The Golden Apple Foundation Surprises McHenry Community High School Teacher Otto Corzo with Prestigious Award for Excellence in Teaching
CHICAGO (May 13th, 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 Otto Corzo, a 10th and 11th grade teacher at McHenry Community High School in McHenry, with the prestigious Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. Corzo 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 Otto Corzo
“Success is not the finish line. Success is the journey.” In all ways, Spanish for Heritage instructor Otto Corzo hopes to instill this belief in not just his students, but also fellow instructors, by advocating for traditionally underrepresented groups — especially English Language Learner (EL) students. While he initially felt that taking on the position of an EL instructor might prove daunting without prior experience, Corzo soon realized that he could have an impact on current and future students. To further his mission, Corzo took additional courses to attain an EL endorsement, and also pushed for greater district-wide communication about the EL instruction team. Corzo believes he has not yet been “successful” in his mission to advocate for EL instruction because “success is a process, not a product,” and he wishes to keep improving at his goals.
Corzo places additional emphasis on creating a sense of community in his classroom by offering students opportunities to understand, honor and accept the differences that exist in the micro-community of his classroom. Upon return from a year of remote learning, Corzo implemented a team building exercise involving a collaborative cup-stacking process where some students were tasked with communicating instructions, and others were tasked with physically executing the task. After completing the assignment, students built bonds and were able to better construct an internal classroom culture free of shame when mistakes were made. This, in turn, allowed them to encourage each other to take greater risks in discussions and activities, fostering a greater sense of appreciation throughout the class.
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:
John Arango
(847)754-1325
johna@theharbingergroup.com