The Golden Apple Foundation today named 100 outstanding Illinois high school and college students as Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois, which is the largest pre-service teacher-support program in the nation.
Through a rigorous application and interview process, the Scholars program annually identifies, recruits and prepares bright and talented students, who represent a rich ethnic diversity, for successful teaching careers in schools of need throughout Illinois.
In exchange for financial assistance for four years to attend one of 53 public and private universities across the state, enrollment in summer programs that include teaching internships and enhanced teacher preparation, and continual mentoring by Golden Apple Award-winning teachers, Scholars must agree to teach for five years in an Illinois school of need, which is a school that serves low-income students or has below-par test scores. There are now more than 1,100 Golden Apple Scholars teaching or on their way to teaching in schools of need throughout Illinois.
The Scholars will be inducted at DePaul University Student Center, 2250 N. Sheffield Ave, in Chicago on Saturday, May 2. Reception is at 3:30 p.m. followed by the induction at 5 p.m.
The 100 Scholars include 39 from Chicago, 33 from Chicago suburbs, and 28 from downstate Illinois. The Scholars are 47 percent low income and 55 percent minority.
A list of the 2009 Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois, arranged by city, follows:
2009 Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois
Addison:Ilma Gjini, Addison Trail HS
Alta Pass: Hilary Sirles, Cobden HS
Bloomington: Miranda Buob, Bloomington HS
Bourbonnais: Nolan Grace, Bradley Bourbonnais HS
Bridgeview: Peter Buys, Oak Lawn Comm HS
Buffalo Grove: Eliana Goldsmith, Stevenson HS
Burbank: Valerie Oakey, Reavis HS
Catlin: Taylor Page, Catlin HS
Carpentersville: Ryan Ehmen, Barrington HS
Chicago (alphabetical by school):
- James Richard-Truesdale, Amundsen HS; Dawnesha Freeman and Juan Rodriguez, Brooks College Prep; Stacy Coglianese, Chicago HS for Agricultural Sciences; Lieni Margil, Clemente HS; Angelica Alcaraz, Sandra Rodriguez and Carlos Romero, Curie HS; Phillip Bowen and Jaime Cruz, De LaSalle HS; Paulina Mosqueda, DePaul University; Rachel Jackson, DeVry Advantage HS; Jennifer Sichory, Hubbard HS; Katelin Johnson, Illinois State University; Margaret Byrne, Illinois Wesleyan University; Anel Martinez, Infinity HS; Colbi Fair, King HS; Henry Gomez, Victoria Holtz and Anna Treesara, Lane HS; Lilliana Saenz, Lincoln Park HS; Rocio Del Real and Adam Jimenez, Lindblom HS; Genevieve Roland, Maria HS; Fannetta Jones, Monmouth College;GabrielaAguirre, National-Louis University; Louvina Davis, North Lawndale College Prep; Leah Battag, Northwestern University; Brenda Conner, Phoenix Military Academy; Samantha Grubisich, Queen of Peace HS; Andrea Lewis, School of Technology; Fanny Garcia, Social Justice HS; Diane Ortega and Jonathan Braun, St. Ignatius HS; Taylor Cheathan and Anthony Serpico, St. Laurence HS; Jesus Raya Custodio, University of Illinois at Chicago; Alicia Carlisle, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign;Lindsey Mcintosh, Whitney Young HS
Cicero: Meliza Rodriguez, Morton East HS and Eric Melendez, Morton West HS
Countryside: Patricia Razo, Lyons Twp HS
Crest Hill: Emily Contreras, Lockport Twp HS
Danville: Kelsey Thurman, Danville HS
Davis Junction: Rebecca Johnson, Stillman Valley HS
Des Plaines: Kelsey Hargesheimer, Maine West HS
Donovan: Taylor Larson, Donovan HS
East St. Louis: Marcella Earl, East St. Louis HS
Evanston: Raquel Levy, Evanston Twp HS
Flossmoor: Malika Jackson, Homewood Flossmoor HS
Galesburg: Kathleen Riner and Kevin Moore, Galesburg HS
Glenview: Marison Del Rio, Glenbrook South HS, and Martha Haro Cornejo, Glenview South HS
Justice: Theresa Yerkes, Queen of Peace HS
Lansing: Kevin Farrell, Thornton Fractional South HS
Lebanon: Wilson Neill, Lebanon HS
Mattoon: Jeana Wamsley, Mattoon HS
Melrose Park: Heidi Diaz, West Leyden HS
Midlothian: Joseph Hruban, Bremen HS
Millstadt: Brett Fullmer, Althoff Catholic HS
Naperville: Carley Jungnickel, Naperville Central HS; Maxwell Balsano, Naperville North HS; and Leslie Edwards, Neuqua Valley HS
Oak Forest: Alan Walnoha, Oak Forest HS
Oak Park: Megan White, Oak Park River Forest HS, and Jasmine Floyd, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Oakland: Jodie Latham, Oakland HS
Park Ridge: Lauren Vidal, Maine South HS
Pekin: Damon Ehrett, Sarah Gouliard and Laura Price, Pekin Comm HS
Pomona: Elsa Tipply, Murphysboro HS
Rockford: Ryan Knodle, Boylan Catholic HS
Rock Island: Cordale Thornton, Illinois State University
Round Lake Beach: Jose Vega, Round Lake Sr HS
S. Elgin: Jennifer Medrano, Elgin HS
Sauk Village: Tiffany Ryan, Bloom Trail HS
Saybrook: Olivia Atherton, Ridgeview HS
Skokie: Alexis Matesi and Sarah Paulis, Niles North HS
Springfield: Anastassia Anderson, Lamphier HS and Karianna Stephens, Pleasant Plains HS
St. Charles: Gregory Ballweg, St. Charles East HS
Staunton: Marie Hindi, Staunton HS and Matthew Lesko, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Tampico: Tobi Drilling, Prophetstown HS
Tuscola: Melissa Stenger, Tuscola HS
Valparaiso: Ryan Prondzinski, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Viola: Kyle Kimball, Sherrard HS
Woodridge: Alison Jacob, Illinois State University
Contacts:
Golden Apple Foundation
Marshall Rosenthal
312/407-0006
x111 · rosenthal@goldenapple.org
