Three outstanding COE alumni named 2024 Golden Apple Award winners

Sarah Emerson (BA Science Administration, 2013), second/third grade high ability teacher at Dayton Elementary School in Dayton, Indiana.

“I try to make the classroom a fun place to be and a really engaging, motivating place to be,” Emerson said. “Thanks to Purdue for providing me with the best education money can buy.”

William (Bill) Huston (BS Geology/Teaching, 1983; MS Earth Science Education, 1990), science teacher and planetarium director at Lafayette Jefferson High School.

“For an up-and-coming teacher, you’re new to it, you want to lean heavily on your new colleagues,” Huston advised.

Macy (Smith) Shanklin (BA Education Administration, 2013), a fourth grade teacher at Edgelea Elementary School in Lafayette, Indiana.

“I see the power in letting kids discover more of their own learning and me stepping back more and not just delivering or spoon-feeding stuff,” Shanklin said. “I see how much more powerful it is and meaningful and how much more it sticks in kids’ brains if they’re the ones doing the discovery.”