Delicious Golden Apples

If your employer didn’t buy a table at the Golden Apple awards luncheon, then you missed out. Not only on a free lunch, but on a lovely presentation of excellent elementary educators.

As awards lunches go, this one was pretty good. The mission of the Golden Apple Foundation is to recognize excellent teachers. Winners get a $1,500 stipend and a grant for continued professional development. The winners (or “fellows”) also mentor graduating high school seniors and college students who are interested in becoming teachers.

It was clear the luncheon would be a little different when award winner Ulrike Kerstges took the podium. She teaches PE at Tierra Antigua and Ventana Ranch elementary schools in APS. We were just finishing our lunches and starting on dessert, when Kerstges informed us that prolonged sitting puts our brains to sleep. So she taught us a short dance routine, turned on a Rihanna song, and had the whole room work off a little bit of our lunches.

Terri Lindstrom, who teaches at Tierra Amarilla Elementary in Chama Valley schools, was introduced by a precocious sixth-grader named Emily Rivera. Rivera, speaking as well as any adult who presented, said it was “quite amusing” when Ms. Lindstrom would play soccer at lunchtime in skirts. Lindstrom talked about the challenges of moving to Chama Valley as a “blue-eyed New Yorker,” and that she was told not to gossip about anyone because “they’re all related.”

Ann-Marie McCollough, who teaches at the Manzano Day School, was introduced by this adorable little second-grader named Thomas Ewell, who was wearing a sweater vest. She addressed Ewell specifically in her acceptance speech, saying that she learns the habits and tics of all her students. When Ewell is excited about a new concept, she said, his ears turn red.

James Olivas, who teaches sixth grade at Naaba Ani Elementary in Bloomfield, was introduced by a sweetly nervous teenager named Adrian Vigil, who said he thought at first that Olivas would be mean and strict, but he ended up being kind and encouraging.

My colleague Glen Rosales has actually written a feature story about Theresa Sandoval, who teaches at Dolores Gonzales Elementary in Albuquerque. She gave parts of her acceptance speech in Spanish, as she teaches dual-language kindergarteners.

Jeff Tuttle cracked everyone up with what he admitted was a “tortured metaphor” about his life as an apple. He referred to people who encouraged him when he was just a sapling, and said he was honored to be “picked.” Tuttle teaches at Monte Vista Elementary in APS.

Lastly, Cristal Dawn Wilson was introduced by a little girl named Callie Ferreira, who said “Miss Cristal is sweet as roses,” but added the caveat that she is ready to discipline her students when they get out of hand. Wilson teaches pre-schoolers who are on the autism spectrum, at Mark Twain Elementary in APS.

So that’s what you missed. It was really quite fun, and acknowledging people who do their job well is awesome. Have a good weekend.