Five outstanding Education alumni named 2025 Golden Apple Award winners
Once again, all five of Greater Lafayette Commerce’s 2025 Golden Apple Award winners are Purdue University College of Education alumni. The Golden Apple Award recognizes the most outstanding teachers in Tippecanoe County, nominated by students, parents and colleagues. In 2024, three of the five awardees were Purdue alumni, and in both 2023 and 2022 – as well as in 2025 - all five awardees were Purdue alumni. Going back to 2015, 65% of the Golden Apple Awardees have been Purdue Education alumni. The 38th annual award ceremony (Feb. 26) recognized these teachers for their passion and excellence in serving young minds of the community. Purdue’s College of Education is a major sponsor of this annual event. The five Boilermaker Educator 2025 Golden Apple awardees are: https://youtu.be/pt7f6gWvH7g Ellen DeFreese (BA Elementary Education, 1999), a third-grade teacher at James Cole Elementary School “My fellow teachers at Cole, who are also very deserving of this award, serve as a work family who truly care about one another and the well-being of our students,” DeFreese said. https://youtu.be/rsbu4T_MKAE Amy Freeman (Teachers of English Learners License, 2020), a K-4 multilingual teacher at Edgelea Elementary School “In her classroom, Mrs. Freeman helps students find their voices by embracing both their Spanish and English skills,” said Jennifer Barce, the College’s assistant dean for teacher education who also introduced Freeman at the ceremony. “She teaches them that language is not a barrier, but a bridge—and that their words matter. Mrs. Freeman’s work extends beyond her classroom walls. She has crafted a curriculum that speaks to the diverse needs of multilingual learners, and she shares her knowledge with teachers across the district.” https://youtu.be/Ns_grpiNZII Carol Howard (High Ability License, 2019), a kindergarten teacher at Dayton Elementary School “I wanted to be the teacher I desperately needed as a child - someone who makes every student feel valued, loved and supported,” said Howard, who as a young student struggled with undiagnosed ADHD and vision problems. “I was determined to ensure that no child in my classroom would ever feel the same sense of failure and disconnection that I experienced.” https://youtu.be/FuKqzpR-soE Angela Marks (BA, Elementary Education, 1997), a third-grade teacher at James Cole Elementary School and a current College of Education Engagement Board member “Angie is the kind of teacher that when someone mentions our school’s name, people say, ‘Angie Marks works there,’” said Mike Pinto, principal of Cole Elementary School. https://youtu.be/EN_RmNskkZ8 Diann Vernon (Career & Technical Education Director License, 2021), an education professions instructor at Greater Lafayette Career Academy (GLCA) who has been instrumental in developing Purdue’s dual credit pipeline course (EDCI 205) for future teachers “I do love seeing my students thrive in the community, and I love stopping to chat and see how they're doing, watching them flourish,” Vernon said. “Knowing that I've made a positive difference in their life is truly rewarding.” Congratulations to all of our outstanding alumni awardees – true Boilermaker Educators! Sources: Erin Perdue, [email protected]; Lafayette Journal & Courier 2025 Golden Apple Award winners to be recognized in February ceremony and Meet this year’s Golden Apple Award teachers; and TSC News Teachers honored with the prestigious Golden Apple Nominate for 2026 GOLDEN APPLE AWARD NOMINATIONS - Greater Lafayette Commerce The post Five outstanding Education alumni named 2025 Golden Apple Award winners appeared first on Purdue University College of Education.
Once again, all five of Greater Lafayette Commerce’s 2025 Golden Apple Award winners are Purdue University College of Education alumni.
The Golden Apple Award recognizes the most outstanding teachers in Tippecanoe County, nominated by students, parents and colleagues. In 2024, three of the five awardees were Purdue alumni, and in both 2023 and 2022 – as well as in 2025 - all five awardees were Purdue alumni.
Going back to 2015, 65% of the Golden Apple Awardees have been Purdue Education alumni.
The 38th annual award ceremony (Feb. 26) recognized these teachers for their passion and excellence in serving young minds of the community. Purdue’s College of Education is a major sponsor of this annual event.
The five Boilermaker Educator 2025 Golden Apple awardees are:
Ellen DeFreese (BA Elementary Education, 1999), a third-grade teacher at James Cole Elementary School
“My fellow teachers at Cole, who are also very deserving of this award, serve as a work family who truly care about one another and the well-being of our students,” DeFreese said.
Diann Vernon (Career & Technical Education Director License, 2021), an education professions instructor at Greater Lafayette Career Academy (GLCA) who has been instrumental in developing Purdue’s dual credit pipeline course (EDCI 205) for future teachers
“I do love seeing my students thrive in the community, and I love stopping to chat and see how they're doing, watching them flourish,” Vernon said. “Knowing that I've made a positive difference in their life is truly rewarding.”
Congratulations to all of our outstanding alumni awardees – true Boilermaker Educators!
Sources: Erin Perdue, [email protected]; Lafayette Journal & Courier 2025 Golden Apple Award winners to be recognized in February ceremony and Meet this year’s Golden Apple Award teachers; and TSC News Teachers honored with the prestigious Golden Apple
Nominate for 2026 GOLDEN APPLE AWARD NOMINATIONS - Greater Lafayette Commerce
The post Five outstanding Education alumni named 2025 Golden Apple Award winners appeared first on Purdue University College of Education.
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