101 Receive Scholarships and Augmented Preparation to Become Teachers in Schools of Need

(Chicago - April, 2001) — The Golden Apple Foundation announces the names of 101 students who have been selected as 2001 Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois. The Scholars program was created to augment the teacher preparation of sound prospective teachers, thereby addressing the critical shortage of teachers in Illinois. The Scholars will be honored at the Field Museum in Chicago on April 6, 2001, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

The 2001 Scholars were selected from over 1,100 nominations statewide through a detailed application and interview process. Criteria for selection includes a demonstrated passion for teaching and readiness for college. Scholars enroll in one of 38 participating Illinois colleges and universities and agree to teach for five years in an Illinois school of need, as designated by a combination of federal Title One status and/or low state test scores.

The Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois program recruits bright and talented high school seniors who represent rich ethnic diversity for teaching careers in high need classrooms throughout Illinois. This year, 18 college sophomores were also selected to participate in the program. Sixty percent of the entire Scholars contingent represent minorities. The program was created by the award-winning teachers of the Golden Apple Foundation, who teach and supervise the Scholars during the summer and serve as mentors during the Scholar's college and early teaching years. The program began in 1989 with 15 Chicago-area students, expanding statewide in 1993 to 60 students per year. The program grew once again last year to its current number of 100 recipients. One additional Scholar was selected this year in memory of 1999 Scholar Joyovantae Roberts, who died in a car accident in December. To date, over 600 Scholars are enrolled in the program and over 150 Scholars are teaching throughout Illinois. The program is Illinois' premier teacher recruitment and pre-induction program, funded primarily by the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Board of Higher Education.

Golden Apple Scholars receive the following:

Financial assistance in the form of a $5,000 scholarship-loan each year for four years of undergraduate studies at one of 38 Illinois universities. The Scholars commit to teach for five years in an Illinois school of need. Scholars also receive a $2,000 stipend for each of the four summers.

Teaching internships in Chicago schools and seminars on the art and craft of teaching through the Golden Apple Scholars Summer Institute, a four-year summer program taught in part by Golden Apple Award-winning teachers. Through the Summer Institutes, Scholars receive three times the amount of teaching experience than they would otherwise receive.

Mentoring during college and the early years of teaching from outstanding, award-winning teachers who are part of the Golden Apple Scholar mentoring network.

Here is a sampling of the students who have been selected for the program this year:

Brandi Clark
Rock Island High School
Brandi wants to teach Spanish because she feels she can benefit children. She loves to work with children and teach them new and exciting ideas. She is a strong believer that you learn something new every day. Brandi is involved in the Upward Bound Program which emphasizes the importance of going and staying in school. She has been a member of Rock Island's Minority Teachers Incentive Program since 1997, which stresses the need for more minority teachers in all fields of education.

Alicia Boughton
Maria High School, Chicago
Alicia has excelled as a student, exhibited through receiving the Joseph Cardinal Bernardin Scholarship every year since 1997, and being named to the National Honor Society. She is drawn to the teaching profession because she feels education helps to decrease ignorance and negativity. Alicia is also an avid reader, and she says, "sharing my love for literature and exposing others to worlds unknown to them would truly be an exhilarating experience."

Johnathan Lin
Wheaton Warrenville South High School, Wheaton
He understands that not everyone enjoys math. He would like to accommodate the students’ needs, do whatever it takes to help them grasp the subject. To be an excellent teacher, he feels you must have a desire for the subject you are teaching. He believes that his own love for math would enable him to pique the interest of his students.

Rosalyn Lazar
Elgin High School, Streamwood
Rosalyn wants to teach because she has a love for science and math. Rosalyn has learned leadership techniques through involvement with student council and class board. These activities have taught her to take the initiative and speak up. Through Cross Cultural Committee she shares her ideas on diversity and multiculturalism. At Camp Horizon, a camp for children with severe skin disorders, she learned how to succeed.

The Golden Apple Foundation was founded in 1985 to promote excellence in classroom teaching. The Foundation sponsors the annual Golden Apple Awards for teachers, the statewide Golden Apple Scholars teacher recruitment program, the Golden Apple Teacher Education (GATE) program, and various workshops and programs.

