The Rochelle Lee Teacher Award is a grant for Chicago Public Schools elementary educators. Each year, teachers may apply to receive a classroom library grant. If selected, teachers receive $500 to purchase books of their choice for their classroom libraries.
Educators agree that schools play an important role in expanding access to books at home, but many teachers have fewer than one hundred and fifty books in their classroom libraries to serve all their students throughout the year—with 31% of teachers having fewer than fifty books.
According to the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), students who have robust classroom libraries are more likely to be frequent readers.
WITS is proud to announce the 2025 Rochelle Lee Teacher Awardees:
Lantanya Washington, Arthur Dixon School
Breanna Ott, Jordan Elementary Community School
Consuelo Rodriguez, Ferdinand Peck Elementary School
Amanda Del Dotto, Jordan Elementary Community School
Melanie Krueger, Salmon P Chase Elementary School
Melissa Cisneros, Gary Elementary
Joana Gutierrez, Albert R. Sabin Magnet School
Adrienne DiSabatino, Theodore Herzl CPC School
Kelsey McCormick, Jose De Diego Elementary Community Academy
Kevin Hujar, Jose de Diego Academy
Yeonhee Lee, Mark Twain Elementary School
Caitlin Taff, Lasalle II Magnet School
Diana Platt, Mary Gage Peterson Elementary School
Jessica Velez, Sharon McAuliffe School
Gina Spears, Portage Park Elementary
Arlena Simmons, Minnie Miñoso Academy
Bianca Orozco, Ferdinand Peck Elementary School
Nicholas Blankenship, Jane A. Neil Elementary
Halina Zielna, Daniel Beard Elementary
Rachel Swanson, Galileo Scholastic Academy
Chontell Lane, Clara W. Barton Elementary
Nyeemah Lofton, CICS Longwood
Megan Francoeur, Alain Locke Charter Academy
Monica Avila, Ferdinand Peck Elementary School
Azucena Valladolid Sanudo, Talcott Fine Arts and Museum Academy
Tabatha Crespo, CICS Bucktown
Maria Argyrou, CICS Bucktown
Kristin Solodar, CICS Irving Park
Jocelin Estrella Miranda, John F. Eberhart Elementary
Laurie Bovino, Sharon McAuliffe School
Marisol Guzman, Rachel Carson Elementary School
Deja Spikes, National Teachers Elementary Academy
Joseph Pekarek, Ogden International School
Marcea Brown, Minnie Miñoso Academy
Angela Krischon, Polaris Charter Academy
Darius Presley, Grissom Elementary
Rebecca Jungel, Grover Cleveland Elementary
Dee Bricker, Lewis School
Bethany Zahm, Polaris Charter Academy
Tamika Bradford, Bronzeville Classical Elementary School
Allison Muskat, John Hay Community Academy
Jillian Pinnock, Bronzeville Classical Elementary School
Irma Hernandez, Franz Peter Schubert Elementary School
Marlene Tapia Garcia, Talcott Fine Arts and Museum Academy
Jesse Bostic, Walt Disney Magnet Elementary School
Thomas Horgan, Daisy Bates Academy of Social Justice
Beberlyn Hernandez, J. W. Von Goethe Elementary
Shimera Jones, John W. Cook Elementary School
Tongta Fox, Catalpa Early Childhood Center
Lisa Lane, James Otis Elementary School
Karen Van Zytveld, Galileo Scholastic Academy
Sherry Chuhak Taylor, Sharon McAuliffe School
Nicole Robinson, Chicago World Language Academy
Samantha Sartin, Daniel Wentworth School
Kathryn Hudson, New Field Elementary School
Isabel Morales, Clara W. Barton Elementary
Maria Molino Munoz, Mariano Azuela Elementary School
Christina Korbakis, Talcott Fine Arts and Museum Academy
Susan Logan, McKay School
Heelna Jankowski, John T McCutcheon Elementary School
Lourdes Cruz, Franz Peter Schubert Elementary School
Paris Lewis, George Leland Elementary School
Mandolyn Barrymore, Polaris Charter Academy
Tina Mohammad, John A. Walsh Elementary School
Lisa Ingravallo, Harriet E Sayre Elementary Language Academy
Adam Loredo, Hawthorne Scholastic Academy
Maria Cintora, Mariano Azuela Elementary School
Angeline Stewart, Oriole Park Elementary
Nicole Bush, A. Walsh Elementary School
Jacqueline Taylor, Arthur A Libby Elementary School
Yolanda Pender-Bey, Mt. Vernon Elementary
Jamilex Tinoco Lara, Hearst School
Eliana Oliveras, Florence Nightingale Elementary School
Elsa Prieto, John A. Walsh Elementary School
Shania Jones, STEM Magnet Academy
Lan Nguyen, South Loop School
Larissa Mae Gulben, Gillespie Magnet School
Gamille Vesy Duvall, Frederick Funston Elementary School
Robin Morgan, Gillespie Magnet School
Guadalupe Hernandez-Lopez, Talcott Fine Arts and Museum Academy
Jennifer Harris, Charles S. Brownell Elementary
Evelyn Palomino, Florence Nightingale Elementary School
Katelyn Pederson, Helen Peirce International Studies Elementary
Mindy Thomas, Polaris Charter Academy
Dana White, Oscar F Mayer Elementary School
Niamh Burke, Willa Cather School
Melissa Hernandez, James Otis Elementary School
Jenna Lei Moore, William G. Hibbard Elementary School
Kadrien Payton, Gillespie Magnet School
Sandy McNabb, Frank Reilly Elementary
Daina Adamczyk, South Loop School
Gina Cipriani, John M Smyth Elementary School
Ekta Panchal, Chalmers School of Excellence
Ameyo Ahondo, Mt. Vernon Elementary
Josefina Nava, Hedges School
Michelle Silva, Marcus Garvey Elementary
Maribel Quiles-Moukaddem, Ferdinand Peck Elementary School
Melisa Rodriguez, Rachel Carson Elementary School
Nkanga Nsa, Lewis School
Carol Hilker, Hawthorne Scholastic Academy
WITS is beginning a 5-year plan to expand our proven program model to more students. By 2030, we want to increase the number of classroom libraries we grant teachers across CPS from 100 to 300. WITS classroom libraries significantly increase access to diverse books across grade levels and ensure students can read stories that reflect their lives.
Help give books to teachers by donating today.
