The Golden Apple Foundation Surprises South Loop Elementary School Teacher Rick Coppola with Prestigious Award for Excellence in Teaching

CHICAGO (May 10, 2023) -  The Golden Apple Foundation, the leading Illinois-based nonprofit committed to preparing, mentoring, and honoring educators who advance educational opportunities for students, today surprised Rick Coppola, a 7th grade teacher at South Loop Elementary School in South Loop, with the prestigious Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. Coppola is one of 10 teacher award recipients in Illinois. 

Following a highly competitive process, the 2023 teaching award recipients were selected from more than 570 nominations of 4th-8th grade teachers. 

"These remarkable teachers have shown their dedication, creativity and impact on their students and schools. They have also contributed to their professional communities by sharing their best practices, collaborating with their peers and mentoring new teachers,” said Alan Mather, President of The Golden Apple Foundation. “They are not only exemplary teachers, but also influential leaders. The 2023 award recipients will join our mission to impact the lives of even more students by supporting the next generation of great teachers through our teacher preparation 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. 

“These outstanding educators have demonstrated their commitment, passion and impact consistently with their students and in their communities,” said Alicia Winckler, CEO of The Golden Apple Foundation. “They are not only making a difference in teaching, but are also inspiring community leaders and lifelong learners. We are honored to recognize them and support them as they advance their learning and continue to evolve as educational influencers.”

About Rick Coppola
When beginning a unit, Coppola first creates goals for his students that connect with what he is teaching. Throughout the lessons, he asks himself the following questions: What am I asking my students to do? What texts and tasks will support them in reaching those goals? How am I asking students to engage in the work? Why are they being asked to engage in the work in that particular way? Being able to answer these questions is how Coppola knows he is helping the students to meet the same goals he created for their learning goals. 

Coppola knows from research that students often need help with foundations in argumentation. Therefore he created a year-long unit for his class. It began with creating an anticipation guide to show him what his students already knew. He completes interactive assignments that mirror real-life experiences. Students then work to develop a set of criteria to make a formal argument. In the end, they present their findings to their peers and other stakeholders (including administration, teacher colleagues, and parents (via Zoom.) Coppola believes this style of teaching is the best way to be certain that students understand the content due to the authentic nature of each activity. 

About the Golden Apple Award 

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 2024 Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching & Leadership is open. All are invited to nominate exceptional Pre-K-3rd 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