East Leyden 2016 graduate a Golden Apple Scholar

The highly competitive program seeks the best and brightest of Illinois youth interested in pursuing a teaching career.

Jasmin Cano, 19, was among the more than 1600 students who applied for this prestigious award. The Franklin Park resident was one of the 250 students in Illinois to earn a Golden Apple scholarship.

"Jasmin will be a great teacher," said Mark Reeves, Cano's science teacher. "She's calm, patient, understanding and she relates well to everyone."

On May 14, Cano and the other Golden Apple scholars were inducted into the 2016 Golden Apple Scholars Class at a noon ceremony held at St. Xavier University in Chicago.

This summer Cano will attend the 5-week Golden Apple Summer Institute at DePaul University. During her college career, she will continue to take enrichment courses each summer, have on-site classroom experience, as well as mentoring from a Golden Apple teacher. She also will receive financial assistance all four years of college, and upon graduation she will work in a high-need school for 5 years.

The scholarship program is operated under the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois, a nonprofit organization that identifies talented high school seniors who have the promise and desire to be excellent teachers in low economic and low academic scoring schools.