Golden Apple Honors Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep Principal Michael Odiotti as 2021 Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership Recipient

CHICAGO (May 7, 2021) - Golden Apple, the leading Illinois nonprofit committed to preparing, honoring and supporting exemplary educators who advance educational opportunities for students, today surprised Dr. Michael Odiotti, principal of Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep in Waukegan, with the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership, presented in honor of founding Golden Apple board member Stanley C. Golder. 

Following a highly competitive process, the 2021 leadership award recipients were selected from a record-setting 121 nominations of Pre-K-12th grade school leaders.

“Leaders like Dr. Michael Odiotti are the reason behind great schools, strong teachers, and successful students - they cultivate a school community that truly flourishes under their leadership, even in a year that brought numerous unforeseen challenges,” said Golden Apple President Alan Mather, the inaugural recipient of the Excellence in Leadership award. “We are honored and humbled by the resilience, passion, and commitment demonstrated by our award recipients. Michael will continue to impact the lives of students, families, and teachers by joining the Golden Apple Academy of Educators and helping us prepare the next generation of highly effective teachers for Illinois schools through our Scholars and Accelerators programs.”

The Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership honors exemplary performance in school leadership by a principal or head of school who has had a significant and sustained positive impact on the school, created a culture of inclusivity, and delivered dramatic student growth.

"The principals we are recognizing today have set the bar for exemplary transformational school leadership,” said Alicia Winckler, Golden Apple CEO. “They have led their students, teachers, and communities through one of the most challenging years. Their support of students’ academic and social emotional needs, coupled with their commitment to the professional wellbeing of their teachers, truly showcases the integral role they play in creating and maintaining an outstanding school community.

About Dr. Michael Odiotti

The mission of Cristo Rey St. Martin is to prepare students from families with low socioeconomic status to attend and, more importantly, complete college and prepare for the professional world. When Dr. Odiotti came to Cristo Rey St. Martin 13 years ago, the school was struggling. Through his years of leadership, students are given opportunities to build connections and develop life skills. As one example, the school’s corporate work study program requires students to participate in a professional internship, five days a month for each year of attendance. Dr. Odiotti also oversees the Campus Ministry programs that provide ongoing volunteer opportunities at local food banks, food pantries, homeless shelters and after-school mentoring programs for elementary and middle school-aged youth. Two-thirds of Cristo Rey students volunteer in an ongoing manner. In addition, he encourages students to have a voice in community engagement through student-led groups, like Uknighted for Immigration Reform. The group works tirelessly on the issue of immigration because it is such a prominent and relevant concern in the greater Waukegan community. As a result of Dr. Odiotti’s focus on continuous improvement for his students, he has helped the ethnically diverse school improve graduation rates from 41% four years ago to 92% for the most recent class.

The Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership recipients receive a cash award of $10,000, with $5,000 for the school leader and $5,000 to the school for a project of the recipient’s choosing. Award recipients 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 2022 Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching & Leadership is open. All are invited to nominate exceptional high school 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 Golden Apple
Golden Apple’s mission is to inspire, develop and support teacher and school leader excellence in Illinois, 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. Our vision is an Illinois 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 throughout Illinois. Visit http://www.goldenapple.org for more information. 

Media contact:

Kellie Kennedy

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kelliek@theharbingergroup.com