Thank You Teachers

A Lockport music teacher at Walsh Elementary School said the education of teaching has become more dynamic and engaging for students.

Juan Figueroa and Sandy Figueroa's passion for education stems from their own childhood experiences.

Celebrating Neil Currie's legacy at St. Charles East: A beloved voice in local sports, and history teacher.

Brian Long had strong mentors growing up in his cross country coach and Spanish teacher. He’s taken their inspiration and run with it. Long is in his second school year at Sandwich as cross country and track coach. Long also is one of three multilingual teachers in the district.

Clarissa Cooper did not envision a career in teaching growing up, and she did not necessarily expect it to be in her hometown. Yorkville is sure happy to have her. The 2016 graduate is in her fourth full school year as a teacher and coach at her alma mater.

The sport of swimming first brought Kyle and Jamie Ruiz together in third grade. The 2004 Sterling graduates, who reconnected through swimming after college and eventually got married, are still giving back today as teachers and coaches.

The 2024 season was the first time Drew Hoth didn't play tackle football since the fifth grade. But he had a new passion to takes it places as he started student teaching. He's set to be a 5th grade teacher at Mitchell when the school opens in the fall.

Robin Berry spent much of her law career defending juveniles. She uses those real-life scenarios from the courtroom in the classroom as a teacher and full-time department chair and instructor.

Unlike K-12 classroom teachers, LaTart also works with a wide age-range of students, and he doesn’t like to use age as a metric for responsibility.

Amber Bauman teachers middle school math in Crystal Lake has spent nearly a lifetime teaching, both in the classroom and the horse arena.

Matt Baker originally thought he’d be a journalist, but a love for the classrooms of his youth was always in the back of his mind, so he changed his plans at the University of Illinois.

Kate Cerri is a school booster and event planner, teaches English and special education, and loves living in Joliet.

Dixon High School's choir and life skills classes joined forces early in the 2025 spring semester to create a new singing ensemble, Voices United, that includes students with disabilities who want to sing and perform.

Open Sesame celebrates 50 years of providing child care in Dixon.

Tammy Nobbe teaches children six days per week – five at her job at the Cary Park District preschool and Sunday school at Bethany Lutheran Church in Crystal Lake.

Her passion for teaching turns her classes into hands-on learning experiences that embrace a wealth of topics designed to nurture well-rounded students.

Downers Grove North PE teacher strives to involve students interested in team sports

If you ask Hall High School’s science teacher Nicky Barto what advice she would give to her students about their future career, it would be this:

Albright Middle School Principal Gerrie Aulisa is one of six finalists for the 2025 Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership in Illinois.

For all the hats Immaculate Conception School's Mary Gile wears teaching junior high students, it'd be hard to guess that she actually came to teaching later in life.

Read our letters submitted by students and parents in Kendall County for our 2025 Thank You Teachers special edition

Sandra Almazn makes sure each of her students at Troy Craughwell Elementary School in Joliet have their linguistic and academic needs met.

Montini Catholic High School theater director Jackie Martin also teaches an honors theater class, which includes more technical skills and further delves into acting techniques.

From our Thank You Teachers special section: Read the letters sent by students and parents to DeKalb County teachers

Multiple Kishwaukee College educators and staff recently received accolades for their efforts inside and out of the classroom.

Nolan Baker is a social studies teacher at Sterling High School and also serves as its head wrestling coach. Zhane Baker is an advanced placement English teacher at SHS.

Steve Amy knew he wanted to be a coach one day, growing up in a house with a father who was a multi-sport coach and teacher. He just didn’t know he wanted to teach. He said once he started teaching at Princeton, "it was a lot of fun. We have great kids here. Makes it easy.”

Deb Wheeler, one of three family members who work at South Prairie Elementary School in Sycamore, is getting ready to retire at the end of the school year. “[It’s] bittersweet because I do love what I do," she said.

Jenna Maierhofer has been a beloved teacher for over two decades. She will retire from Seneca High School at the end of the year.

Few educators wear as many hats as Mark Sykes, according to testimony from colleagues who recently sang his praises for an award recognition. Sykes, a 32-year veteran educator with DeKalb School District 428, has been named the 2025 Wirtz Award for Excellence in Education recipie

J.D. Oliva shares how his background as a wrestler and freelance documentary filmmaker and writer has informed his approach to teaching and coaching wrestling at DeKalb High School.

Read our letters submitted by students and parents to News Tribune for our 2025 Thank You Teachers special edition

Read our letters submitted by students and parents to Suburban Life for our 2025 Thank You Teachers special edition

There may be some difference in the age of Pat Gordon and the K-5 students she teaches music to at Momence’s Je-Neir Elementary School.

Combining her passion for teaching and basketball, a third grade teacher at Jefferson Elementary in Dixon started her own March Madness tradition centered around picture books.

Read our Thank You Teachers letters for Bureau County here

Samantha Munks, a SOAR (Students Obtaining Achievement and Responsibility) high school teacher in Peru, pushes her students to be their best by inspiring them to dream and supporting them by meeting them at their level.

From our Thank You Teachers special section: Read letters sent by students to Will County teachers thanking them for all they do

Jeffrey Grimes once planned to be a missionary but became a teacher. He calls Joliet Central 'the heartbeat of the community.'

Lockport Township High School math teacher Mary Westberg is retiring after more than 30 years in the district.

Physics teacher, science club sponsor, and tennis coach Bob Champlin looks back on over 30 years at Lockport Township High School before retirement.

Every student coming through Dwight Elementary School over the last 32 years has been able to attend one of the more creatively planned third or fourth grade classes with Stinnett Gettinger.

Karvelius has been at Oswego School District 308’s Murphy Junior High School since it first opened in 2012. Prior to that, she worked at Traughber Junior High School for a year.

Cailla Swanson is in her third year of teaching special ed at Geneva High School.

Chad Clarey became a teacher and a coach because teachers and coaches mentored him.

Read our letters submitted by students and parents to Sauk Valley Media for our 2025 Thank You Teachers special edition

Ivan Cisneros Cabanas reflects on the last eight years using music and humor to teach Spanish at Olson Elementary in Woodstock,

Jimmy Roberts was already a longtime teacher and basketball coach at Algonquin's Jacobs High School when he decided to take on a new role, as girls flag football coach for the newly formed team.

Five couples share the pros and cons of teaching in the same school in Joliet School District 86.

Bourbonnais school teacher Josh McDaniel is recognized in the Daily Journal's Thank You Teachers special edition.