Two Rolling Meadows H.S. teachers among state's 30 Golden Apple finalists
Two Rolling Meadows High School teachers are in highly select company, having been named as finalists for the 2022 Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching.
Miguel Parra Garcia, a world languages teacher at Rolling Meadows, and Michelle Marconi, a senior English teacher, are among only 30 high school teachers from across Illinois chosen as finalists. The Golden Apple Awards honor outstanding teachers for having lasting effects on their students and school communities. Both finalists spoke about the rewards of motivating and positively impacting students' lives in their everyday lives as well as in academic settings.
"I am beyond honored," Marconi said. "It is a bit surreal to be recognized for doing a job that I just wholeheartedly love. I am beyond fortunate to work with the amazing students and colleagues that I do. They inspire me every day to tweak my approaches in instruction, and seek ways to balance rigorous work with humor and grace. My real reward is in making meaningful connections with students and helping them to believe more in themselves; it is in helping students who have struggled previously in school recoup lost credit and confidence with the Learning Renewal Program; it is in the meaningful, fun, and collaborative spirit I have with my talented and smart colleagues; it is in seeing my former students thrive when they leave Meadows."
Parra Garcia said: "I am humbled and honored to represent Rolling Meadows High School and District 214 for the Golden Apple. My goal as an educator is to provide students with relevant learning experiences that will impact their lives inside and outside of the classroom. I believe in high expectations for all students and value the opportunity to teach young people from all walks of life. My hope is that I am able to motivate my students in the same manner that my former teachers motivated me. I am grateful for being a part of an exceptional educational community that values my professional growth."
Rolling Meadows High School Principal Eileen Hart lauded both finalists, saying, "Michelle is a dedicated English teacher who academically and socially and emotionally supports all students, especially those who are the first generation, to be a high school graduate, and the first in their family to go on to excel in college. Miguel is a caring and dedicated instructor and coach. He consistently demonstrates that he works respectfully with his peers to cultivate a school-wide culture of collegiality."
The winner(s) will be announced by the nonprofit Golden Apple Foundation this spring. Award recipients receive a $5,000 cash award and are eligible for a sabbatical, provided by Northwestern University. Recipients also become Fellows of the Golden Apple Academy of Educators, which helps prepare the next generation of teachers in the Golden Apple Scholars and Accelerators programs -both designed to address the teacher shortage in Illinois, exacerbated by pandemic challenges.
On its own website, Golden Apple President Alan Mather notes that, "These last two years have truly taken a toll on teachers, staff, families, and students. 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."