1991 Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching; Part 1

<v Announcer>Where do you find IBM in Chicagoland? <v Announcer>Education everywhere. <v Announcer>In preschool programs through United Way grants, helping grade school students learn the <v Announcer>value of staying in school, teaching job skills at IBM adult learning centers, job <v Announcer>training centers and the Adopt a School program. <v Announcer>Helping create model schools in the city and a leading edge project linking school and <v Announcer>home in several school districts. <v Announcer>And now IBM is helping support the Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in teaching. <v Announcer>IBM is there. <v Speaker>[children singing] <v Student 1>Congratulations on winning the Golden Apple Award. <v Student 2>She deserves the award because she makes everybody feel special. <v Student 3>We stood up, we screamed our guts out. <v Student 4>[In high school for every four years, I see you I like you.

<v Student 4>] <v Student 5>She loves to to play with me. <v Student 6>She just feels like a nice lady that you could have for a <v Student 6>mom. <v Student 7>I remember for her, that she taught me good. <v Student 8>She treats us like we're her children. <v Student 9>We just love Mr. <v Student 10>The best teacher I ever had. <v Student 11>She lets me learn so much that sometimes my brain gets <v Student 11>a little bit crowded. <v Announcer>On WTTW in Chicago, the six annual Golden Apple Award <v Announcer>for Excellence in Teaching. <v Announcer>Now here's your host, Marty Robinson. <v Announcer>[applause] <v Marty Robinson>Good evening to you all and good evening to you at home and welcome to the sixth annual

<v Marty Robinson>Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching. <v Marty Robinson>Tonight, we are going to meet 10 exemplary teachers of preschool through <v Marty Robinson>fifth grade students who have truly made a difference in the lives of many children. <v Marty Robinson>The Golden Apple Foundation has spent months selecting these award winners from over <v Marty Robinson>one or 11 hundred nominations from public, private and parochial schools <v Marty Robinson>throughout Lake, DuPage, and Cook Counties. <v Marty Robinson>Joining us for this gala events are the first lady of the city of Chicago, Maggie Daley. <v Marty Robinson>And she well, as she did last year, present the awards. <v Marty Robinson>Also with us, distinguished professor and Nobel Laureates, Dr. Leon Lederman. <v Marty Robinson>And of course, the founder of the Golden Apple Foundation, Martin J.

<v Marty Robinson>Koldyke. [applause] <v Marty Robinson>For the first time, this program is being broadcast in Spanish on the SAP or <v Marty Robinson>secondary audio program channel on stereo television's. <v Marty Robinson>Now to our first golden Apple winner, who is warmly referred to as the Pied Piper <v Marty Robinson>of Franklin Fine Arts Center, her students think of her room as a home <v Marty Robinson>away from home. They arrive early in the morning and they stay long after the final bell <v Marty Robinson>rings with her high expectations. <v Marty Robinson>This energetic role model inspires all students to believe in themselves. <v Marty Robinson>And they do. <v Class together>I feel good. I feel great. I'm a wonderful person. <v Brigid D. Gerace>First, I think self-esteem is terrific.

<v Brigid D. Gerace>Because you don't believe in yourself. <v Brigid D. Gerace>I mean, there's no substitute for believing in yourself. <v Brigid D. Gerace>[children singing together in classroom] I <v Brigid D. Gerace>really do love children. The children enjoy learning before someone turns them off. <v Brigid D. Gerace>And I have a wonderful time teaching and I learn all the time. <v Brigid D. Gerace>I think someone said that teaching is learning twice. <v Brigid D. Gerace>And I love it. <v Mary Bonnett>She cares a tremendous amount. She genuinely cares and has deep regard and concern <v Mary Bonnett>for each and every single child in her classroom. <v Scott Velasques>I will remember her for that she taught me good. <v Scott Velasques>She taught me good so I get straight A's now. <v Brigid D. Gerace>The North northpark Village Nature Center is just it's a wonderful place for urban <v Brigid D. Gerace>children. You'd never believe you in the city. <v Brigid D. Gerace>And we almost lost it, at least part of the serenity of the place.

<v Brigid D. Gerace>They were collecting traffic fines there, which is just ludicrous on the property. <v Brigid D. Gerace>So the children each wrote a letter to Mayor Daley and he was wonderful and sent <v Brigid D. Gerace>each of them a response at their homes. <v Brigid D. Gerace>So they felt they were really being listened to and they did impact and the decision to <v Brigid D. Gerace>change that facility. So they feel they can make a difference. <v Brigid D. Gerace>And I think that's what it's about. <v James Occhipinti>She would always, you know, trying to be helping the environment and helping other people <v James Occhipinti>who are in trouble. <v James Occhipinti>She was just a flat, nice teacher. <v James Occhipinti>She was really good to everybody. <v Leigh Anne Stockwell>Instead, treats like junk <v Leigh Anne Stockwell>food and stuff, she gives us celery and <v Leigh Anne Stockwell>all that stuff, so it's nutritious. <v Brigid D. Gerace>I'd like to thank you. Give me some information. <v Brigid D. Gerace>What you know, so. I think students inspire me. <v Brigid D. Gerace>If I come in on my energy level isn't where it usually is. <v Brigid D. Gerace>I just have to take a look at them and just watch them and watch them begin to get

<v Brigid D. Gerace>excited. It's contagious. <v Alice Maresh>The parents are very happy about Mrs. Gerace's being the award <v Alice Maresh>awardee, and our teachers are, too, because it does something for the schoo <v Alice Maresh>to have a Golden Apple Awarding. <v Brigid D. Gerace>I love working with kids who every year get more and more interesting and <v Brigid D. Gerace>watching the kids who I have had in class before grow and <v Brigid D. Gerace>try new things and be risk takers and <v Brigid D. Gerace>not operate from a fear base to know that they really <v Brigid D. Gerace>can accomplish. And they do. <v Brigid D. Gerace>And to watch them year after year is just incredible. <v Marty Robinson>From Franklin Fine Arts Center in Chicago. <v Marty Robinson>Brigid Duffy Gerace. [applause] <v Brigid D. Gerace>When St. Catherine of Siena said all the way to heaven is heaven,

<v Brigid D. Gerace>she must have been thinking about winning a golden apple. <v Brigid D. Gerace>And working at Franklin with wonderful teachers who daily exemplify <v Brigid D. Gerace>the importance of fine arts education. <v Brigid D. Gerace>Special thanks to my greatest teachers, ?Sister Emma Therise?, Alice Crawley <v Brigid D. Gerace>and to my family and friends who have taught me to teach only love. <v Brigid D. Gerace>Thank you, Golden Apple Foundation, for spreading joy among teachers. <v Brigid D. Gerace>[inaudible] said Joy is the only infallible sign of the presence of <v Brigid D. Gerace>God. And to you, God, if this is the kind of good you <v Brigid D. Gerace>have in store, count me in. <v Brigid D. Gerace>[laughter, applause] <v Marty Robinson>Our next Apple winner reminds her students every morning to keep a going. <v Marty Robinson>She understands the challenges her third graders face and under her strong leadership, <v Marty Robinson>they learn to respect themselves and each other under her nurturing care.

