The Golden Apple Foundation Surprises Deerfield High School Teacher Nikki Lazzaretto with Prestigious Award for Excellence in Teaching

CHICAGO (May 5th, 2022) - The Golden Apple Foundation, the leading Illinois-based nonprofit committed to preparing, honoring and supporting great educators who advance educational opportunities for students, today surprised Nikki Lazzaretto, a 9th, 10th,11th, and 12th grade teacher at Deerfield High School in Deerfield, with the prestigious Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. Lazzaretto is one of 10 teacher award recipients in Illinois. 

Following a highly competitive process, the 2022 teaching award recipients were selected from more than 400 nominations of 9th-12th grade teachers. 

“We are honored to celebrate our 2022 award recipients and their many contributions both inside and outside of their schools. We know that their impact doesn’t stop at their classroom doors. These amazing teachers positively influence thousands over their lifetimes by shaping the lives of students, schools, and communities,” said The Golden Apple Foundation President Alan Mather. “They are truly inspirational, and we look forward to their continued commitment to the next generation of teachers as they support our two teacher preparation programs - the Golden Apple Scholars and Accelerators programs.”

The Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching honor outstanding teachers for having lasting, positive effects on students’ lives and school communities. Teacher recipients demonstrate – in their teaching and results – significant, positive impact on their students’ growth and learning.

About Nikki Lazzaretto
Lazzaretto takes a different approach to class instruction: instead of simply asking dance students to perform for her, she invites them to take ownership of the audition process by creating scoring rubrics and acting as judges for one another. In doing so, students are able to more effectively self-assess their own performance, and many under her study have learned that dance has just as much to do with showmanship and production as it does movement. Lazzaretto feels that dance is a place where students can feel safe to express their identities through their own physical bodies and movements, which is rarely allowed in other class environments. She invites deeper conversation among her students by prompting them each week with an exercise called “Rose and Thorn,” where each member of her class speaks to something beneficial that has happened to them in the past week, as well as any difficulties currently happening in their school or personal lives. According to Lazzaretto, this allows her to see her students for the “whole people '' that they are, and it also allows other students to recognize and bridge the gap between themselves. Ultimately, this makes Lazzaretto’s dance classroom a unique, hybrid environment where students can freely discuss culture both at an intellectual level and through activity-based dance and movement routines. 

Each award recipient receives a $5,000 cash award and a spring sabbatical provided by Northwestern University at no cost. Award recipients also become Fellows of the Golden Apple Academy of Educators, a community of educators who play an important role in preparing the next generation of teachers in the Golden Apple Scholars and Accelerators programs - which are dedicated to addressing the teacher shortage in Illinois.

The nomination period for the 2023 Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching & Leadership is open. All are invited to nominate exceptional 4th-8th grade teachers and Pre-K-12th grade school leaders in Illinois at www.goldenapple.org/awards. 

Golden Apple’s social media channels will feature surprises for each of the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching & Leadership recipients. Follow the news here: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn. 

About The Golden Apple Foundation
The Golden Apple Foundation’s mission is to inspire, develop and support teacher and school leader excellence, especially in schools-of-need. Our leading-edge preparation delivers exceptional teachers who make an impact. We help students thrive in the classroom and in life. Since our beginning, we have recognized master educators annually; and, 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. Our vision is one in which every classroom has a great teacher and to realize this, we are committed to making a material difference in resolving the teacher shortage. Visit http://www.goldenapple.org for more information.

Media contact:

Shonne Fegan-Ehrhardt
847-962-9879
shonne@theharbingergroup.com