(CHICAGO — March 11, 2005) Roel N. Vivit, a fourth grade teacher at Frances Xavier Warde School at Old St. Patrick’s Campus, 120 South Des Plaines in Chicago, was named as one of the Golden Apple Foundation’s 10 Chicago-area winners of the 2005 Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching in grades 4 through 8.

Vivit, who has taught math, social studies, religion and language arts for four years at Frances Xavier Warde, is the only Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic schoolteacher among ten winners from five Chicago Public Schools, and four suburban public schools.

A Golden Apple classroom observer said, “Like a consummate jazz musician, Roel Vivit was constantly weaving together threads of past lessons, new material and references to elements from earlier in the lesson — vocabulary, new ideas, thoughts, questions and students’ stated feelings — so that they added up to something powerful, meaningful, and, if we may, beautiful.”

Among the thirty-two finalists named in January were Vivit and Justus (Jesse) G. Roe, a music teacher for Pre-K to 8 th grade students at St. Clement School, 2524 North Orchard Street in Chicago. A total of 747 teachers from Cook, Lake and DuPage counties were nominated for the award, which was first presented in 1986.

As a Golden Apple winner, Vivit will receive a tuition-free fall-term sabbatical at Northwestern University; a personal computer from Apple; $2,500; and induction into the Golden Apple Academy, which now numbers 190 expert teachers who work together to ensure that all children have the excellent teachers they deserve.

The Awards selection committee is comprised of more than 70 Chicago-area educators. Two committee members observed each of the 32 finalists in their classroom and interviewed their principal and selected colleagues, parents and students.

Vivit and the other winners will be honored at an award ceremony on May 7 at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers, which subsequently will be aired as a one-hour prime-time special on WTTW/Channel 11.