Golden Apple News
Golden Apple Day 2025 surprised six area teachers
Kalli Bruck
Kalli Bruck of Loves Park is in her second year teaching early childhood at Caledonia Elementary School. She’s been teaching for 21 years.
Lisa Wight
Fifth grade teacher Lisa Wight of Rockton has taught 10 of her 11 years of teaching at Durand Elementary School.
Chelsea Rawhoof
Chelsea Rawhoof of Pecatonica has spent all her 13 years of teaching at Pecatonica Elementary School, where she has taught first through fourth grade. She is now a “looping teacher,” teaching second grade this year, but carrying this class forward teaching them third grade next year.
Danielle Vanek
Danielle Vanek of Machesney Park is an English teacher. She’s taught the past five of her 15 years of teaching at South Beloit’s Willowbrook Middle School.
Jackie Weerda
Jackie Weerda of Rockton teaches Kindergarten at Roscoe’s Ledgewood Elementary, where she’s been 15 of her 20 years as an educator.
Shiana Robertson
Shiana Robertson of Rockford has been teaching third grade at Rockford’s Washington Elementary School the past three of her 11 years as a teacher.
Amanda Nguyen
Amanda Nguyen of Belvidere, is teaches Kindergarten at Rockford’s West View Elementary, where she’s been the past 10 of her 12 years teaching.
Elizabeth Wecker
Elizabeth Wecker of Rockton co-teaches fourth/fifth grade math, ELA and special education at Roscoe’s Kinnikinnick School, where she’s been the past four of her 13 years of teaching.