Joliet Public School Districts 86 teacher receives Golden Apple award in surprise celebration Wednesday

Chelsea Young, a fifth-grade teacher at Woodland Elementary School in Joliet, said she first started “teaching” when she was 5 years old.

Young’s school was in her basement, and her students were her siblings. Her Christmas wish list included a projector and math curriculum.

“I just wanted a full school setup,” Young said.

Young is only one of 10 teachers in Illinois to receive the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching, according to a news release from Joliet Public Schools District 86 announcing the award. Young learned about the honor Wednesday with a surprise celebration.

“I was sitting at the back table with a small group when the crowd came busting through the door with joyful cheers,” Young said.

In March, Young celebrated with students and staff when she was named a finalist.

“We surprised her in the classroom with golden delicious apples fior all the students,” Sandy Zalewski, a spokesperson for District 86, said in a March 4 Herald-News story.

The Golden Apple Foundation selected its 2023 teaching award recipients from more than 570 nominations of fourth- through eighth-grade teachers, District 86 said.

“We’re talking about the best of the best,” said Kim Gordon, principal of Woodland Elementary School. “And those teachers are celebrated the way Academy Award winners are celebrated. … It’s a very strenuous process to achieve what Chelsea has achieved.”

As an award recipient, Young will receive $5,000 and a free spring sabbatical provided by Northwestern University, District 86 said.

Young and the other award recipients also become fellows of the Golden Apple Academy of Educators, a community of educators who help prepare the next generation of teachers in the Golden Apple Scholars and Accelerators programs, which are dedicated to addressing Illinois’ teacher shortage, District 86 said.

Alan Mather, president of the Golden Apple Foundation called the award recipients exemplary teachers and influential leaders.

“These remarkable teachers have shown their dedication, creativity and impact on their students and schools,” Mather said in the release. “They have also contributed to their professional communities by sharing their best practices, collaborating with their peers and mentoring new teachers.”

Young said she credits Gordon and Woodland academic adviser Sarah Farej for holding her accountable to the “highest standards,” as well as Young’s fifth-grade co-teacher Jennifer Kuefler. for their wonderful collaboration.

But Young also said that all teachers deserve the award when they create a classroom that fosters equity and mutual respect among all students and teachers and allows students to take ownership of their learning.

An outstanding teacher on every level

What makes Young remarkable as a teacher is that she really does teach the whole child, Gordon said.

“She embodies all of the best qualities of a true educator,” Gordon said. “She is not only thoroughly prepared for instruction, but she cares about every single one of her students as individuals; she loves them, and they know how much she loves them just the way they are.”

Students’ academic growth in Young’s classroom also is high, Gordon said.

“In fact, she tends to have the most honor roll students and she tends to have high assessment scores,” Gordon said. “She is also continuously learning. So when an instructional concept is presented, she takes it and runs with it. And when she attends professional development, she comes back and puts that to work in her classroom.”

Alicia Winckler, CEO of the Golden Apple Foundation, said in the release that award recipients are “not only making a difference in teaching, but are also inspiring community leaders and lifelong learners.”

“These outstanding educators have demonstrated their commitment, passion and impact consistently with their students and in their communities,” Winckler said in the release, later adding, “We are honored to recognize them and support them as they advance their learning and continue to evolve as educational influencers.”

Gordon said anyone can nominate a teacher for a Golden Apple award. For more information, visit goldenapple.org.