Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois names Class of 2017

Golden Apple has announced the induction of the 2017 class of the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois program, a group of 234 young people who have chosen to dedicate themselves to a future career teaching students in Illinois schools-of-need.

Since its inception in 1989, the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois program has grown to nearly 2,000 statewide participants. The program is designed to prepare future teachers to thrive in the most challenging, high-needs school environments where more resilient teachers are desperately needed.

The program provides tuition assistance to each future teacher while they pursue an undergraduate education. Beginning the summer after high school graduation and continuing throughout their undergraduate years, Scholars benefit from multiple teaching internships, ongoing academic and career mentoring and course work on the art of teaching delivered by Golden Apple Award-winning teachers.

When Scholars complete the program, they have acquired more than two times the classroom teaching experience garnered by traditionally-prepared teachers.

Golden Apple continues to support Scholars after they begin their teaching careers through ongoing mentoring and professional development.

In return for the financial, academic, and professional development support that Golden Apple provides, Scholars agree to teach in a school-of-need in Illinois for five years following college graduation.

"We congratulate the class of 2017 Golden Apple Scholars as they embark on an exciting journey to become exceptional teachers and improve the educational outcomes for students in challenging school settings in Illinois," said Dominic Belmonte, Golden Apple CEO.

"The intensive mentoring, with its focus in the classroom, uniquely prepares aspiring teachers to handle the many real-world challenges of teaching in high-need schools. As a result, Golden Apple Scholars are prepared to not only do the job with resilience, but to excel at it."

The Scholars program has been proven to improve persistence and graduation rates among participants. In addition, the program has been shown to have a significant impact on workforce development by helping low-income and underrepresented students gain necessary skill development for a lasting career in teaching.

Evidence of the success of the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program includes:

• More than 1,000 Golden Apple Scholars are now teaching in more than 500 schools-of-need in Illinois;

• 82 percent of Scholars who enter teaching remain at least 5 years, compared with 55 percent statewide;

• More than 650,000 students in Illinois have been taught by Golden Apple Scholars since 1989.

The 2017 class of Scholars represents a diverse group of young people from across the state of Illinois with nearly half as first-generation college students, who are the first in the families to attend a four-year college, and nearly half are from underrepresented groups.

Golden Apple Scholars in the Class of 2017 from Lake County and nearby towns include:

• Alexandra Adkins of Lindenhurst, Lakes Community High School.

• Grace Attiyeh of Gurnee, Warren Township High School.

• Katherine Cavender of Glenview, Glenbrook South High School.

• Abigail Cozariuc Wheeling, Wheeling High School.

• Michael Crisantos of Round Lake, Round Lake High School.

• Rosalia Flores of Wauconda, Wauconda Community High School.

• Kelly Gimmler of Palatine, Palatine High School.

• Stephanie Lawrence of Grayslake, Grayslake North High School.

• Katelyn Menas of Lake Zurich, Lake Zurich High School

• Kaylee Norman of Gurnee, Warren Township High School.

• Lindsay Olesen of Barrington, Barrington High School.

• Stephanie Perez of Cary, Prairie Ridge High School.

• Madeline Plesnicar of Palatine, Palatine High School.

• Courtney Prais of Round Lake Heights, Round Lake High School.

• Brianne Saab of Hawthorn Woods, Lake Zurich High School.

• Gina Singleton of Grayslake, Grayslake North High School.

• Jacqueline Skup of Wheeling, Wheeling High School.

2017 marks Golden Apple's 32nd year of innovating teacher preparation and leadership to transform both the careers of teachers and the lives of students in Illinois.

Many Golden Apple Award recipients give back by participating as instructors, academic coaches, and mentors in both the Golden Apple Scholars aspiring teachers program and the Golden Apple STEM Institute professional development program.

Because the critical contributor to student achievement is the quality of the teacher in the classroom, Golden Apple provides exceptional teacher preparation for teachers at all stages of their careers.

The focus is on advancing educational excellence for Illinois' most underserved students. Scholars are recruited from the communities in which they return to serve with a passion for teaching and a drive to create positive change for young people in their communities.

Golden Apple provides advanced teacher preparation during college, superior resources and lifelong support, and Golden Apple Scholars, in turn, stay in teaching at a school-of-need in Illinois for five or more years.

More than 600 Scholars are currently preparing to become teachers in schools-of-need throughout Illinois.

Golden Apple is composed of recognized superior educators, including Golden Apple Award recipients and finalists, leading a passionate team of devoted staff with technical and program expertise, as well as a connected and committed board of directors charged with overseeing the organization's strategic vision.

For information, visit www.goldenapple.org.

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