Danny Gray’s morning at Thornwood High School on Wednesday started like most others.
Students in the South Holland high school business teacher’s morning class sat at their computer desk and were already taking an online assessment by 8:30 a.m.
Little did Gray know that family members, colleagues and officials from Golden Apple were preparing at the same time to walk into his classroom and surprise him with the prestigious teaching award.
Gray is one of 10 Chicago-area teachers being honored this week as winners of the 2016 Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching.
While holding a basket of chocolate and a golden apple, Gray thanked the administration and the Golden Apple officials who presented his award and said he loves his job as well as his students.
“They inspire me as much as I inspire them,” he said.
For more than five years, Gray has taught business and entrepreneurship at Thornwood.
No one is more deserving of the teaching award than Gray, Thornwood Principal Dennis Willis said.
“He goes above and beyond the classroom,” Willis said. “Actually, he takes the world into his classroom.”
Students get “real-life, world experiences” in Gray’s business classes, he said. Past students of his have won national recognition in a student entrepreneurial contest, which led to some meeting President Barack Obama and music mogul Sean Combs.
Gray also helped start a mentoring program called A Few Good Men, which has grown to include 70 students in the five years since its creation, Willis said. He also volunteers and helps to mediate student disputes.
“This award is like winning the Super Bowl for a teacher,” Willis said.
For more than 30 years, the Golden Apple awards have recognized outstanding teachers across Illinois. This year’s winners were drawn from more than 400 nominations.
Teachers in Park Forest, Bridgeview, Chicago and several other area communities also were awarded this week in surprise presentations.
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Gray receives $5,000 cash and becomes a Fellow of the Golden Apple Academy of Educators for winning the award.
“Teachers don’t get recognized,” said Carolyn Cyriaque, assistant director for Golden Apple’s Summer Institute and a past award winner. “There are a lot of phenomenal teachers out there. And when one of them can be recognized, that’s just a plus for the profession.”
Nick Swedberg is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.