<v Marty Robinson>Each child has the opportunity to blossom and grow. <v Pat Bearden>[singing in class] My sister and I volunteer at McKinley to share the joy reading with <v Pat Bearden>the children in the community. The reason why we do this is to get the children hooked on <v Pat Bearden>books, to celebrate reading and give the children an opportunity <v Pat Bearden>to share reading with one another. <v Pat Bearden>I'm like a salesman. I sell education, I sell ideas, and I sell the joy <v Pat Bearden>of learning. I package education in a way <v Pat Bearden>that I'll get their attention. And then in the package, I must know that <v Pat Bearden>the quality of goods all right, too, so that I can hold their attention. <v Pat Bearden>And at the end I want them to have success. <v Pat Bearden>So they'll come back for more. <v Roy Tolbert>She inspired me by doing the best I keep and <v Roy Tolbert>doing all I can in my education. <v Carlton Lee>She's my favorite teacher because does many things

<v Carlton Lee>like about our culture. <v Carlton Lee>You learn about different cultures and ethnic groups. <v Pat Bearden>Where do your ancestors come from? <v Student>My ancestors are originally from Pakistan, India, and Africa. <v Pat Bearden>We have a great ethnic mix in our classroom. <v Pat Bearden>We have Mexican-American and Puerto Ricans, Black, finland <v Pat Bearden>and El Salvadorian, and we're learning about ourselves and we're learning about each <v Pat Bearden>other. And we're going to learn to respect one another and respect our differences. <v Erica Gray>To me she caring to help us and help us learn about each <v Erica Gray>other, not to talk about it by being prejudice, by calling them names <v Erica Gray>and things like that. <v Albert E. Foster, Jr.>Well, I am happy that she was selected. <v Albert E. Foster, Jr.>It is it is rare. <v Albert E. Foster, Jr.>Sometimes the good people are recognized for the good deeds that they do. <v Pat Bearden>A lot of my children do not appreciate who they are and accept

<v Pat Bearden>who they are. And my number one challenge is to get them to trust me, to bond <v Pat Bearden>with me so we can get on with the business of learning and to become lifelong <v Pat Bearden>learners. <v Anna Dickerson>She has a way of reaching <v Anna Dickerson>sort of inside the children to pull out more than just academic accomplishments <v Anna Dickerson>as success. She takes and develops the character that comes in the room, <v Anna Dickerson>making them a whole person and preparing them for the next grade, and not only for the <v Anna Dickerson>next grade of her life. <v Pat Bearden>What does keep it going mean? <v Student>You have to keep going and keep yourself up. <v Pat Bearden>We have a poem that we say every day and that's Keep It Going. <v Pat Bearden>[children recite "Keep It Going" poem] And <v Pat Bearden>I want them to keep it going no matter where they are, not to give up. <v Pat Bearden>Don't let anybody stop you from learning. <v Pat Bearden>And they will have many challenges along the way. <v Pat Bearden>But remember the point. Keep going. Don't give up.

<v Marty Robinson>From Metcalf's Magnet School in Chicago, Pat Bearden. <v Marty Robinson>[applause] <v Pat Bearden>My parents, who were my first teachers, valued and celebrated learning. <v Pat Bearden>It is therefore befitting that a parent who recognizes the importance of the role <v Pat Bearden>of teachers in her children's education. <v Pat Bearden>Nominated me for this honor, Anna Dickerson. <v Pat Bearden>Thank you for your encouragement and support as a parent educator. <v Pat Bearden>I salute my colleagues in administrative at Metcalf school and a special <v Pat Bearden>salute to my best teachers, my students who teach me <v Pat Bearden>how to teach them. This is for you. <v Marty Robinson>When our next winner is teaching science, you can hear an egg drop.

<v Marty Robinson>She makes every lesson to challenge, whether it's interviewing senior citizens for <v Marty Robinson>history or dropping jumbo eggs out the window. <v Marty Robinson>Since her students expect the unexpected, they delight in every adventurous day in her <v Marty Robinson>class. <v Karen Bauder>OK. Oh, we'll drive Mr. Rustic wild. [singing] Now everyone's stamp feet <v Karen Bauder>like me. [voiceover] I'm a teacher cause I like kids. <v Karen Bauder>My kids are kind of what keep me young and keep <v Karen Bauder>me going. And they are so fresh that I <v Karen Bauder>find that their love and their enthusiasm keep me fresh <v Karen Bauder>and excited about life. <v Karen Bauder>Third graders still like to hug. <v Karen Bauder>They're also learning so many things and their minds <v Karen Bauder>just are an explosion of things. <v Karen Bauder>In third grade, it's just exciting to be around them as they learn to do cursive <v Karen Bauder>writing. They learn to do multiplication tables. <v Karen Bauder>They're learning to think and understand things in science.

<v Karen Bauder>All of a sudden, all the different parts come together. <v Karen Bauder>So they're really able to make decisions. <v Karen Bauder>They're able to make inferences. <v Karen Bauder>And all this is as exciting for them, it's as exciting for me to watch <v Karen Bauder>them. <v Johanna Newton>She lets me learn so much that sometimes my brain <v Johanna Newton>gets a little bit crowded. <v Raymond Fricke>She's very demanding as a teacher, she expects excellence out of the children, <v Raymond Fricke>but she also gives a lot of herself in doing that. <v Raymond Fricke>So her- her expectations are high. <v Raymond Fricke>She's a very exciting teacher. <v Raymond Fricke>She enjoys what she's doing and that enjoyment shows forth. <v Raymond Fricke>And and the kids, I think, get excited about learning. <v Alyssa Brown>She understands if you don't understand, she understand and she helps <v Alyssa Brown>you. <v Lynn Buhrke>There's no doubt that she just has a true love for each child. <v Lynn Buhrke>They feel it. They know it.

