Golden Apple Scholarship a Springboard for Smrt

“Nothing can prepare you for teaching more than actually submerging yourself into the teaching profession,” says Steve Smrt, who began an assignment this summer at Robeson High School with the Golden Apple program.

North Park University junior sees teaching as a kind of ministry

CHICAGO (July 23, 2015) — Steve Smrt, a Rockford native and North Park University junior, had intentions in high school of becoming a youth minister. But by the time he got to campus his freshman year, he began to “feel a tug in a different direction,” as he describes it.

“I felt a calling towards teaching, but I would say that teaching is still a kind of ministry,” says Smrt, a double major in secondary education and history. It’s a calling to serve and invest in young people, though the environment may be different.

That calling was affirmed this spring when Smrt received the Golden Apple Pathway Scholarship, the second year in a row a North Park student received the award. Beyond financial assistance to complete his teaching degree at North Park, the Golden Apple award also provides career development and mentoring opportunities throughout his undergraduate program and into his teaching career. 

This year, 200 college students from Illinois were selected for the Golden Apple Pathway Scholarship, bringing the total number of statewide participants to more than 1,800 since its inception in 1989. The program is designed to prepare future teachers to thrive in the most challenging high-needs school environments where more resilient teachers are needed. 

Smrt’s first-hand experience has already begun this summer, as he received a teaching assignment at Robeson High School in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago. He is teaching a small class of seven high school students, leading many of the classes alongside a cooperating teacher from Robeson. It’s a credit recovery course in social studies, his favorite subject, which allows the Robeson High School students to earn credits to move on to the next grade level.

Steve Smrt, second from right in top row, with additional 2015 award recipients from the School of Education.
Front Row, left to right:

• Natalie Wilson (Fulbright Scholarship)
• Christina Phillip (Lincoln Academy Student Laureate Award)
• Katherine Bast (School of Education Award for Outstanding Junior)

Back Row, left to right:

• Valerie Lee (School of Education Outstanding Senior)
• Taylor Peterson (The Peder Hedberg Foundation Scholarship)
• Daniel Raymond (North Park University Distinguished Senior)

After teaching all morning, he and his fellow Golden Apple award recipients then regroup from their teaching assignments for additional classes and workshops on the art of teaching.

The demand of the program thus far has been challenging, Smrt admits. “But it also inspires me to become a better teacher. It’s my first experience inside of a classroom. I’m not only bettering myself in my content areas, but also learning how to reach different kids. People learn in different ways and it’s about differentiating your teaching.”

Dr. Ida Maduram, professor in the School of Education at North Park University and liaison to the Golden Apple program, sees no limits to Smrt’s potential. 

“I am impressed by Steve's love for learning, professional and personal integrity, and willingness to collaborate with others,” Maduram says. “I am sure his experiences with Golden Apple are enabling him to become a thoughtful educator. I know he will distinguish himself as an excellent teacher.”

After his upcoming junior year at North Park, Smrt will receive another teaching assignment for next summer as part of the Golden Apple program. Once he does graduate from North Park in 2017, he plans to continue teaching history or social studies to high school students, preferably in an urban setting. As part of the Golden Apple Pathway Scholarship, Smrt has committed to teaching in a high-need school in Illinois for five years following college graduation.

“We applaud these young people for making the selfless choice to inspire and lead future generations of students through a career in education,” said Dominic Belmonte, Golden Apple president and CEO, in a release. “As teachers they will experience the reward of improving the lives of thousands of children. We know from experience that excellent teachers produce successful students and we welcome this new class of future educators with deep gratitude and enthusiasm.”

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