2026 Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching & Leadership Award Recipients
Nita Sengupta
Salazar Elementary Bilingual Center Elementary School
Chicago
Excellence in Teaching Award Recipient
Shavon Brewer
Northwest Elementary School
Evergreen Park
Excellence in Teaching Award Recipient
Matthew White
Scullen Middle School
Naperville
Excellence in Teaching Award Recipient
Joshua Veath
Mascoutah Elementary School
Mascoutah
Excellence in Teaching Award Recipient
Sara Mazhary
Marvin Camras Children's Engineering School
Chicago
Excellence in Teaching Award Recipient
Jerika Gill
Julia S. Molloy Education Center
Morton Grove
Excellence in Teaching Award Recipient
Kristina Lancaster
Big Hollow Elementary
Ingleside
Excellence in Teaching Award Recipient
Misty Richmond
James Ward Elementary School
Chicago
Excellence in Teaching Award Recipient
Heather Debby
Disney II Magnet High School
Chicago
Excellence in Teaching Award Recipient
Nicole Spicer
Bronzeville Classical Elementary School
Chicago, IL
Excellence in Leadership Award Recipient
Joshua Shearer
Davie/Anna Jr. High
Anna, IL
Excellence in Teaching Award Recipient
Angie Codron
Normal West High School
Normal, IL
Excellence in Leadership Award Recipient
Shaka Rawls
Leo High School
Chicago, IL
Excellence in Leadership Award Recipient
The Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching & Leadership was the idea of Golden Apple founders Mike and Patricia Koldyke, who felt that excellent teachers did not receive adequate recognition for their contributions to building a stronger, better-educated society.
Every year since 1986, Golden Apple has selected master teachers to receive the prestigious Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. In 2014, Golden Apple began honoring exemplary school leaders with the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership in honor of founding Golden Apple board member, Stanley C. Golder.
Golden Apple Award recipients play an important role in preparing the next generation of teachers by providing instruction and mentorship to future teachers in the Golden Apple Scholars and Accelerators programs - programs dedicated to addressing the teacher shortage.
ACADEMY OF EDUCATORS
Golden Apple Award recipients become lifetime members of the Golden Apple Academy of Educators. These master educators help prepare the next generation of teachers through both our Golden Apple Scholars (for undergraduates) and Golden Apple Accelerators (for career-changers) programs.