Press Release - Thursday, March 16, 2006
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Lt. Gov. Surprises Oak Park Teacher with Prestigious Teaching Award
OAK PARK - Today, Lt. Governor Pat Quinn and the Golden Apple Foundation surprised Oak Park teacher Sandra Noel with the news that she is a Golden Apple Award winner.
"The Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching is a mark of distinction that celebrates accomplished teachers who instill in their students an enthusiasm for learning and innovative thinking," Quinn said. "A terrific teacher is unforgettable."
Sandra Noel is a Hatch Elementary physical education teacher who uses a cutting edge approach to teaching. Noel integrates nutrition, dance, and brain research into her curriculum, teaching her students to use their bodies and minds together to enhance health and learning.
"It is important to develop healthy lifestyle habits at a young age," Quinn said. "Sandra Noel is teaching healthy living with healthy learning, and she should take immense pride in the difference she is making in the lives of her students."
This year, 10 Chicago-area teachers will be surprised in their classroom and awarded the 2006 Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. The 10 winners were selected from a competitive group of 850 nominees from Cook, Lake and DuPage counties.
Each of the 10 Golden Apple Award winners will receive a tuition-free fall-term sabbatical at Northwestern University, a personal computer from Apple, and induction into the Golden Apple Academy, which now honors 200 expert teachers who work together to ensure that all children have the excellent teachers they deserve.
Lt. Governor Quinn understands the prestige of the Golden Apple Award. Quinn's younger brother, John Quinn, received the Golden Apple Award in 1992 as a U.S. history teacher at Fenwick High School in Oak Park. He is also currently the head coach of the Fenwick Friars boys basketball team.
Quinn also understands the benefits of healthy living taught by his brother and Sandra Noel. In 2001, he hiked across Illinois, walking167 miles from the Mississippi River to Lake Michigan. Quinn now spearheads Walk Across Illinois, a health initiative designed to encourage Illinois residents to walk at least 167 miles.
For more information, please visit: www.WalkAcrossIllinois.org.
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