The Education Foundation of Collier County – Champions For Learning is pleased to announce the 2024-2025 Collier County Teachers of Distinction. As the starting point for the Golden Apple Program, Champions For Learning invites each Collier County Public School to designate an outstanding educator and their high impact practice. Teachers of Distinction stand out among their colleagues – their ingenuity enables them to create and establish high-impact practices that lead to definable and demonstrable student success in their classrooms. These educators are also willing to share their high-impact practices with others and participate in professional development opportunities through the Golden Apple Leadership Academy, which is designed to strengthen the connection between, and alignment of, educators within Collier’s schools by facilitating the sharing of high-impact teaching practices and developing educators as leaders within their schools.

This year, 54 educators from 53 Collier County Public Schools have been selected as Teachers of Distinction. Champions For Learning’s volunteer selection committee will meet and visit the classrooms of all Teachers of Distinction to learn about their high-impact practices. After careful consideration, the committee will identify the educators who will become this year’s Golden Apple recipients. These educators, along with all the Teachers of Distinction, will be honored at the Golden Apple Celebration event Saturday, April 26th, at Naples United Church of Christ,