Freeport teacher is Illinois Golden Apple Award finalist

It's challenging enough to meet students where they are mentally and emotionally, but Eugene Calingacion, a Freeport special education teacher, goes the extra mile to meet them physically, too.

"One of his students was struggling with sitting at the table and was underneath the table," said Principal Jennifer DeJung. "So, Eugene just went underneath the table with the student and did his lesson down there, because that's what the student needed at that time."

It's just one example of why Calingnacion is one of 30 statewide finalists in the running for the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching.

The award honors outstanding teachers for having lasting, positive effects on students’ lives and school communities. More than 600 teachers from around the state were nominated. Ten will be selected to receive the award.

Calingnacion teaches special education in kindergarten through third grade at Jones-Farrar International Baccalaureate World School in the Freeport School District.

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The 27-year educator spent the first 20 years of his career teaching in his native Philippines, as well as stints in Singapore and China.

Calingnacion came to the U.S. in 2016 and taught for three years in the Wapato School District in the state of Washington before he and his wife, Marinette, came to Freeport.

Calingnacion credits his own second-grade teacher, Corazon Pinero, with inspiring him to become a teacher.

"She was the one who convinced me that I have the potential to be somebody in the future," he said, "and that voice remained in my soul and in my heart."

Many years later, Calingnacion's desire to teach is as strong as ever. For that, he thanks his students.

"Seeing them excited to come back the following day, and hearing them say, 'I don't want the weekend because I'm going to miss you.' That's actually very rewarding."

Calingnacion is no stranger to accolades.

He was named the 2023 Northwest Regional Teacher of the Year by the Illinois State Board of Education and was a finalist for the Illinois Teacher of the year.

Chris Green is a Rockford Register Star general assignment reporter. He can be reached at 815-987-1241, via email at cgreen@rrstar.com and Twitter @chrisfgreen.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Freeport teacher is Illinois Golden Apple Award finalist