2026 Golden Apple Award Finalists

Kelsey Zammuto has been teaching for 15 years, the past nine at Hononegah Community High School in Rockton, where she teaches Chemistry and Environmental Science.

Andrea Woldman has been teaching for 19 years, the past 11 at Belvidere North High School, where she teaches English, Traditional English. Literature and Writing.

Ana Weickert has been teaching her whole seven-year career at Auburn High School, where she teaches CAPA theatre and CAPA musical theatre.

Katie Volk has been teaching her whole 34-year career at Rockford Christian Schools, where she teaches English Language Arts.

Bryce Thomas teaches African American History and Global Studies at Guilford High School, where he has taught the past three of his six years as a teacher.

Shawna Sterling is a 7th grade science teacher at Harlem Middle School in Loves Park, where she's taught the past 13 of her 15 years of teaching.

Chelsea Spinello-Johnson has been at teacher for 18 years and has been at Rockford's Marshall Middle School for 10 years. This year she left her classroom to become the school librarian, where she's still teaching students literary skills every day.

Justin Saichek has been teaching for 12 years -- the past nine at Rockford's West Middle School, where he teaches English Language Arts.

Amy Kuo has been teaching for 16 years -- the past seven at Roscoe Middle School, where she teaches 4th-8th grade Multilingual/English learners.

Amy Kepner teaches Global Studies and College/Career Readiness at Rockford's East High School, where she has taught the past 9 of her 12 years of teaching.