<v Lynn Buhrke>And when you have that kind of rapport with your children, they work for you. <v Lynn Buhrke>And that's something very unique. <v Lynn Buhrke>She's very special, with their kind of ability. <v Karen Bauder>[in footage] Scrambled! [voiceover] I want them to learn to love each other, to love <v Karen Bauder>their lord. And I want them to learn to appreciate and love <v Karen Bauder>everyone that they need. <v Karen Bauder>I think it's very important in our world that we build some type <v Karen Bauder>of all love and respect for each other. <v Alyssa Brown>I'm very glad she won that gold and therefore I think she deserves it. <v Blair Silliman>We stood up, we screamed our guts out. <v Blair Silliman>It was it was a proud day. <v Karen Bauder>My message to children is that learning is fun and learning <v Karen Bauder>never stops enjoying learning the rest of your lives. <v Blair Silliman>Well, I just think she's a really good teacher and I want everybody to know that.

<v Marty Robinson>From Emanuel Lutherin school in Palatine, Karen Bauder. <v Karen Bauder>I am overwhelmed with how good God has been to me. <v Karen Bauder>I want to thank the Golden Apple Foundation for all the unbelievable experiences and <v Karen Bauder>opportunities connected with this award without the support of the family <v Karen Bauder>of each child in my classroom. <v Karen Bauder>I would not be here. I urge all families to be actively involved <v Karen Bauder>in their child's education. <v Karen Bauder>I thank my parents who have always loved and encouraged me. <v Karen Bauder>The support of my husband Don and our two sons, Dave and Steve, makes <v Karen Bauder>this truly our family award. <v Karen Bauder>Having the opportunity to work with an outstanding staff at Emanuel makes teaching <v Karen Bauder>fun. A special thanks to the golden apples in my classroom. <v Karen Bauder>You are indeed a rare and precious funds.

<v Marty Robinson>The Golden Apple Foundation was created six years ago by Martin J. <v Marty Robinson>Koldyke in an effort to bring positive change to our educational system <v Marty Robinson>through the recognition of dynamic teachers. <v Marty Robinson>The program has become a model for the nation. <v Marty Robinson>Both Salt Lake City and Cincinnati launched similar initiatives this year. <v Marty Robinson>Now, not only will tonight's winners be inducted into the Golden Apple Academy of <v Marty Robinson>Educators, but the foundation will provide them with an honorarium of $2500 <v Marty Robinson>a paid fall term sabbatical at Northwestern University to study tuition free <v Marty Robinson>and personal use of an IBM computer. <v Marty Robinson>Since its inception, the foundation has selected 60 golden Apple winners. <v Marty Robinson>They have also implemented several programs, including the Celebration of Excellence in <v Marty Robinson>Teaching the Golden Apple Scholars Program and the Golden Apple Elementary Science

<v Marty Robinson>Education Program, which is designed to inspire Chicago area teachers <v Marty Robinson>with new and creative approaches to teaching science. <v Martin J. Koldyke>I think if there is a challenge for us, for the Golden Apple <v Martin J. Koldyke>Academy over the next decade, it is to be able to <v Martin J. Koldyke>continue to be creative in offering programs that will help <v Martin J. Koldyke>the men and women who are in the classrooms to become renewed, <v Martin J. Koldyke>to become better. <v William D. Geer, Jr.>The Academy decided to create a three week summer workshop where we would recruit <v William D. Geer, Jr.>classroom teachers. <v William D. Geer, Jr.>We went back to the finalists from previous years, invited them to to submit an <v William D. Geer, Jr.>application. <v William D. Geer, Jr.>We had a three week Hands-On Science Workshop in which we immerse them in things that <v William D. Geer, Jr.>they could do in their classrooms during that time. <v William D. Geer, Jr.>We worked with them to develop their yearlong science program. <v William D. Geer, Jr.>We then were able to provide those teachers with the money they needed to buy all of the <v William D. Geer, Jr.>equipment, materials and supplies.

<v William D. Geer, Jr.>And we've been very excited about them. <v Esi Threet>I hate to admit it, but I was a mediocre science teacher. <v Esi Threet>I think I was really afraid. <v Esi Threet>I always thought of science as being hard. <v Esi Threet>Little did I know that I would learn to enjoy science. <v Esi Threet>So I said, I really just am a raise with teachers who let me teach your science <v Esi Threet>if you will take something else. I want to teach your science. <v Classroom Demonstrator>See how much will flow until your barge sinks. <v Classroom Demonstrator>OK. Do that much. <v Classroom Demonstrator>And let's stop and fold your hands and wait. <v Jim Effinger>I think it's an exciting program. This was our first attempt to put in a group like this <v Jim Effinger>together for a three week session. <v Jim Effinger>And I think that teachers have got a lot out of it. <v Jim Effinger>I know I have. I've learned almost as much from them as I think they've probably learned <v Jim Effinger>from me. <v Martin J. Koldyke>It matters not how you get there. <v Martin J. Koldyke>What's important is when that electricity takes place, if a few gifted teachers <v Martin J. Koldyke>can translate that to their other colleagues, <v Martin J. Koldyke>society benefits. <v Marty Robinson>No discussion of science in Chicago would be complete without featuring

<v Marty Robinson>our guest speaker. As director emeritus of Fermilab and founder of <v Marty Robinson>the Illinois Math and Science Academy, he is a well-known proponent of Hands-On <v Marty Robinson>Science Education. This Nobel laureate and University of Chicago professor understands <v Marty Robinson>that educators need to be challenged as much as do their students in <v Marty Robinson>his classroom. He combines poetry, physics and humor to create a <v Marty Robinson>unique chemistry. Please welcome Dr. Leon Lederman. <v Leon Lederman>One of the greatest American scientists recently wrote, I don't believe I can really <v Leon Lederman>manage without teaching. <v Leon Lederman>And I personally share that view in my various applications for passports <v Leon Lederman>and marriage licenses or loans and especially loans where it says profession, <v Leon Lederman>I always write very proudly teacher.

