Lured by a phony request to attend a meeting, Deerfield High School dance teacher Nikki Lazzaretto walked into the school auditorium to find it filled with family, friends, students, colleagues and administrators who erupted with cheers and applause at her arrival. Lazzaretto seemed to be knocked back a step in shock as it dawned on her: She d won a Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Finalists for the 2022 Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching weigh in on how their schools support student and educator mental health and how they can do more.