Teachers in Lake County who were recognized as finalists for a teaching award have more than just the accolade in common – the three educators had lifelong dreams to be teachers, and were inspired to do so by their own teachers.
“I had a favorite teacher in fourth grade, Mrs. Davis, and she inspired me,” said Melissa Behrendt, a third-grade teacher at LEARN 6 Charter School and a finalist for the Golden Apple Award. “I knew that I wanted to be a teacher since I was a little girl and it’s still a passion of mine.”
Educators from Hillcrest Elementary School in Antioch, Sherwood Elementary School in Highland Park and LEARN 6 Charter School in Great Lakes were selected as finalists for the Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching by the Golden Apple Foundation.
The Golden Apple Foundation is a non-profit dedicated to inspire, develop and support teachers and school leaders, especially in schools of need.
The Excellence in Teaching Award honors teachers who have had, “lasting, positive effects on students’ lives and school communities,” according to a news release from the organization. The “highly competitive award process” selected 30 prekindergarten to third-grade teachers as finalists, it said.
CEO of the Golden Apple Foundation Alicia Winckler said teacher recognition is essential in promoting the critical importance of the profession.
“Amid teacher shortages, it’s crucial to recognize educators, like those honored by the Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching, for their significant impact on students and the broader educational landscape,” Winckler said in a statement.
In Great Lakes, near North Chicago and the Great Lakes Naval Station, Behrendt teaches third grade at LEARN 6 Charter School. For nine of her 12 years of teaching, Behrendt has been with the K-8 charter school.
Behrendt, who was nominated for the Golden Apple award by her principal and assistant principal, said she was “honored” and “thrilled” when she learned she was a finalist.
Aside from teaching academics – literacy being her favorite subject to teach – Behrendt enjoys focusing on the social-emotional development of her students.
Behrendt said she thinks many of her students come from challenging backgrounds. About 20% of students at LEARN 6 are from military families, and the rest of the students come from the North Chicago community.
“I know that some of my students come to school with their own baggage,” she said. “So I really tried to prioritize social-emotional learning, and building a strong classroom community that’s calm and consistent and a safe space. I want to instill confidence in them, and perseverance in them so that they are able to work through challenges.”
After school, Behrendt teaches a yoga program for all students. She said it’s been a rewarding experience to help students practice yoga and mindfulness.
“We practice moving our bodies, but we also spend time discussing things like positive self-talk, breathing through challenges and dealing with anxiety and big emotions,” she said.
At Sherwood Elementary School in Highland Park, Christina Tortorello has been teaching for 17 years at the elementary level for North Shore School District 112. She is in her first year of teaching kindergarten.
“It’s the foundation of everything,” she said.
Tortorello, who loved to play school as a child with her sister, was also nominated for the award by her school principal.
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“It’s wonderful to enjoy the job that you do, and love the job that you do,” she said. “But when you’re recognized and you’re supported by those around you, it’s just an added bonus.”
Aside from teaching, Tortorello coaches robotics in the fall and co-runs a kids-can-code club at Sherwood. She also helped create a student leadership group with the fifth and sixth-grade students to help bring the older students into the school community.
“Even though it’s just one year passing through my room, for just that piece of time, it’s so rewarding to know that I had that opportunity to help them become who they are going to be and where they will be going in life,” Tortorello said.
Tammy Dati, the third Lake County finalist, has been teaching for 26 years at Antioch District 34. Dati, an Antioch native, teaches kindergarten at Hillcrest Elementary School, where she said she loves being students’ first introduction to school.
Like Behrendt and Tortorello, Dati also knew early on in her life that she wanted to be a teacher.
“I really wanted to be kind of that inspirational person for students, to really help them develop that love of learning and just be excited to be at school,” she said.
Dati was nominated for the Golden Apple Award by a parent of former students, who also works as a paraprofessional at Hillcrest.
“I appreciate that someone is recognizing the work I put in, the time that I spend making sure that all my students feel welcome and loved,” she said.
At the beginning of each school year, Dati strives to create a calm and consistent learning environment for her students, but also the parents, who she views as being part of the team to make each student successful.
Teaching science and witnessing students work through problems and challenges are some of Dati’s favorite parts of teaching.
“I just love supporting my community, being a member of the community and being able to watch everyone in the community grow up,” she said.
The selected 2024 Golden Apple Award recipients will be announced in the spring. Recipients are provided a spring sabbatical by Northwestern University. Each recipient also receives a $5,000 cash award.
Award winners also become fellows for 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 – programs dedicated to addressing the teacher shortage in Illinois.
President of the nonprofit foundation Alan Mather said the teachers honored play a crucial role in shaping the future of education and inspiring the next generation of educators.
“These finalists have shown outstanding commitment and made a positive impact on students’ growth and learning, significantly contributing to their academic and personal development,” Mather said in a statement.