<v Leon Lederman>In meeting the great teachers here this evening, I feel I'm one of them. <v Leon Lederman>And I think I understand some of their problems. <v Leon Lederman>Some of their frustrations. <v Leon Lederman>But I also envy those exhilarating moments when a teacher has succeeded <v Leon Lederman>in removing the mist from the eyes of a student that sees the glow of joy that comes <v Leon Lederman>from understanding something that is really difficult. <v Leon Lederman>I have some advice which is illustrated in two little stories. <v Leon Lederman>Teacher says to Joey, Joey, how much is two plus six? <v Leon Lederman>Joey says eight. Teacher says, Very good. <v Leon Lederman>Joey says, What do you mean? Good? It's perfect. <v Leon Lederman>Or what happened in my class the other day. <v Leon Lederman>Hey, Red, wake up that kid sleeping next to you. <v Leon Lederman>Red says why should I, you put him to sleep. <v Leon Lederman>[laughter] This has to do with <v Leon Lederman>the essence of science instruction. <v Leon Lederman>Children must be encouraged to be skeptical, to question authority. <v Leon Lederman>And that's how science progresses through independence to originality <v Leon Lederman>and the nuturing of dissent.

<v Leon Lederman>And this is what we must convey in our teaching. <v Leon Lederman>The teacher can smile radiantly and confess: I don't know the answer to your <v Leon Lederman>question. Let's work on it together. <v Leon Lederman>This is the confident teacher. This is the one who will produce students <v Leon Lederman>who will invent, solve, cure or in some way make the world a better <v Leon Lederman>place. Now, here we are, 1991. <v Leon Lederman>The last decade of the 20th century, a century of political progress, of exploding <v Leon Lederman>technology, of changes in the way humans live, instant communications. <v Leon Lederman>Americans find themselves with a failing school system. <v Leon Lederman>There is blame enough to go around. One possibility is illustrated by the story of a high <v Leon Lederman>school football player who flunked math and couldn't play in the big game on Saturday. <v Leon Lederman>Well, the coach convinced the principal no problem to convince the math teacher <v Leon Lederman>to have the exception made and give the football player an oral <v Leon Lederman>exam the day before the big game. <v Leon Lederman>Of course, the coach was present. OK, said the math teacher, Jim how much is three times <v Leon Lederman>four. Jim groaned, grew red, scratched his head, finally

<v Leon Lederman>blurted out three times four, twelve. <v Leon Lederman>And the coach jumped up and said, Give him another chance. <v Leon Lederman>This story simply says that our values are backwards. <v Leon Lederman>Now, I'm not suggesting that we honor our great teachers as highly was that we honor our <v Leon Lederman>athletes or entertainers. <v Leon Lederman>Our expectations have to be realistic. <v Leon Lederman>But so far as anyone has been able to judge the teachers, the key to turning our <v Leon Lederman>educational system around and teachers who love their children <v Leon Lederman>can operate as proud professionals who are given the time and the freedom <v Leon Lederman>to innovate, who are courted, the respect and the honor that is due them. <v Leon Lederman>These teachers can effect the changes we must have if we are to prepare our children <v Leon Lederman>for life in the 21st century. <v Leon Lederman>And the Golden Apple Award is a step in this difficult but crucial process. <v Leon Lederman>Thank you.

<v Marty Robinson>You see, if he weren't a Nobel laureate, he could make a living in a comedy club. <v Marty Robinson>Could anyhow probably. <v Marty Robinson>Our next Apple winner's door is always open. <v Marty Robinson>That's whether it's to greet her new fourth and fifth grade students from a foreign <v Marty Robinson>country or to invite in her many friends who seek her advice. <v Marty Robinson>Through her warm and cheerful manner she becomes more than just a teacher as she shows <v Marty Robinson>them the way to understanding their new home. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>To me an effective teacher has to be like the night. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>You have to be very dark, very unobtrusive. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>You have to be on the sideline and you have to let the real stars come out. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>And the real stars are the children. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>They are the ones that are here, they are the ones that are the future. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>As soon as we begin our workday, the first thing we do is we express our pledged <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>allegiance to the flag. So hand over your heart. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>I pledge allegiance.

<v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>Primarily my students are from Mexico. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>The largest group. I have three from Puerto Rico, and I have one <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>from ?Angola?. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>And basically a lot of them were not born in the United States. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>They are first generation bilingual. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>A lot of them are very intimidated because this is a brand new situation <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>to them. They are new to the country. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>They don't know the language. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>They feel totally insecure in the first thing. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>The biggest first obstacle I have to overcome <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>is the language barrier. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>Numero, muy bien. How do you say it in English? <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>Numerator, good Daisy. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>In a bilingual classroom. You do not have just one Hispanic culture. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>There is many Latino cultures. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>So when we discuss fractions in a way, we were also doing social sciences <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>because I was letting them know that there is all kinds of parts of the whole

<v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>equal right maiko in the man. <v Juris Graudins>She is able to convey to the children that she really has a <v Juris Graudins>personal interest in them. <v Juris Graudins>And I think the children are very quick to perceive that and feel that that she is <v Juris Graudins>genuinely warm and caring towards them. <v Margarita Villasenor>When you don't want to do work, she like gets you into it. <v Margarita Villasenor>Feagles can't just try it. And she makes a fun thing so you could do. <v Margarita Villasenor>But they're kind of, if you don't understand, she makes them fun to learn. <v David Castaneda>She always gives us a lot of math questions. <v David Castaneda>So so we could be smarter. <v Gabriela Montiel>She's so nice. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>I'd say the biggest obstacle I have is to make them understand <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>that school is fun and it should be fun <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>and their life should be fun. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>Life is not necessarily all tears and feeling bad because they're in a new country <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>and they don't speak the language and they don't know how to communicate. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>Love makes an effective teacher.

<v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>You have to love what you do before. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>In foremost, you have to love your kids. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>I think the biggest reward I have in teaching is that every day <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>when I go to sleep, I think a new <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>mind opened up. I didn't open it. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>They did it themselves. But I was there for the event. <v Marty Robinson>From Autobahn Elementary School in Chicago, Elsa Fonseca <v Marty Robinson>Gonzalez. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>Once upon a land far away, a female Dennis the Menace drove <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>her teachers away. A wise teacher that used the wheelchair [inaudible] and managed to <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>turn the rebel into a priest. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>Since heaven is multi-lingual, <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>[speaking Spanish]. To everyone in my life, thanks. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>To my honey of a husband, daughter and students, don't ever forget <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>quiero mucho. And to the audience, patience enough to listen to this speech.

