UIC College of Education Alum Alfredo Calderon Named as 2026 Golden Apple Award Finalist, and Alum Shaka Rawls Named as a 2026 Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership Finalist
Introduction
Alfredo Calderon, a 4th and 5th-grade Math and Science teacher at Peter Cooper Dual Language Academy, has been named a finalist for the 2026 Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. Calderon received his MEd from the UIC College of Education.
With 27 years of experience, fourth and fifth-grade math and science teacher Alfredo Calderon approaches teaching as a continuous cycle of assessment, planning, instruction, and refinement. In a recent lesson on dividing fractions, he focused not just on correct answers, but on how students used models, articulated their reasoning, and uncovered misconceptions. He adjusted instruction in real time to address misunderstandings and strengthen conceptual understanding.
That same intentional approach extends to his colleagues. When supporting a teacher transitioning to a new grade level, Calderon used coaching strategies grounded in the 3Ps—Pausing, Paraphrasing, and Posing questions—to deepen thinking and clarify instructional goals rather than simply provide answers. Having grown up in the same community he now serves, Calderon thoughtfully selects texts and learning experiences that reflect his students’ backgrounds. At his dual-language academy, he incorporates works by Latino authors, including Margarita Engle's Bravo!: Poems About Amazing Hispanics, helping students see themselves represented in the curriculum. Beyond academics, Calderon models civic responsibility by identifying student needs and securing food, school supplies, and holiday gifts for families.
Year after year, his classroom earns the highest scores in the school and frequently surpasses district averages, an outcome described as “unheard of” by a network specialist. Last year, his class received a 99% rating in Supportive Teacher and Teacher Caring, reflecting the trust and community he builds every day.
Shaka Rawls, Principal of Leo High School, has been selected as one of seven finalists for the 2026 Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership. Rawls holds a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership, and a PhD in Educational Policy Studies from the University of Illinois Chicago.
Shaka Rawls is the Principal of Leo High School in Chicago, Illinois. Under his leadership, the school has had an extraordinary academic success, with a 100% college acceptance rate for seniors, the recent graduating classes earning over $3 million in scholarships, a 90%+ graduation rate, and a 20-point increase in the ninth-grade on-track rate.
However, what makes Shaka’s leadership so compelling is his connection to Leo High School. As an alumnus, his mission to uplift the school is personal. Their motto is Facta, meaning deeds, not words. Shaka greets students during morning rounds, sits with them at lunch, and makes time for any young man who needs to talk. As many of the students may not have a strong relationship with a male in their lives, Shaka aims to be that presence for them.
Shaka has also worked to break financial barriers, transforming Leo from a school perceived as only for families with the financial means into one that welcomes young men from all walks of life. Additionally, he leverages his personal network and ties with the University of Illinois Chicago to establish a dual credit partnership that allows students to take college-level courses, giving them a head start on higher education.
Shaka’s students have contributed over 7,500 hours of community service in just two years, ranging from projects on neighborhood revitalization to providing food for the homeless and singing at local hospitals and correctional facilities. A recipient of Chicagoan of the Year, Principal of the Year, a Defender Man of Excellence award and a nominee for the prestigious Stanley C. Golder Leadership Award, Shaka’s work at Leo is nothing short of transformative.
In addition to these College of Education alum finalists, two UIC alum from the College of Liberal Arts were also named Golden Apple Award finalists: Misty Richmond, a 7th and 8th-grade Science and Health teacher at James Ward Elementary School and Middle School, and Manfredo Winton, a 7th and 8th-grade Social Studies teacher at Acero Jovita Idar Elementary School.
Golden Apple's mission is to inspire, develop, and support teacher and school leader excellence, especially in schools-of-need. Learn more about the Golden Apple Foundation at goldenapple.org.