The Golden Apple Foundation Surprises Schurz High School Teacher Victor Hurtado with Prestigious Award for Excellence in Teaching
CHICAGO (April 30, 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 Victor Hurtado, a 11th and 12th grade teacher at Schurz High School in Chicago, with the prestigious Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. Hurtado 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 Victor Hurtado
Victor Hurtado, Math Teacher and Department Chair at Schurz High School, is ensuring every student reaches their full potential. As a bilingual teacher who knows the struggles of bilingual students, he is committed to ensuring every student has access to meaningful learning opportunities. He works to encourage bilingual students and provides a supportive and challenging learning environment tailored to their needs, including offering Dual Credit and advanced courses to bilingual students who would otherwise not be included in the coursework.
His colleagues note that Hurtado goes above and beyond for his students, hosting Saturday "review content camps" for students studying for the AP exam. He is also committed to continuous growth, actively seeking training and professional development to refine his teaching skills. His passion for ensuring students thrive in mathematics is evident in his student-centered grading practices, which recognize their progress and potential in a way that values growth and mastery over rigid scoring.
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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Emily Evans
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