<v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>May the force be with you always. <v Elsa Fonseca-Gonzalez>[laughter and applause] <v Marty Robinson>And may the force be with you if you're looking for a good place to read. <v Marty Robinson>In our next winter's classroom, try the bathtub. <v Marty Robinson>In a typical day her students share their love of reading with first graders. <v Marty Robinson>They learn about science with their own erupting volcano and they howl at the <v Marty Robinson>moon dressed as puppies past and present. <v Marty Robinson>Her students never forget what a special person she is. <v Students>The one and only Mrs. Stoehrmann. <v Students>This is the story of this story. <v Students>One of our favorite teachers at Wescott School. <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>I don't know how many jobs you can really wake up and say you're really thrilled to be <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>there because Westcott is a special place to come to. <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>You to see the children's joy and

<v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>their love of school. <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>They're excited to be here. <v Jennifer Holmes>I love the science part. <v Jennifer Holmes>My favorite was when the volcano exploded. <v Jared Holtzman>Hi, I'm Jared Holtzman at Witness News and we're with live <v Jared Holtzman>Westscott school and talking I'm talking to Sean Kelly about this volcano. <v Jared Holtzman>Hi, Sean. <v Jared Holtzman>Sean, what is the name of this volcano? <v Sean>Killer Whale. <v Jared Holtzman>Where is it located? <v Sean>Hawaii on the side of another volcano, Mauna Loa. <v Jared Holtzman>Now we go live to the volcano at it now will be erupting. <v Jared Holtzman>Wow the volcanoe is erupting. <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>The reading bodies. It's it's fun to have <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>little ones, children in first grade and third grade come <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>together and share and read stories. <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>So that gives them an opportunity to feel really good about helping each <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>other.

<v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>And he's off. <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>Good bye. No wonder you like this story. <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>This is wonderful. <v Students>Mrs. Stoehrmann's wonderful tips. She create sets for every school <v Students>play and helps us rehearse. <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>I try to listen carefully and be patient <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>with them so that they can, if they don't know the answer right away, <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>that they can think through it. They don't have to know the answer immediately, but they <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>can understand they can have time. <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>Primarily, I want them to know that they matter a lot to me. <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>They're very dear to me.

<v Judith Frank-Gonwa>I think for Sue, hundreds of children will think of her <v Judith Frank-Gonwa>when as an adult they are asked Who is your favorite teacher? <v Judith Frank-Gonwa>I think she'll be the person that they'll name because of the memories that she's created <v Judith Frank-Gonwa>with them. <v Karen Feldberg>She shows extreme interest in the children and really <v Karen Feldberg>goes to great lengths to demonstrate that interest even outside <v Karen Feldberg>of school. <v Student>Mrs. Stoehrmann is is like the wizard in The Wizard of Oz <v Student>and we're the lion. She says we have <v Student>the courage if we just look for it. <v Student>She is the one and only because if you searched the whole world, you couldn't find <v Student>another teacher like Mrs. Stoehrmann. <v Student>She's so special. <v Marty Robinson>From Westcott School in Northbrook, Susan Scott Storeman. <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>It means the world to me to share the joy of learning the sense

<v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>of wonder and the thrill of creativity with my students every day. <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>To quote Eleanore Roosevelt. <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>I would like to thank a few the people who have helped to make this dream come true for <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>me. I'm grateful to Mr. Martin J. <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>Koldyke and the Golden Apple Foundation. <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>School District 30. Superintendent Dr. Harry Rassi, my principal <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>and friend. Mrs. Judith Frank-Ganwa and also my Westhead family, <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>especially Jessica and Jennifer. <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>My husband Dan sons Blair and Christopher. <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>And of course, my first teachers, my parents who have always believed in me. <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>I think that each day for the ad fraternities given to me remember <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>to love what you do and continue to dream. <v Susan Scott Stoehrmann>Thank you. [applause] <v Maggie Daley>Hello, I'm Maggie Daley.

<v Maggie Daley>And I'm pleased to be here tonight to honor these wonderful teachers, <v Maggie Daley>the Golden Apple Foundation has become a model not only for recognizing <v Maggie Daley>the merits of teachers, but also for recruiting and developing future educators <v Maggie Daley>who can truly make a difference in classrooms all over the country. <v Maggie Daley>The city of Chicago has again joined forces with the foundation in financially <v Maggie Daley>supporting the Golden Apple Academy Scholars Program. <v Maggie Daley>Students will receive financial assistance and mentoring in college <v Maggie Daley>in exchange for a commitment to teach. <v Maggie Daley>Now, in its third year, the program serves as a golden opportunity <v Maggie Daley>for its scholars. There are now 54 of them who want to <v Maggie Daley>realize their dream of becoming a teacher. <v Maggie Daley>In this way, the foundation is cultivating its own crop of future golden <v Maggie Daley>apple winners. Here's a look at the impact the scholars program <v Maggie Daley>has had on several of its students.

<v Shalanda Dexter>The Academy Scholar program has been a real help to me in terms of support. <v Shalanda Dexter>And then also with the intense shift. <v Shalanda Dexter>Internships have given me invaluable experience of being a teacher. <v Shalanda Dexter>What is actually going to be like in the classroom? <v Shalanda Dexter>You can look knowledgeable when actually are doing seeing something that you know for <v Shalanda Dexter>sure. This is what it's all about. <v Soledad Marquez>It was the foundation that gave me the information and the support and encouragement to <v Soledad Marquez>go ahead and pursue an education career in education. <v Michele Washington>The first thing I would say to a student who wanted or even thought that they would want <v Michele Washington>to become a teacher was ask yourself, do you want to help the youth <v Michele Washington>in our society? Do you want to see them excel in every area of their lives? <v Michele Washington>And do you like children? If you answer yes to all of those questions, then I think that <v Michele Washington>you have what it takes to teach. <v Marty Robinson>And now he's adding the 1991 Golden <v Marty Robinson>Apple Academy scholars. [children choir singing] <v Marty Robinson>Our next our next Apple winner knows that there are many ways to communicate,

<v Marty Robinson>respect and love in the classroom. <v Marty Robinson>For her, an important way is sign language. <v Marty Robinson>She challenges her hearing impaired students to excel in the world. <v Marty Robinson>They play in the band. They dance with professionals. <v Marty Robinson>They perform opera side-by-side with hearing students. <v Marty Robinson>Her tireless efforts to motivate both her colleagues and students to excel. <v Jennifer Duncan>Dear Ms. Banks, congratulation on winning the Golden Apple Award. <v Jennifer Duncan>We are very proud of you. <v Jennifer Duncan>We love you. <v Jeri Banks>I teach the communication arts class and in the class, <v Jeri Banks>the deaf and the hearing children learn together. <v Maureen Bazel>Because of her, her interest in mainstreaming, we have come from a <v Maureen Bazel>separate two departments, a hearing department over here and a hearing impaired <v Maureen Bazel>department over here. We have joined we are now one school because of Mrs. Banks. <v Jeri Banks>The deaf and hearing children work together. <v Jeri Banks>They learn together. They learn from each other.

