First and Fisher: Chicago Bears to honor deserving teachers in Chicagoland nominated by fans

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Every so often, I come across a story that’s a bit outside of the high school football world that I believe our readers should know about. This is one of them.

Having worked in Chicago at FOX Sports Net from 2000 through 2002, I learned first hand that the National Football League‘s Chicago Bears are deeply involved in the Chicagoland community, well-beyond the field and game.

The Classroom Legend program is one that I highly-endorse. In fact, I’d like to suggest our readers consider nominating a teacher, who pulls double-duty as a football coach.

As many of you know, the Bears honor head coaches throughout the year with their Coach of the Week program. Maybe there’s a deserving assistant coach, who also teaches, you could nominate.

2021 Chicago Bears Coach of the Week Winners

Coach of the Year – George Czart – Lockport

Week 8 – Gavin Johnston – Reed-Custer HS

Week 7 – Jake Brosman, Hampshire HS

Week 6 – Mike Fitzgerald, York HS

Week 5 – Matt Miller, St. Ignatius Prep

Week 4 – Corey Olson, Palatine HS

Week 3 – Dave Mills, Wauconda HS

Week 2 – Dennis Piron, Batavia HS

Week 1 – Peter Panagakis, Wheeling HS

Below is the Bears news release that lets fans know how they can nominate a deserving teacher.

Bears News Release

For the second year in a row, the Chicago Bears announced today that fans can nominate deserving teachers from across Chicagoland to be honored as a Classroom Legend, powered by CDW. The Bears Classroom Legends program recognizes two teachers each month to spotlight educators who go above and beyond the day-to-day job. Nominations will be accepted online at ChicagoBears.com/community/classroom-legends throughout the season.

20 teachers will be recognized on Twitter via @BearsOutreach between now and the end of June 2023. Each Classroom Legend will receive a personalized jersey, custom football, gift bag and $1,000 grant to use for enhancing the learning environment in their classroom. Nominators will be notified if their teacher has won and a special Bears guest will surprise the teacher virtually or in-person.

Last season, 20 teachers were honored as Classroom Legends throughout the fall and spring. As part of their gift from the Chicago Bears, teachers were given tickets to a regular season Chicago Bears home game or to Enjoy Illinois Chicago Bears Training Camp held at Halas Hall. The following honored Classroom Legends were:

September

Paul Csongradi – St. Patrick HS

Elizabeth Webster – Warren Twp. HS

October

Melissa Wilcosky – Edgebrook Elementary

Shermaine Herndon – St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran School

November

Gary Butler – Pritzker College Prep

Joy Benjamin – George Washington Elementary

December

Sol Luskin – Felicity School

Leslie Nardini – Vernon Hills High School

January

Danielle Yelverton – Harvard School of Excellence

Jennifer Turek – Unity Junior High School

February

Alyssa McLean – Thomas Jefferson Elementary

Marie Hanrahan – Mary Kay McNeill Early Learning Center

March

Lara Cowger – Minooka Intermediate

Shannon Walters – Prairie Oak School

April

Melissa Diaz – Steinmetz College Prep

Stephanie Sukow – Cary Grove High School

May

Bri Quaritsch – Stevenson High School

Katie Enright (Hobbs) – Belleville Public Schools

June

Shilo DeYoung – Heineman Middle School

Lisa Lindell – Laura B Sprague School

Click here to see what the Chicago Bears are doing in the community

Follow the Bears in the community on Twitter @BearsOutreach

Visit NFL PlayFootball at playfootball.nfl.com

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About the Author

Jeff Fisher
Jeff is an award-winning journalist and expert in the field of high school sports, underscored with his appearance on CNBC in 2010 to talk about the big business of high school football in America.Jeff turned to his passion for high school football into an entrepreneurial venture called High School Football America, a digital media company focused on producing original high school sports content for radio, television and the internet.Jeff is co-founder and editor-in-chief of High School Football America, a partner with NFL Play Football.