"A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops."
— Henry B. Adams

"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire."
— William Butler Yeats

"It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge."
— Albert Einstein

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."
— Nelson Mandela

"Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another."
— G.K. Chesterton

 

About the Golden Apple Award Program

The Golden Apple Award process begins with the individual recognition of teachers at the beginning of each school year through Apple Day. During Apple Day, every teacher in Winnebago & Boone County receives a fresh apple delivered by a community volunteer that includes a thank you for their dedication to another year of educating the youth of our community.

The Golden Apple Teacher Award is a community selection process with three primary goals:

  • To support, motivate and honor great teachers
  • To involve the community in our schools
  • To pass forward a legacy of excellence

From September through October, the entire community including parents, students, colleagues, and administrators are invited to nominate teachers that deserve special recognition. Golden Apple receives more than 1,500 nominations every year.

Nominations range from the gratitude of students and parents for the impact that a teacher has had on their lives to nominations from colleagues that have found a great mentor or role model in a fellow teacher.

In November, nominated teachers are notified and encouraged to take the next step in the selection process, completing a self-reflective application and gathering letters of recommendation. This step is designed for teachers to express the value they bring to the classroom and to assist the community in understanding the incredible amount of talent and drive it takes to be a successful teacher.

In December, a selection committee reviews the applications and chooses 20 semi-finalists. These teachers are observed in their classrooms by trained community volunteers and evaluated on classroom atmosphere, rapport with students, classroom management, lesson content, teaching techniques and professionalism. Then, the 20 semi-finalists are interviewed and five are selected as the Golden Apple recipients.
Recipients are presented, in March, with the prestigious Golden Apple Award in a surprise classroom presentation. Then in April, the five recipients are honored at the annual Golden Apple Award Banquet and rewarded with scholarships, stipends and resources to enhance their classroom.

Golden Apple Teachers are inducted into the Golden Apple Teacher Academy and are committed to enhancing the Academy’s mission. More than 150 teachers have already been rewarded and participate in this wonderful program.