ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Twenty educators from Winnebago and Boone counties have been selected as finalists for the 2026 Golden Apple Teacher Awards, the Golden Apple Foundation announced Thursday. The group represents standout 6th–12th-grade teachers chosen from a large pool of nominees across the region.
A committee of community volunteers reviewed nominations and advanced only 20 educators to the next phase, a months‑long evaluation process that includes four classroom observations between January 20 and February 18, 2026, along with formal interviews.
Five teachers will ultimately be chosen to receive the prestigious Golden Apple Award in March during surprise classroom presentations.
The 20 finalists are:
- Leyre Bilbao‑Luri, Belvidere South Middle School — 8th grade Spanish Language Arts
- Amy Kepner, East High School (Rockford) — Global Studies, Career Readiness
- John Deery, Belvidere High School — AP Language and World Mythology
- Amy Kuo, Roscoe Middle School — 4th–8th Grade English Language Arts
- Sean Donnelly, Belvidere High School — Sociology, World Studies, Career Planning
- Justin Saichek, West Middle School (Rockford) — 7th Grade English Language Arts
- Nicole Frazer, Jefferson High School (Rockford) — Government
- Chelsea Spinello‑Johnson, Thurgood Marshall Middle School (Rockford) — Library/Publications
- Joseph Free, Jefferson High School (Rockford) — English
- Shawna Sterling, Harlem Middle School (Loves Park) — 7th Grade Science
- Dana Freedlund, Roscoe Middle School — 6th–8th Grade English Language Arts
- Bryce Thomas, Guilford High School (Rockford) — Global Studies & African American History
- Christopher Galetsis, Auburn High School (Rockford) — College & Career, Global Studies, Social Problems
- Katie Volk, Rockford Christian — 7th & 8th Grade English Language Arts
- Hayley Gotzsche, Willowbrook Middle School (South Beloit) — Choir & Theater
- Ana Weickert, Auburn High School (Rockford) — CAPA Musical Theater & Theater
- Michaelle Jaeger, Harlem Middle School (Loves Park) — 6th Grade Science
- Greg Johnson, Roosevelt Community Education Center (Rockford) — 9th–12th Grade Social Studies
- Andrea Woldman, Belvidere North High School — English
- Kelsey Zammuto, Hononegah Community High School (Rockton) — Chemistry & Environmental Science
Award Packages
Each of the five eventual Golden Apple award recipients will receive:
- $1,000 cash award from Members Alliance Credit Union and Golden Apple Foundation
- $500 professional development stipend from the Regional Office of Education
- An electronic tablet from Entre Computer Solutions
- A Rockford University scholarship
- Induction into the Golden Apple Teacher Academy, where awardees help promote educational excellence and mentor fellow educators
Golden Apple Foundation will host its annual Excellence in Education Banquet on April 24, 2026, at the Tebala Event Center in Rockford. The nonprofit is celebrating its 29th year of recognizing outstanding educators in the region…