Fellow Teacher Academy member, Gerald Davies nominated Rich Toppe for this award. “Rich earned the Golden Apple Award in 2008. He has been an outstanding ambassador for the Teacher Academy ever since.” Rich was a social worker at Rosecrance, helping youth who demonstrated poor school performance and whose lives were filled with crime and drug abuse. After five years, he was frustrated, thinking they were often too late to influence necessary changes for these boys. Rich then became a second-grade teacher. “In his 30-year teaching career, Rich influenced many students, helping them become productive citizens. He spends countless hours doing whatever needs to be done. He constantly and fervently promotes the Golden Apple program.” When Rich spoke at the Nomination Reception to encourage teacher submissions, he dressed as a pirate, with a parrot on his shoulder, saying, “Before receiving a Golden Apple, I would never have had the courage to do such a thing. The Golden Apple has given me confidence and so much more.”
A few of Rich’s contributions: mailings, portfolio redaction and evaluation, banquet set-up and clean-up, apple sorting & delivering, driving all over two counties to present teachers with awards at their schools, recipient speech timer & editor, organizing of hundreds of nominations, presenting professional development, introducing recipients at the banquet, classroom observations, answering finalists’ questions, interviewing finalists, encouraging recipients to become active Academy members, board of directors liaison; financial donations; training new executive directors of the Foundation; plus random heckling and joking around!
Rich’s co-teacher at Rockford’s Brookview Elementary and fellow Academy member, Cindy Adami says, “His “contributions to the Golden Apple Foundation are a testament to his remarkable character and dedication.” Several teachers, including Cindy, specifically credit Rich’s encouragement for their completing the selection process. “Rich’s belief in my potential was what inspired me to pursue the Award.” Rich is also well-known for his wicked sense of humor, in person and in writing. He personalized a donation request note: ‘Don’t be so cheap, Cindy, Cough up some money for a good cause’! He also brightened the office with artwork, like his drawing of the Goodyear Blimp, on which he wrote, “Good Year for Golden Apple. Yea, Jennifer and Kathi”!
Past executive director Kristina Reuber said, “Jan Jones introduced me to the role of executive director. Rich Toppe ensured I had good company when I got there … I felt confident I had capable help from some who were there for no other reason than they wanted to see me and the organization succeed, as they were surely not getting paid for the time.” Fellow past director Lori Berkes-Nelson added, “Rich has lived his life, professionally and personally embodying the spirit of Jan Jones’ life motto, ‘Dream, Believe, Dare, Do.’”
CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU, RICH – YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO TEACHERS AND THIS ORGANIZATION HAVE BEEN INVALUABLE!