The Golden Apple Foundation Surprises Two Niles West High School Co-Teachers Dillin Randolph and Elizabeth Dribin-Khoshaba with Prestigious Award for Excellence in Teaching
CHICAGO (May 5, 2025) - Today, for the first time in its 40-year history, the Golden Apple Foundation surprised a co-teaching team of two teachers with the prestigious Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. Niles West High School co-teachers Dillin Randolph and Elizabeth Dribin-Khoshaba were surprised this afternoon with a Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching at Niles West High School in Skokie.
The Golden Apple Foundation is the leading Illinois-based nonprofit committed to preparing, mentoring, honoring, and retaining great educators who advance educational opportunities for students. As statewide awards, the Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching recognize and honor outstanding teachers for their roles in having lasting, positive effects on students’ lives and building stronger communities.
Because of Randolph and Dribin-Khoshaba’s outstanding ability to operate as a teaching team in the classroom, they will share a Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. This is the first time two co-teachers have been recognized with the award. Randolph and Dribin-Khoshaba are two of 11 award recipients in the state of Illinois.
Following a highly competitive process, the 2025 teaching award recipients were selected from more than 470 nominations of 9th-12th-grade teachers.
"Exceptional teachers ignite curiosity, build confidence, and create pathways to lifelong success for their students," said Alan Mather, President of The Golden Apple Foundation. "The educators we honor today exemplify teaching at its finest. They blend passion with expertise and innovation with compassion. As they join our community of excellence, these individuals will help us strengthen the teaching profession across Illinois, inspiring and mentoring emerging educators who will shape countless young minds for generations to come."
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, a significant, positive impact on their students’ growth and learning.
About Dillin Randolph
West Niles High School English teacher Dillin Randolph has won impressive awards within his eight years of teaching, including the Illinois State Board of Education's Cook County Co-Regional Teacher of the Year, Teach Plus Policy Fellow of the Year, and NCTE Early Career Educator of Color Award Winner. His creative teaching methods have earned him recognition as a “kid magnet” who can read the room and adjust his approach based on the student’s energy.
What sets Randolph apart is his commitment to fostering a creative learning environment and his efforts to stand up for his students' needs and potential.
Additionally, he incorporates innovative instructional strategies and leads collaborative projects with local community partners that inspire his students to become active learners.
About Elizabeth Dribin-Khoshaba
With 14 years of experience teaching Pre-K-12th grade levels, Elizabeth Dribin-Khoshaba currently teaches Special Education Teacher and is an IEP Case Manager at Niles West High School.
Elizabeth has been dedicated to leading and implementing innovative teaching practices within the special education departments. One of her lessons included “The Story of My Name,” where her students could share the origins behind their full names and reflect on what it meant to them. The activity helped them build more personal connections with their classmates. In the classroom, Elizabeth has developed a student-empowered classroom framework that encourages her students to guide and support one another in their classroom responsibilities and uphold a shared responsibility for success. She aims to teach her students that everyone succeeds when we care and encourage one another.
Her effective teaching methods have been recognized with a series of awards, including ISBE’s 2023 Meritorious Service Award of Special Recognition in the Teacher category, David Zemsky 2022 Niles West High School Teacher of the Year, and 2015 and 2017 Niles Central High School Teacher of the Year.
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 2026 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 | X | 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:
Emily Evans
(937) 206-6039
emilye@theharbingergroup.com