Joliet Central teachers receive 2020 Yale Educator Award

The Yale University office of undergraduate admissions recently announced that Joliet Central High School counselor Natalie O'Connell and band director Don Stinson have been selected as recipients of the 2020 Yale Educator Award.

This award, sponsored by the Yale Office of Undergraduate Admissions, recognizes educators from around the world who inspire and support their students to perform at high levels and to achieve excellence.

Students entering the Yale Class of 2024 were asked to nominate outstanding educators who have deeply impacted their lives.

O’Connell and Stinson were nominated for the award by Noah Riley, Joliet Central High School Class of 2020.

Of this year’s 317 nominees, who represent 41 US states and 19 countries, 57 teachers and 24 counselors were selected to receive the award.

Matriculating students are invited to nominate high school educators, and a committee of Yale admissions officers reviews each nomination individually and designates recipients.

The Yale Admissions Office attributes the exceptional quality of the Yale student body to educators like these recipients of the 2020 Yale Educator Award, who shape their students long before they attend Yale.

Yale is a top research university with a unique emphasis on undergraduate liberal arts education.