In 2007, upon graduating high school, I became a proud and honored recipient of the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program. The Golden Apple Foundation is based in Chicago, IL and the foundation is dedicated to challenging education, providing useful techniques/training to current teachers and internships/training for future teachers of Illinois. Students interested in education can apply either their senior year to receive the scholarship as a college freshmen or students can apply as college sophomores. It is a wonderful opportunity and I feel privileged to have received this scholarship from such a prestigious organization.
Core Components of the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois program include four years of some form of teaching exposure. The first two summers we are assigned to Chicago Public Schools and work as teachers' aides. Depending on that teacher, you may be able to create lessons plans and even act as the teacher working one on one with students and running the classroom. The third year in the program you can find your own job/internship as long as it involves children/teens at least five hours a day and five days a week. The fourth summer we receive more personal training since we will then be college seniors closer to having our own classroom in a Chicago Public School.
Overall, I have completed two years of the program and it has been a tremendous experience. I wouldn't trade it for the world. As a teacher, as a Golden Apple Scholar, I make a difference. Do you?
10 comments:
I did not know that the Golden Apple Scholarship was such a good opportunity. I grew up in Ohio and going to an out of state school does not offer me the opportunities of utilizing the teacher programs through the schools there. I have taught saxophone lessons to a student who was, planning on switching from the clarinet to the alto saxophone, having problems on his own. I know that helping others learn things for the first time is always an amazing feeling.
Emilie
Wow, I've never heard of the Golden Apple Scholarship. I wish I would have known about it when I was a high school senior. That's awesome though, so have you decided where you want to do your teaching?
Liz Deamer
Thanks Everyone for commenting! & Liz, I have not yet decided on where I want to teach but I am either considering somewhere around the North Side of Chicago like Lincoln Park or the South Suburbs of Chicago like Lansing, Country Club Hills or South Holland. So what made you all interested in teaching?
Hey Dionte,
I am glad to hear that the Golden Apple Foundation has had so much influence on you in helping you to build yourself up to become not just a good teacher but a great teacher as well. It is indeed a good scholarship to receive and I was not one to receive it and I see that I am missing out on a lot of informational that could prepare me as well to become a great educator(LOL). Keep up the good work!!!!
I heard about the Golden Apple Scholar when I was in high school, and if I knew then what I know about it now, I definitely would have tried to take advantage of the opportunity. Sounds like great experience, congratulations! Anyway, I wanted to respond to your "Do you make a difference?" Well I'd like to think that I do. I love to do community service and service in general. This past summer I went to Guatemala and helped build a school. We also visited a school down there and helped sort donated school supplies for the school that we visited and the school that we were helping build. Also, as teachers there is no doubt that we will one day make a difference. Helping children succeed in their education will make a huge difference...children are our future!
Congratulations on receicing the scholarship! It seems as though there is a lot of experience training that will help you with your future career as a teacher! Do you plan on continuing in the Chicago Public School System? What grade levels did you TA in over your first two summers and what grade do you think you would like to teacher when you have your own classroom?
Steve Morgan
This Golden Apple Scholarship sounds absolutely amazing! I've never heard of it, but I also didn't really look into to many scholarships for teaching. Good luck in your classroom experiences over the summer!
-Heather Wagner
That is such a great achievement! One of my teachers from grammar school won the Golden Apple Award. She was trying to get me into this program because she said it is a great esxperience and they help you to become a better teacher. They also give you a chance to work hands on with kids in Chicago Public Schools. I am going to look into this program more because I am very interested in it.
Amelia Arce
Wow thats awesome that you are a Golden Apple Scholar! Congrats! One of my sorority sisters is also, and I know a few people from my high school that were also a Scholar. You want to possibly teach in Country Club Hills? I live really close by there.. I live in Tinley Park!
-Shelly Moy
I also have never heard of the Golden Apple Scholarship and that would have been a good thing to know about before applying here at NIU. After receiving this reward you will probably have a lot of more doors open for you in your search for your career. Congratulations!
-Maggie
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