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
