COBDEN, Ill. (WSIL) -- The Golden Apple Foundation surprised a local teacher with a prestigious award on April 28 at Cobden Jr./Sr. High School.
Karen Engelmann, a teacher at the school, received the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching.
The Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching recognizes and honors outstanding teachers for their roles in having lasting, positive effects on students� lives and building stronger communities, the Golden Apple Foundation states.
Engelmann is one of 11 award recipients in Illinois this year.
"Karen Engelmann teaches Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) at Cobden Jr./Sr. High School in Illinois. With 15 years of experience, Engelmann exposes students to global perspectives through food, traditions, and practical applications. In her Foods class, students prepare recipes from different cultures, such as pozole, a traditional Mexican soup, and then invite cafeteria diners to sample it and provide feedback, hoping to have it added to the lunch menu. Through these experiences, she fosters discussions on global traditions and broadens students� understanding of different communities," the Golden Apple Foundation stated in a release.
The selection process was highly competitive, with Engelmann chosen from more than 470 nominations of 9th-12th-grade teachers.
Engelmann also received a $5,000 cash award and a spring sabbatical from Northwestern University.
Awardees also become Fellows of the Golden Apple Academy of Educators which is a community of educators who play a crucial role in preparing future teachers through the Golden Apple Scholars and Accelerators programs, the Golden Apple Foundation stated.
These initiatives focus on addressing the teacher shortage in Illinois.
