A world languages instructor and English teacher at Rolling Meadows High School are among 30 finalists nominated for the 2022 Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching, a distinction a school district spokesman called a “high honor.”
Miguel Parra Garcia, a world languages teacher, and Michelle Marconi, who teaches English at the school, are both named finalists, Township High School District 214 officials announced Feb. 17. Rolling Meadows is one of six schools in the Arlington Heights-based district.
“To have two finalists from a single district – and in this instance, from a single high school – is rare indeed, and District 214 is proud to recognize [Marconi and Parra Garcia] for their extraordinary work in preparing students for success beyond high school,” said SD214 interim spokesman David Beery.
The Golden Apple Award, considered a prestigious honor in the field of education, was created by the Golden Apple Foundation, a Chicago-based nonprofit organization “dedicated to recognizing and supporting outstanding Illinois educators.”
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In the school district’s news release announcing the finalist status, Parra Garcia mentioned how honored he is to represent Rolling Meadows and District 214.
“My hope is that I am able to motivate my students in the same manner that my former teachers motivated me,” he said. “I am grateful for being a part of an exceptional educational community that values my professional growth.”
Rolling Meadows High School Principal Eileen Hart highlighted Parra Garcia’s care and dedication as an instructor and coach, stating in the release that he “consistently demonstrates that he works respectfully with his peers to cultivate a school-wide culture of collegiality.”
The high school is one of six in the district which also includes Hersey High School in Arlington Heights and Buffalo Grove High School in Buffalo Grove.
Marconi called it “a bit surreal to be recognized for doing a job that I just wholeheartedly love,” she said in the release.
She also noted the “reward” in connecting with and helping students, specifically through the school district’s Learning Renewal Plan, which is described by the district as a support for all of the more than 11,800 SD214 students, especially those struggling academically, as part of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I am beyond fortunate to work with the amazing students and colleagues that I do,” she said. “They inspire me every day to tweak my approaches in instruction and seek ways to balance rigorous work with humor and grace.”
Hart described Marconi as a dedicated English teacher “who academically, socially, and emotionally supports all students, especially those who are the first generation to be a high school graduate and the first in their family to go on to excel in college.”
Golden Apple Award winners will be announced by the Golden Apple Foundation this spring, the release states. The prize is a $5,000 cash reward and eligibility for a tuition-free, spring-term sabbatical at Northwestern University.
Recipients will also become fellows of the Golden Apple Academy of Educators, which helps prepare future educators in entering the workforce, according to the release.
Joey Arnone is a freelancer.