2026-2027 Rochelle Lee Teacher Awardees


WITS is honored to help these educators enhance their classroom libraries.

Named in honor of Rochelle Lee, a beloved Chicago Public School (CPS) educator and librarian who inspired generations of students to develop a passion for reading, the Rochelle Lee Teacher Award (RLTA) recognizes CPS teachers who share her commitment to cultivating lifelong learners. This competitive, essay-based application process is open to CPS teachers across all subject areas, from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. Awardees are selected in June and receive a $500 grant to purchase brand-new books for their classroom libraries, ensuring students have access to diverse and engaging reading materials throughout the school year.

This year's application pool was extremely competitive. We received 413 applications from 187 public schools across Chicago and were able to award 100 grants.

This year's awardee cohort represents 73 schools; 65 are new award recipients, and 35 previously received a RLTA grant.

Aishah Afzal, Avondale-Logandale Middle School
Angelica Aguilar, Monarcas Academy
Nikiya Alfred, William H. Brown STEM Magnet School
Maria Argyrou, CICS Bucktown
Luis Fernando Arroyo Cervera, Rachel Carson Elementary School
Kecia Austin, Richard J Oglesby Elementary School
Lakeisha Avant, John W. Cook Elementary School
Sarah Avila, Charles R. Darwin Elementary School
Monica Avila, Ferdinand Peck Elementary School
Bridget Callaghan, William Ogden Elementary
Maria Carney, Canty Elementary
Alicia Castillo, Graham Elementary
Helen Chan, South Loop Elementary School
Gina Cipriani, John M Smyth Elementary School
Ashley Coleman, STEM Magnet Academy
Susan Davidson, William G. Hibbard Elementary School
Dalton Day, Drummond School
Raven Dimichele, Ogden International School
Victoria Dotson, John W. Garvy Elementary
Abbi Eichhorn, Sidney Sawyer Elementary School
Mary Espinosa, Dr. Jorge Prieto Math & Science Academy
Jocelin Estrella Miranda, John F. Eberhart Elementary
Krista Evans, Sauganash Elementary
Faith Ford, Great Lakes Academy Charter School
Cierra Foster, James Farmer, Jr. Elementary
Tongta Fox, Catalpa Early Childhood Center
Tisha Franklin, Martha Ruggles Elementary School
Kristi Freeman, Kershaw School
Alejandra Garcia, Whittier School
Stephanie Gross, William G. Hibbard Elementary School
Natalie Hall, Chicago World Language Academy
Cassidy Hearn, James Farmer, Jr. Elementary
Guadalupe Hernandez, Talcott Fine Arts and Museum Academy
Melissa Hernandez, James Otis Elementary School
Jessica Herrera, Ferdinand Peck Elementary School
Maria Irene Herrero Pleite, Wolfgang A. Mozart Elementary
Katherine Hlousek, Emiliano Zapata Elementary Academy
Thomas Horgan, Daisy Bates Academy of Social Justice
Kevin Hujar, Jose de Diego Community Academy
Melissa Hummer, Minnie Miñoso Academy
Roxanne Jackson, Alexander Bouchet Elementary
Jezail Jackson, Ludwig von Beethoven School
Courtney Johnson, Ogden International School
Sheela Karsten, Henry D. Lloyd School
Charles Kennedy, Avondale-Logandale Middle School
Timothy Kennedy, Grissom Elementary
Annie Kippes, New Sullivan School
Maria Kittrell, Curtis Elementary
Alexandra Kolbus, Catalpa Early Childhood Center
Christina Korbakis, Talcott Fine Arts and Museum Academy

Bridget Kraft, Wilma Rudolph Elementary Learning Center
Julie Kurilko, Jordan Community School
Janean Kwan, James Ward School
Kelsey Lawler, Walt Disney Magnet Elementary School
Sora Lim, William G. Hibbard Elementary School
Carola Lopez, Helge A. Haugan Elementary School
Elsy Lopez-Mejia, Josefa Ortiz De Dominguez Elementary School
Adam Loredo, Hawthorne Scholastic Academy
Iggy Martens, Mark Skinner Elementary School
Lucia Martinez, Ferdinand Peck Elementary School
Patricia Martinez, Curtis Elementary
Micaela Martinez, Oriole Park Elementary
Hope McClain, Avondale-Logandale Middle School
Gwendolyn McElmurry, James Farmer, Jr. Elementary
Torchell McFarland, Mt. Vernon Elementary
Stacy McGowan, John A. Walsh Elementary School
Sandy McNabb, Frank Reilly Elementary
Erica Miranda, Mary Lyon School
Kimberly Mitchell, Parker Community Academy
Itzayana Montes de Oca, Helge A. Haugan Elementary School
Stella Norman, Curtis Elementary
Eliana Oliveras, Florence Nightingale Elementary School
Sarah Omiatek, Oscar Mayer Magnet School
Krista Ophus, Corkery School
Kelly Ortigara, Mary Gage Peterson Elementary School
Ekta Panchal, Chalmers School of Excellence
Katelyn Pederson, Helen C. Peirce School of International Studies
Jasmine Perez, Calmeca Academy of Fine Arts & Dual Language
Elsa Prieto, John A. Walsh Elementary School
Theresa Quitshaw, Sharon McAuliffe School
Wendy Rabas, New Field Elementary School
Debbi Ratulowski, James Otis Elementary School
Elyssa Reed, Jordan Community School
Terry Reidy, Mt. Greenwood Elementary
Alex Rejman, Ruth Bader Ginsburg Elementary School
Taylor Roman, Courtenay Language Arts Center
Paulina Rosales, J. W. Von Goethe Elementary
Tatiana Sanders, Catalyst School- Circle Rock
Josefina Sanders, Hedges School
Lucila Sandoval, Henry D. Lloyd School
Simran Sanghera, Graham Elementary
Fany San Juan, Mary Lyon School
Arlena Simmons, Minnie Miñoso Academy
Rosaura Solis-Garcia, Florence Nightingale Elementary School
Karina Sotelo, Rachel Carson Elementary School
Rachel Swanson, Galileo Scholastic Academy
Marlene Tapia Garcia, Talcott Fine Arts and Museum Academy
Mindy Thomas, Polaris Charter Academy
Diana Toledo, Gary Elementary
Helen Youngberg, John B. Murphy Elementary

THE ROCHELLE LEE TEACHER AWARD PROGRAM IS MADE POSSIBLE BY:

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W.P. & H.B. White Foundation

The Rochelle Lee Teacher Award Alumni Network consists of over
0 teachers
committed to developing lifelong readers in the classroom.
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