<v Joseph Okizesk>We make things that she things of that other teachers like, <v Joseph Okizesk>don't think of that stuff. It is always fun. <v Markeeta Sledge>My favorite thing to do is make it a <v Markeeta Sledge>poster and write a poem. <v Jeri Banks>Oh, OK. You wrote for wonderful <v Jeri Banks>poems about the characters in the opera Madam <v Jeri Banks>Butterfly. Where were the characters, Joey? <v Joey>Butterfly. <v Jeri Banks>Bufferfly. That's right. <v James Burke>Because she believes unequivocally in the value of education. <v James Burke>She never stops looking for better ways to do it. <v James Burke>And ways to reach more children. <v Jeri Banks>I want my students not to be afraid <v Jeri Banks>to try things, to be flexible, to be <v Jeri Banks>willing to learn from other people, <v Jeri Banks>all kinds of people, to keep on

<v Jeri Banks>learning all their lives. <v Marcia Florescu-Kauss>We don't just write a poem. We write a poem. We write a book. <v Marcia Florescu-Kauss>And it's all connected to an opera experience. <v Marcia Florescu-Kauss>So it just makes the learning live longer in us. <v Jeri Banks>We studied about the opera Madam Butterfly, and <v Jeri Banks>then we did a lip-sync of the opera. <v Jeri Banks>So it was very exciting. The children learn the story. <v Jeri Banks>They learned about the characters in the opera. <v Jeri Banks>And then we wrote poems about and we are still <v Jeri Banks>writing poems about the characters in the opera. <v Jeri Banks>I find everyday exciting. <v Jeri Banks>I want to come to school because there is something important that has to be <v Jeri Banks>done. That day is a story that has to be finished, <v Jeri Banks>a book that must be done. <v Jeri Banks>There is a speech to get ready for an assembly.

<v Jeri Banks>There's always something. <v Jeri Banks>I'm willing to try anything that will help our children communicate <v Jeri Banks>well. <v Marty Robinson>From Kimsey Elementary School in Chicago. <v Marty Robinson>Geraldine Banks. <v Jeri Banks>On Mobile Avenue there stands a lovely tree with more <v Jeri Banks>than 400 blossoms for all to see, <v Jeri Banks>its branches are stalwart, yet they bend with the storm. <v Jeri Banks>Its roots settle deeply served to anchor its form. <v Jeri Banks>It was under that tree one fine morning I sat when a golden <v Jeri Banks>apple fell right in my lap. <v Jeri Banks>Unlike Newton, who proved gravity valid, I

<v Jeri Banks>frivolously penned this acceptance ballad. <v Jeri Banks>Thank you. Kinzie parents, students and staff. <v Jeri Banks>Together we teach, we learn and we laugh. <v Marty Robinson>When students of our next golden apple winter learn the days of the week, they learn them <v Marty Robinson>in both English and Spanish. <v Marty Robinson>Her pre-kindergarten students are immersed in a bilingual program that continues <v Marty Robinson>through eighth grade required warmth fills her colorful classroom, <v Marty Robinson>which resonates with the sounds of voices joyfully singing. <v Ana Bensinger>Interamerican was the it was a dream of two parents who wanted their children to become <v Ana Bensinger>bi lingual and bi cultural and multicultural. <v Ana Bensinger>We teach these subjects in Spanish and in English here at the preschool level and

<v Ana Bensinger>actually the kindergarten in the first grade, too, with all immersion, with all teaching <v Ana Bensinger>Spanish because to be bilingual is an asset. <v Ana Bensinger>It's not a handicap. <v Joy Noven>I nominated, Anna, because to me, she's <v Joy Noven>what every child should have an early childhood teacher. <v Joy Noven>She's a loving, nurturing person and she brings this into <v Joy Noven>the room. So as a parent, it's something that I would want. <v Joy Noven>And I think every parent would want this nurturing environment. <v Student>[We sing the song the Farmer and the Dell]. <v Student>We talk about Easter, summer, and spring. <v Student>And the winder. <v Ana Bensinger>[speaking Spanish] <v Student> We made a basket at Easter. <v Student>And we put candy in it. <v Ana Bensinger>I believe that every child is unique.

<v Ana Bensinger>Every child has talent. I would like to for them to discover that. <v Ana Bensinger>I want them to be very proud of themselves. <v Ana Bensinger>I want them to be happy. <v Ana Bensinger>I want them to be turned on to learning. <v Ana Bensinger>I want him to I want <v Ana Bensinger>to love reading. We have a lending library of books. <v Ana Bensinger>And they in fact, they would like to take books out every day. <v Ana Bensinger>We have parents helping us with the lending library. <v Ana Bensinger>A lot of songs. We are constantly singing. <v Ana Bensinger>The children love to sing me. <v Ana Bensinger>We tried to go on a field trip once a month and we have been talking about farm animals. <v Ana Bensinger>This is a common identity of these farm animals unit. <v Ana Bensinger>We have talked about all the animals that we're going to see. <v Ana Bensinger>Of course, I told them they had to learn the names of all the animals in Spanish before <v Ana Bensinger>they can go there. So they have been learning them diligently. <v Eva Helwing>She is a person who gives totally up herself. <v Eva Helwing>Of course she is. She gives of that to the children.

<v Eva Helwing>She imparts her values, her love, her <v Eva Helwing>concern. And the children learn how to be good human beings from her. <v Ana Bensinger>Here at Interamerican, it is a very special, unique place. <v Ana Bensinger>And from the beginning, I knew there that I had a sense of mission. <v Ana Bensinger>And that's what keeps my interest alive and <v Ana Bensinger>renewed because we have a very important job. <v Ana Bensinger>We need bilingual teachers. We need good bilingual teachers, and we need role mothers for <v Ana Bensinger>the children. If I could only inspire one person to become bilingual teacher, <v Ana Bensinger>I would be very happy. <v Marty Robinson>Intermerican Magnet School in Chicago. <v Marty Robinson>Ana Bensinger. <v Ana Bensinger>I share this award with the idea that guides the Interamerican school.

