2024 Golden Apple Finalists
Leann Burmeister-Juliano
Leann Burmeister-Juliano of Loves Park has taught English at Belvidere North High School the past 3 of her 15 years of teaching.
Cara Wolfe
Cara Wolfe of Rockford has taught 8th grade ELA at Flinn Middle School the past 3 of her 9 years of teaching.
Jeremy Toledo
Jeremy Toledo of Rockford teaches choir, guitar and drama at Harlem High School, where he’s been the past 3 of his 17 years teaching.
Chelsea Spinello-Johnson
Chelsea Spinello-Johnson of Machesney Park has taught 8th grade literature and publications at Thurgood Marshall Middle School for 8 of her 16 years of teaching.
Ariana Sanders
Ariana Sanders of Rockford has taught Social Studies the entire 7 years of her career at Belvidere High School.
Marianna Ruggerio
Marianna Ruggerio of Rockford has taught physics at Auburn High School the past 8 of her 15 years teaching.
Kathleen Podraza
Kathleen Podraza of Winnebago has been teaching English at North Boone High School 12 of her 15-year teaching career.
Timothy Perian
Tim Perian of Machesney Park has taught music at alma mater Harlem High School all 8 years of his teaching career.
Yuritza Moctezuma
Yuri Moctezuma of Rockford has been teaching social studies at Belvidere South Middle School the past 2 of her 10 years teaching.
Dr. Teresa Kruger
Dr. Teresa Kruger of Rockford teaches social studies at Belvidere North High School. She’s been there 22 of her 28 years of teaching.