Golden Apple Foundation

NEWS RELEASE

125 students named

 Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois

(CHICAGO — March 31, 2008) The Golden Apple Foundation today named 125 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 1,142 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, April 12. Reception is at 4 p.m. followed by the induction at 5 p.m. 

The 125 Scholars include 45 from Chicago, 51 from Chicago suburbs, and 29 from downstate Illinois. The Scholars are 55 percent low income and 56 percent minority. 

A list of the 2008 Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois, arranged by city, follows:

2008 Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois

Alton: Austen Chesnut, Alton HS

Aurora: Kierston Castleberry, East Aurora HS and Emily Densmore, WaubonsieValley HS

Berwyn: Jessenia Quiroz, Morton West HS, and AnneMarie Casa, IllinoisWesleyanUniversity

Bethalto: Elisabeth Knierim, Civic Memorial HS

Bloomington: Claire Current, Bloomington HS

Bradley: Jayne Huggins, Bradley Bourbonnais Community HS

Bridgeview: Daniel Buys, NorthCentralCollege

Brighton: Katie Coles, IllinoisCollege

Burbank: Andrea Chavarin, Micaela Gamboa, Meghan Maloney and Kristen Marshall, Queen of Peace HS

CalumetPark: Nakia Frazier, NorthernIllinois University

Carpentersville: Courtnee Gonzalez and Sonalia Ramirez, Dundee-Crown HS

Catlin: Betsy Sudlow, Catlin HS

Chicago (alphabetical by school):

·        Ileana Navarro, Amundsen HS; Sandra Gomez and Y’Donna Hill, Bogan HS; Evelyn Doyle, Chicago International at Longwood HS; Monique Ester, Chicago Military Academy; Bridgett Vance, Clark HS; Janira DelValle, Clemente HS; Tatanisha Robinson, Curie HS; Jennifer Colon, Denison University; Marshe Collins, Englewood Tech Prep Academy; Daniel Medina, Farragut HS; Natalie Thompson, Foreman HS; Nancy Barajas, Erica Loburgio, Ruben Sanchez and Erica Zuniga, Juarez HS; Danny Pena, Kelvyn Park HS; Celestina Agyekum, Arlicia Ketchum and Jonathan Reiman, Kenwood Academy; Christopher Harlan, King HS; Xiaoli (Lily) Huang and Sydney Smith, Lake View HS; Adriana Rodriguez and Cynthia Smith, Lincoln Park HS; Raymond Wilson, Manley HS; Tatierra Bivens, Shannon Ruzevich and Matthew Silva, Marist HS; Shannon Echeverria, Mather HS; Luz Candelaria, Lorena Maldonado and Susan Rebolledo, Noble Street College Prep; Yamileth Sanchez, North-Grand HS; Edith Ramirez, Notre Dame HS; Jaime Castillo, Rockford College; Theresa Alanis, Roosevelt HS; Diona Montgomery, Simeon HS; Joseph Matuch and Sharee Onvezia,University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign;  Kalimba Coates, Monicadejesus Fuentes and Branden Lancaster-Williams, VanderCook College of Music; Maria Irizarry, Von Steuben HS

Crestwood: Daniel Michau, IllinoisStateUniversity

Crete: Alejandra Garcia, Crete Monee HS

DeKalb: Nicole Peele, DeKalb HS

Des Plaines: Ellen Krcik, Nicole Lascelles and Hanna Schmitz, Maine West HS

Dolton: Tiffany Ragsdale, Thornridge HS

East Moline: Emily Shoemaker, United Twp HS

East St. Louis: Anthonea Hyde and Wallace Miller, East St. Louis HS

Effingham: Elizabeth Howze, Effingham HS

Elk Grove Village: Daniel Baker, Elk Grove HS

Elmhurst: Ebony Wrenn and Katherine Mundle, York Comm HS

Evanston: Portia Kirk, Evanston Twp HS

Evergreen Park: Audrey Noonan, Evergreen Park Comm HS

Galesburg: Katie Lusk, Galesburg HS

GibsonCity: Brittany Zimmerman, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley HS

Harvey: Kimberly New, Thornton Twp HS

Herrin: Joseph Ryker, Herrin HS

Hoffman Estates: Lisa Parente, Conant HS; Jennifer Damhauser and Heather Knobloch, Hoffman Estates HS

Lansing: Leah Rusk, Thornton Fractional South HS

Libertyville: Nicole Krampien, Libertyville HS

Lincoln: Kara Gehlback, IllinoisCollege

Lockport: Paige Vanderschool, Lockport Twp HS

Lombard: Keisha Hoye, Glenbard East HS

MachesneyPark: Amy Pacheco, Harlem HS

Mascoutah: Lena Trinkaus-Voirin, Mascoutah HS

Mendota: Adrianne Espinoza, University of Illinois at Chicago

Moline: Brianna McNinch, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Morton: Sarah Reinhofer, Morton HS

Naperville: Colleen Huck, Naperville Central HS

Northlake: Lisa Franco and Corinne Hillertz, West Leyden HS

Oak Lawn: Alexis Smith, Oak Lawn Comm HS

Oak Park: Tristan Rogers, OakPark-RiverForest HS

Orland Hills: Martha Pedziwiatr, Eastern IllinoisUniversity

Orland Park: Katelynn McGuire, Sandburg HS

Palatine: Colleen Fitzpatrick, Rachel Grgin, Sarah Long and Jillian Postma, Palatine HS

PalosHeights: Elizabeth Hovan, Shepard HS

Palos Hills: Stephanie Healey, AA Stagg HS

Park Ridge: Jillian Ramirez, Maine South HS

Pawnee: Tasha Mohn, IllinoisCollege

RichtonPark: Margaret Stack, Rich South HS

Riverside: Christine Lifka, Alexandra Martinez and Thomas Tischler, RiversideBrookfield HS

Romeoville: Keturah Howard, Romeoville HS

Sciota: Ashley Payne, West Prairie HS

Sidell: Nathanael Ford, IllinoisStateUniversity; and Sarah Rife, Jamaica HS

Springfield: Jennifer Ogden, Springfield Southeast HS

Streator: James Allen, Woodland HS

Watseka: Laura Bruns, Watseka Comm HS

Wauconda: Amanda Merker, Wauconda HS

Waukegan: Griselda Mata, Waukegan HS

Winnetka: RebekahPark, New Trier Twp HS

Zion: Victor Reyes, ZionBenton Twp HS

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