<v Ana Bensinger>It is a commitment to instill in the children a deep appreciation for the cultures and <v Ana Bensinger>languages of the peoples of the Americas. <v Ana Bensinger>I also share this award with all the members of the entire American family, my <v Ana Bensinger>colleagues, especially my partner in the classroom Jillian Sanchez, my principal, <v Ana Bensinger>parents, and, of course, my dear children. <v Ana Bensinger>I thank the Golden Apple Foundation for this opportunity to renew and enrich myself. <v Ana Bensinger>And lastly, I thank my husband for all his love and support and my children. <v Ana Bensinger>Gil and Tali, who have taught me so much. <v Marty Robinson>In a classroom that used to be a library, our next winner teaches a love of <v Marty Robinson>reading. In this Catholic girl's school her students can explore the wonders of the world <v Marty Robinson>through Hands-On activities and firsthand experience. <v Marty Robinson>Parents are just as enthusiastic as their children about learning from this caring <v Marty Robinson>educator.

<v Classroom>Temptation, but deliver us from evil. <v Classroom>In the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit. Amen. <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>I personally believe strongly in positive reinforcement. <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>I don't think you should tell kids they're doing a great job if they're not doing a great <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>job because they know they're not doing a great job and that's just false praise. <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>But you can usually find something that they're doing well. <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>And I'm always looking for that. And we'll tell them that that's good. <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>And we'll kind of work from there. <v Children Reading>She'd like to go to the zoo. <v Children Reading>But when she got there, she saw a big bear. <v Children Reading>And then took it home, to Roo. <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>That is fantastic. <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>Agree? [class applauses] <v Reenie O'Brien>I just like her in a lot of ways. <v Reenie O'Brien>But she would be really great for a mom. <v Reenie O'Brien>And that's one way why I like her. She's just a great person in a lot of ways. <v Sister Sarah Brennan>Betsy has commitment to children. <v Sister Sarah Brennan>Betsy is determined that the children that she

<v Sister Sarah Brennan>works with will learn. <v Sister Sarah Brennan>There are no boundaries to Betsy's creativity in coming <v Sister Sarah Brennan>up with ways to encourage children, inspire children, <v Sister Sarah Brennan>motivate them to be successful. <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>I do a lot of things to enrich the reading program because I think it's important <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>that kids like to read. It's important for them to have a special time where they <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>can read whatever they want. <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>Okay, time's up for SSR, but we have time for book share. <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>So if you have something good. Bring it on over. <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>By having book share and having the kids talk to each other about what they're reading, <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>they start to get ideas about certain authors that <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>they might enjoy reading or a certain series of books or a certain <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>genre of literature. <v Karin Dominger>She's a special teacher because she's <v Karin Dominger>really nice to you when you mix stuff and she helps him. <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>Teaching sort of has all the emotions packed into one day because there might be a

<v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>wonderful event where the kid gets it. <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>But then there's also the worry in the anxiety about the child isn't <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>understanding it. <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>Would you try to use [inaudible]. <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>Okay and that didn't work. So what would make sense to try? <v Mary Lee Calihan>Mrs. D'Angelo's a real pro at getting the students interacting with the material. <v Mary Lee Calihan>She meets them at their level and then really challenges them to further exploration. <v Mary Lee Calihan>And she does this in such a loving and warm atmosphere that <v Mary Lee Calihan>no student can do anything but succeed. <v Speaker>I feel that my daughter and the other students are fortunate to have Mrs. D'Angelo <v Speaker>as their teacher. <v Speaker>And I guess my only wish would be that every child in Chicago <v Speaker>could experience the Betsy D'Angelo method of teaching. <v Marty Robinson>From the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Chicago with Betsy Curtis <v Marty Robinson>D'Angelo.

<v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>With heartfelt appreciation, I thank the Golden Apple Foundation and everyone at Sacred <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>Heart School for this honor. <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>I began teaching after my husband Charlie and I raised an adorable daughter. <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>Through her, we learned of children's fascinating minds, their never ending curiosity <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>and enchanting imaginations. <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>Thank you, Cara, for the happiness of being your mom. <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>And thank you for guiding me to this rewarding profession. <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>Parents, please make time for your children. <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>Learn to understand and accept them for the unique individuals they are recognized <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>and enjoy their talents, especially be thankful for the precious gift of <v Betsy Curtis D'Angelo>parenthood. <v Marty Robinson>Our next winner feels the thrill of accomplishment when her students successfully

<v Marty Robinson>sort the mail or cross the streets or learn the alphabet <v Marty Robinson>as a teacher of children with autism. She must confront her students self-focused <v Marty Robinson>behavior and set realistic goals to encourage them to become independent <v Marty Robinson>citizens. Her students paint, they dance, they play Wheel of Fortune <v Marty Robinson>in her warm and safe classroom. <v Cheryl Watkins>I teach intermediate 10 to 14, ages 10 to 14, children <v Cheryl Watkins>with autism and autism just means that the children are self <v Cheryl Watkins>focused, they have communication problems and academic problems <v Cheryl Watkins>also. <v Cheryl Watkins>Larry, does that have a stamp? <v Cheryl Watkins>But can we mail it? <v Cheryl Watkins>Yes, we can mail it because it does no postage necessary if mailed in the United States. <v Cheryl Watkins>[voiceover] We go out into the community every day, go for community experiences just <v Cheryl Watkins>so that they can learn how to be independent individuals. <v Cheryl Watkins>[from footage] Did you help Raymond?

<v Cheryl Watkins>Oh, Larry. <v Cheryl Watkins>[voiceover] When I want to intrude on their world, I do speak loudly. <v Cheryl Watkins>I really speak loudly because I notice that sometimes <v Cheryl Watkins>a loud noise makes them just pull in to anything <v Cheryl Watkins>and just the loud noise. So sometimes I do speak loudly. <v Cheryl Watkins>Sometimes I speak softly. Anything that I can do to intrude into their world. <v Cheryl Watkins>[in footage] What are you going to buy? <v Cheryl Watkins>[in voiceover] Sometimes I send them into the store alone and tell them you need to buy a <v Cheryl Watkins>Pepsi. And they learn money, skills, social skills once <v Cheryl Watkins>again, and independent skills. <v Rober A. Guercio>When we created the autistic program here at Agassiz, one of the things we were looking <v Rober A. Guercio>for were people that were caring, people that would invest themselves in <v Rober A. Guercio>the children. People that had high expectations of these children. <v Rober A. Guercio>And Cheryl exemplifies all of those characteristics. <v Cheryl Watkins>You get change back. You get nine cents. <v Cheryl Watkins>OK.

