The Golden Apple Foundation Surprises Kewanee High School Teacher Kindra Callahn with Prestigious Award for Excellence in Teaching
CHICAGO (May 8, 2025) - The Golden Apple Foundation, the leading Illinois-based nonprofit committed to preparing, mentoring, honoring, and retaining great educators who advance educational opportunities for students, today surprised Kindra Callahan, a 9th-12th grade at Kewanee High School in Kewanee, with the prestigious Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. Callahan is one of 11 teacher award recipients in 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 Kindra Callahan
Kindra Callahan is an agriculture educator at Kewanee High School, where she teaches Introduction to Agriculture, Agriculture Business Management, and Veterinary Technology. She takes hands-on learning to a whole new level, developing a curriculum that immerses students in real-world agricultural experiences.
One of her most innovative lessons includes breeding and delivering litters of piglets in the school through the “Piggy Party Project,” a collaboration with John Deere Alumni. These lessons help students understand how agriculture impacts their lives and encourage them to share their experiences with their families, creating greater community awareness about production agriculture.
Over her career, Callahan has significantly expanded her classroom’s opportunities through continued professional development and certifications. One of her colleagues even notes that she has single-handedly elevated the school’s agriculture program to one of the very top programs in the state, ensuring students receive both practical experience and industry knowledge that prepares them for future careers.
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.
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