2001 Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois:

Angel Aguilar, Prosser Career Academy, Chicago
Michelle Arriola, Lincoln Park High School, Chicago
Ana Baeza, Bloom Township High School, Chicago Heights
Mariana Barajas, Curie High School, Chicago
MaryBeth Belmonte, Conant High School, Hoffman Estates
Alicia Boughton, Maria High School, Chicago
Blair Brown, Hinsdale South High School, Darien
Joann Bryja, Queen of Peace High School, Burbank
Joannna Capulong, Lane Tech High School, Chicago
Octavio Casas, Kennedy High School, Chicago
Lauren Caster, Illinois College, Jacksonville
Tejal Chande, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
Brandi Clark, Rock Island High School, Rock Island
Leticia Contreras, Curie High School, Chicago
Brandon Corley, St. Rita High School, Chicago
Ivan Delgado, Lane Tech High School, Chicago
Rachel Dent, Boylan Central Catholic High School, Rockford
Benjamin Dobes, Morton West High School, Berwyn
Sarah Duggins, University of Illinois Champaign, Urbana
Sabrina Ehmke, Niles West High School, Skokie
Karen Eichenlaub, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
Amy Fischl, Libertyville High School, Libertyville
Amelia Gornik, Dixon High School, Dixon
Kate Graham-McHugh, Nazareth Academy, LaGrange Park
Anamaria Greab, Hubbard High School, Chicago
Yaliza Gutierrez, Morton East High School, Cicero
Alicia Hall, Lane Tech High School, Chicago
Rikeita Harris, Thorton High School, Harvey
Adam Heenan, Kankakee High School, Kankakee
Patricia Hernandez, Hubbard High School, Chicago
Emilia Herrera, Maria High School, Chicago
Deanna Hicks, Morgan Park High School, Chicago
Kristin Johnston, Benedictine University, Lisle
Andrew Jones, Bogan High School, Chicago
Jacqueline Kalipeni, Centennial High School, Champaign
Cory Kelley, Carbondale High School, Carbondale
Cynthia Kogol, Mother Guerin High School, River Grove
Jeffrey Kreil, Reavis High School, Burbank
Jessica LaBon, Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School, Bradley
Rosalynn Lazar, Elgin High School, Elgin
Jonathan Lin, Wheaton Warrenville South High School, Wheaton
Elizabeth Lloyd, Fenger High School, Chicago
Candice Lobo, Willowbrook High School, Villa Park
Joneisha Lockhart, Simeon High School, Chicago
Paola Lopez, Proviso West High School, Hillside
Lucero Magallanes, Bowen High School, Chicago
Malika Mask, Wheeling High School, Wheeling
Chenique McIntire, Murphysboro High School, Murphysboro
Alicia Mejia, Willows High School, Des Plaines
Rachel Moeller, Illinois State University, Normal
Diana Montgomery, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston
Gholnecsar Muhammad, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, Edwardsville
Dalila Muro, Dundee Crown High School, Carpentersville
Nancy Navarez, Thornton Fractional North High School, Calumet City
Sonia Ortega, Kelly High School, Chicago
Alenna Park, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
Darshna Patel, Mather High School, Chicago
Adrienne Pavek, Morton West High School, Berwyn
Lynnycesa Perry, Rich East High School, Park Forest
Rebekka Pogeman, Limestone High School, Bartonville
Julie Quirch, Palatine High School, Palatine
Jeanine Rainey, St. Ignatius High School, Chicago
Mary Ralph, Columbia College, Chicago
Adam Ramirez, Roosevelt University, Chicago
Veronica Ramos, Whitney Young High School, Chicago
Patricia Rangel, Lourdes High School, Chicago
Eboni Rankin, Shepard High School, Palos Heights
Angela Reaves, Morgan Park High School, Chicago
Monique Redeaux, Thornton Fractional North High School, Calumet City
Alison Reedy, Bradley University, Peoria
Karen Roberts, Heritage High School, Broadlands
Claudia Rostro, Morgan Park High School, Chicago
Angela Ruiz, Northside College Prep. High School, Chicago
Celia Sanabria, Prosser High School, Chicago
Natalie Sanchez, East Aurora High School, Aurora
Veronica Sanchez, Trinity High School, River Forest
Alaina Schroeder, Alleman Catholic High School, Rock Island
Amy Scudder, Mother McAuley High School, Chicago
Bianca Severino, Benedictine University, Lisle
Angela Sidell, Pekin High School, Pekin
Elizabeth Sieben, Mattoon High School, Mattoon
Lisa Simoncelli, Maine South High School, Park Ridge
Christine Smedberg, West Leyden High School, Northlake
Sara Soltis, Immaculate Heart of Mary High School, Westchester
Rosa Sosa, Maria High School, Chicago
Andrea Streckfuss, O’Fallon High School, O’Fallon
Jennifer Suerth, Lane Tech High School, Chicago
Omar Tabbara, Lane Tech High School, Chicago
Sandra Tapia, DePaul University, Chicago
Roberto Terrazas, Kenwood Academy, Chicago
Coi Trotter, Whitney Young High School, Chicago
Rachel Tyson, Curie High School, Chicago
Andrea Vanvoltenburg, United Township High School, East Moline
Evelyn Velazquez, Libertyville High School, Libertyville
Roberta Vogeltanz, Evergreen Park High School, Evergreen Park
Carrie VonHuben, Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington
Catherine Wachtel, Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington
Lisa Weidner, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb
Therese Weimholt, Von Steuben High School, Chicago
Heather Widolff, Prophetstown High School, Prophetstown
Deanna Wruskyj, Loyola University, Chicago