5 Evanston Teachers Among 30 Finalists For Golden Apple Award

EVANSTON, IL — Five teachers from Evanston/Skokie School District 65 schools have been named among the 30 finalists for the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching.

This spring, the Golden Apple Foundation will announce 10 winners of the prestigious honor for Illinois teachers, which includes $5,000 cash and a sabbatical at Northwestern University.

Every year, the Golden Apple teaching awards are set aside for educators at different grade levels. This year, it highlights teachers at the fourth through eighth grade level.

In Evanston, two teachers at Orrington Elementary School, two Chute Middle School teachers and one Nichols Middle School teacher are up for the award, according to foundation representatives.

Anthony Laera teaches fifth grade reading, writing and math at Orrington and aims to incorporate real-life examples into his teaching.

While discussing decimal points and place values, he discusses gas stations, fuel costs and sports clocks, encouraging students to talk to their parents about their use in the community, according to the foundation. And while teaching writing, he encourages students to consider nationwide policy questions, such as plastic bag bans and school uniform requirements.

Michael Likhite, another Orrington fifth grade teacher, teaches math, reading, social emotional learning, science, social studies, writing, vocabulary and executive functioning.

Likhite understands that he must first know how his students learn in order to lead them to success. He seeks to ensure all students "see" themselves and their cultural background in his lessons so they understand their identity is valued by their teachers and peers, according to the foundation.

Aubrey Chang, a teaches sixth grade science at Chute Middle School, promotes sustainability to normalize the idea of taking care of the environment.

Chang engaged students in an interactive project teaching the importance of composting, in which students volunteered to hold the rest of the students body accountable in the lunchroom to separate compost, recyclables, trash and liquids. According to the foundation, students met with the District 65 sustainability coordinator monthly to discuss and determine changes to increase the success rate.

Sherri Kushner teaches media arts at Chute Middle School in the sixth through eighth grades.

Kushner uses creative projects to allow students to express themselves in ways they are passionate about. According to the foundation, one recent assignment included asking students to write about an issue and convey a message with images and text, aiming to teach how to effectively communicate a problem, express an opinion and hear the thoughts of others.

Tawana Stiff is an algebra teacher at Nichols Middle School whose colleagues describe her as a lifelong learner, according to the foundation.

Stiff recognizes there is no single approach that fits all students, so she tailors her math lessons to meet the learning style of each student. She encourages her students to be authentically themselves and reflect on their identities no matter their preferred way of learning or background.

“The impact of a great teacher reaches beyond the classroom and these finalists are proof of that,” Golden Apple President Alan Mather said in a statement.

“Their dedication to providing an engaging, high-quality learning experience for their students and commitment to creating positive outcomes in their school communities is impressive," Mather said. "We are proud to highlight their important work and to honor them as finalists of the 2023 Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching.”