Academy: What is the Golden Apple Academy?

The Golden Apple Academy of Educators is the heart of the Golden Apple Foundation. Academy members, known as Fellows, are past winners of the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. The Academy is independent of any school district, union, government organization, professional association, and subject area or grade level. Its members come from public, religious and independent schools.

What is its Mission and Purpose?

  • Academy Mission: "Through a commitment to recognition, renewal, recruitment and reform, we advocate excellent and effective education for all children."
  • Academy Purpose: "The purpose of the Golden Apple Academy shall be to create and sustain a community of educators who work to advance the profession of teaching and deepen the learning of students."

What does the Golden Apple Academy do?

The Academy serves its mission and fulfills its purpose in four ways:
  • Creating programs through the Golden Apple Foundation
  • Entering into alliances with other organizations that share a similar mission, including those focused on:
  • Reading
  • Small schools
  • Early childhood education
  • New teacher preparation
  • Professional recognition and renewal
  • Studying education issues and recommending public policy
  • Responding to local and national requests for assistance in Fellows' areas of expertise

Foundation Programs

The Academy creates and oversees all programs of the Golden Apple Foundation, in partnership with the Board of Directors and the Foundation staff. Academy Fellows are active in the Foundation with the following programs:

  • Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching
  • Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois
  • Golden Apple Science Workshop
  • Golden Apple Storytelling Workshop

Policy

The Academy currently is engaged in a multi-year special focus on reading. "Reading is Everybody's Business!" advocates that all children have the resources they need to become successful readers.

The Academy developed and ratified a children's Reading Bill of Rights and is developing programs and working with policy makers to advance the document's principles.

For more information, contact Chief Program Officer Gloria Harper.