacher of the Year
An outpouring of love and a standing ovation greeted Fremd High School automotive teacher Steven Elza at a schoolwide assembly Monday, two days after he was named Illinois Teacher of the Year.
In a characteristically modest style, Elza told students and fellow faculty members at the Palatine school that the title doesn't mean he is the best teacher in the state but an advocate for good teaching and the students whose lives are changed by it.
As he admits, he was one such student himself. Not until he found a passion in automotive classes during his junior year of high school did Elza find a reason to start applying himself in all his courses.
"It gave me the reason to come to school," the 34-year-old Elza said.
Elza believes all students learn differently and have to find significance in their school work in their own way.
"It all comes down to the kids," he said. "You know how you learn, but everyone has a different learning style."
He thanked Fremd administrators and his fellow teachers for creating an environment conducive to his individual approach.
"I truly believe Fremd has a family atmosphere," he said.
He encouraged the students at Monday's assembly to stop him in the halls if they recognize how their classroom's, school's or Illinois' approach to education could be improved.
As Teacher of the Year, Elza will have the added responsibility of mentoring other teachers throughout the 2015 year.
He hopes to provide a further voice promoting applied technology classes at more Illinois high schools, but he is pleased there's already mention of automotive education in the Common Core curriculum.
Kevin Leparski, a 2010 Fremd graduate, came to Monday's assembly because Elza's influence had a profound effect on him. Leparski said he applied himself more in school as a result of Elza's automotive classes and eventually followed his onetime teacher's footsteps to a four-year degree from Southern Illinois University.
Leparski graduated as SIU's Automotive Outstanding Student of the Year and received seven job offers right off the bat before settling on Power Solutions International in Wood Dale.
Although disappointing Elza on a class project was painful for Leparski, it also inspired him to do better. The payoff came at his high school graduation, when Elza told him, "Leparski, I'm extremely proud of you."
"Those words meant the world to me," Leparski said.
Paul Hardy, Fremd's applied technology department chairman, recalled asking Elza at his job interview several years ago why Fremd should hire him.
"He said, 'I will make you look good,'" Hardy recalled Monday. "Well, Mr. Elza, you've done that for me."
Hardy encouraged underclassmen to register for Elza's classes and not miss their opportunity to be taught by Illinois' Teacher of the Year.
Fremd Principal Kurt Tenopir, who nominated Elza for the award, described the teacher's nature as humble, reflective and selfless.
"He's one of those nice guys that everyone loves," Tenopir said. "The automotive program is amazing, and he's a big part of it."
Tenopir put the award in perspective by pointing out there are about 200 teachers at Fremd, about 1,000 in Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211, and 150,000 in the entire state of Illinois.
"But there's only one Steve Elza!" he added.
In the year that lies ahead, Elza will meet President Barack Obama, throw out the first pitch at a Cubs or White Sox game, and possibly be the first 6-feet, 8-inch teacher to don a spacesuit at the NASA Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama.
Palatine Mayor Jim Schwantz and District 211 Superintendent Dan Cates also attended Monday's assembly at Fremd.