2025 Golden Apple Award Recipients

Jackie Weerda of Rockton teaches Kindergarten at Roscoe’s Ledgewood Elementary, where she’s been 15 of her 20 years as an educator.

Lisa Robinson of Cherry Valley is a Kindergarten teacher at Rolling Green Elementary in Rockford, where she’s been six of her 18 years teaching.

Brandi Costa of Rockton has been teaching third graders at Rockford’s McIntosh Elementary for two of her eight years of teaching.

Alyssa Passmore of Byron teaches second grade at Rockford’s Keith School. Though fairly new to this school, she’s been teaching in Wisconsin and Illinois schools for 10 years.

Kellie Kim of Rockford is a special education resource teacher for Cherry Valley Elementary’s fifth and second graders, where she’s been 13 of her 15 years as an educator.

Allison Rhyner of Rockton teaches special education Kindergarten at Machesney Park’s Donald C. Parker Center, where she’s in her eighth year teaching.