<v Cheryl Watkins>The way that I reach the children is through a lot of hands on activities. <v Cheryl Watkins>I really try to bombard them with touches and send hugs and <v Cheryl Watkins>and things like that. <v Cheryl Watkins>I'd create a very individualized programs so <v Cheryl Watkins>that each child's needs are met. <v Cheryl Watkins>I'm trying to help create a more typical <v Cheryl Watkins>of a more normal individual in each and every child. <v Cheryl Watkins>And by doing that, I want to draw out their strengths, <v Cheryl Watkins>things that they like to do, things that are gonna help make them successful in life. <v Cheryl Watkins>And with Larry. His artwork will definitely make him successful. <v Cheryl Watkins>[in footage] Who's that? <v Larry>Jackie Gleason. <v Cheryl Watkins>OK, Larry, is Jackie Gleason have hair like this? <v Valerie Chestnut>Since Cheryl has been Larry's teacher. He speaks much, much more. <v Valerie Chestnut>And now he's turned into a kid. <v Valerie Chestnut>I mean, he's bad. <v Valerie Chestnut>Like kids should be bad at times.

<v Valerie Chestnut>He talks just nonstop around here. <v Valerie Chestnut>And I truly believe that I see is a terrific teacher. <v Valerie Chestnut>And I am so lucky to have her for my son. <v Cheryl Watkins>Once you see them finally catch on to something, it really is like a burst <v Cheryl Watkins>of sunlight, firecrackers going off. <v Cheryl Watkins>It's just great. And some days I cry. <v Cheryl Watkins>Some days, you know, I just have to hold them and hug them until they squirm away because <v Cheryl Watkins>they don't want me touching them. But once it is once they get something, <v Cheryl Watkins>they really have it, you know, that's the best part. <v Cheryl Watkins>What's my name? <v Student>What's my name? Cheryl. <v Cheryl Watkins>Cheryl! Thank you. Good job! Give me a hug. <v Marty Robinson>From Agassiz Elementary School in Chicago, Cheryl <v Marty Robinson>Watkins. <v Cheryl Watkins>On this day, I feel like one of my students who, after laboring over a task

<v Cheryl Watkins>he considered impossible, finally tied his shoes for the first time in 13 years. <v Cheryl Watkins>Our class motto is You can do anything. <v Cheryl Watkins>And I am proud to be an example for my students. <v Cheryl Watkins>With help from my principal and staff at my school, especially those <v Cheryl Watkins>who work in the autistic program, I am able to work productively with the <v Cheryl Watkins>students. With the constant support of God, my family <v Cheryl Watkins>and friends, I am given the strength to continue. <v Cheryl Watkins>Thank you golden Apple Foundation for making my class motto come true for me. <v Cheryl Watkins>Look room 210, I did it. <v Marty Robinson>Our final winner is a creative storyteller. <v Marty Robinson>When chance is kindergarteners with a magical trunk filled with science secrets, <v Marty Robinson>with visits to grandfather tree and delightful original stories

<v Marty Robinson>that helped the students perform or that they helped perform and guided by his <v Marty Robinson>imagination, the students learn a great deal more than even they realize. <v Tom Clark>Are you ready for me to look? [class cheers] [voiceover:] Kindergartners <v Tom Clark>are energetic, they're exciting. <v Tom Clark>They're fun to be around. <v Tom Clark>They're tiring sometimes because they are so energetic. <v Tom Clark>They learn things in little bits and pieces here and there, and then they're able to <v Tom Clark>through some magic process. Put it all together. <v Tom Clark>[in footage] What I saw in there looks very much like something else in our room. <v Tom Clark>Let's take a look and see. [voiceover] Much of what I do in kindergarten is to help <v Tom Clark>students increase their listening abilities <v Tom Clark>and to increase the amount of time that they can spend absorbing <v Tom Clark>things and learning things. <v Sara La Rose>He's really nice and he loves us a lot.

<v Roger Lemnus>And we think that's the secret of his success, his ability to be able to relate to <v Roger Lemnus>children and provide them a very unique educational learning experience that really <v Roger Lemnus>gets them off to a good start in their education career. <v Ricard Valadez>I like Mr. Clark because he's good to me and he <v Ricard Valadez>helped me do my things good. <v Robyn Duvall>We just love Mr. Clark. <v Tom Clark>We do a great deal with looking around our own community and <v Tom Clark>within one or two blocks of our school and finding things that the children <v Tom Clark>often overlook but are very important to what we are and why we're here. <v Tom Clark>Grandfather Tree really started from a student <v Tom Clark>I had a number of years ago who lived with <v Tom Clark>her family and her grandmother and her grandmother <v Tom Clark>lived in a house not too far from our school and found a tree

<v Tom Clark>near their house that she took her grandchildren to. <v Tom Clark>And she called it grandfather tree. <v Tom Clark>[in footage] And there were a few things hanging up there in his branches. <v Tom Clark>What were hanging up there? [voiceover] I found that fascinating because those children <v Tom Clark>had an instant affinity for that tree and it spread to other <v Tom Clark>things, other living things. And I thought that was a wonderful idea. <v Sue Smith>He provides that father image for children in our school district <v Sue Smith>that maybe you don't have that father image at home and he's just always ready to <v Sue Smith>be there when the children need him. <v Tom Clark>I talked to my children, my students about the fact that I will get to go <v Tom Clark>back to college and that I was really excited about that. <v Tom Clark>And one of them immediately said, does that mean we get some days off? <v Tom Clark>And that's what I'll miss. I'll miss their humor. <v Tom Clark>I'll miss their their openness and their frankness, <v Tom Clark>because it too often as adults, we forget that we ought <v Tom Clark>to be more childlike.

<v Tom Clark>And I think that that's the part I'll miss. <v Tom Clark>Long ago, Frances Thompson penned the essence of my teaching career <v Tom Clark>when he wrote Know You What it is to be a Child. <v Tom Clark>It is to believe in love and to believe in loveliness, <v Tom Clark>to believe in belief. <v Tom Clark>I humbly accept this award with deep gratitude for the support of staff <v Tom Clark>and administration at Shiloh Park School. <v Tom Clark>To my wonderful family, Ruth, Molly, Jessie and Mom. <v Tom Clark>I love you. And especially to the more than 700 kindergarten <v Tom Clark>children in Zion who were willing to share a little bit of their lives <v Tom Clark>with me. I have been blessed.

<v Marty Robinson>And now the founder of the Golden Apple Foundation, Martin J. <v Marty Robinson>Koldyke.