RESOLUTION HONORING REBECCA HERMAN AS AN AMAZON FUTURE
ENGINEER TEACHER OF THE YEAR
WHEREAS, Rebecca Hermann, a computer science teacher at John M. Palmer Elementary School, is being honored as an Amazon Future Engineer Teacher of the Year; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of this achievement by the Honorable Samantha Nugent, Alderman of the 39th Ward; and
WHEREAS, The Amazon Future Engineer Teacher of the Year Award celebrates teachers who work diligently to help students discover the possibilities computer science and robotics bring for the future; and
WHEREAS, Rebecca is one of ten teachers recognized this year, and the only teacher from Illinois; in addition to being formally recognized, awardees receive $25,000 to expand computer science or robotics education at their school; and
WHEREAS, The teachers are selected for demonstrating a dedication to educational equity in underserved communities, their commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion within computer science education, and displaying instructional excellence and a record of student achievement; and
WHEREAS, Rebecca - a Palmer alum herself - has been teaching at the school since 2012, and as part of the award, has committed to remain at Palmer to teach computer science or robotics for the 2023-2024 school year; and
WHEREAS, Receiving the Amazon Future Engineer Teacher of the Year Award is not the first time Rebecca's dedication to her students has been acknowledged - in 2019, she was one of 16 teachers honored by the Chicago Bears and Symetra with a Heroes in the Classroom award, which recognizes teachers for their ability to balance the core curriculum with students' individual needs; build trust among students, parents, and the community; and invest in their students' long-term success; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Hermann has been the embodiment of Palmer Elementary's mission of empowering students to find value in their individuality and sharing their talents within the community, not only by employing lessons on technical instruction such as 3-D printing, circuit board building, and robotics, but also by ensuring her students understand digital citizenship and their role in using technology now and in the future; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, gathered here this 31s1 day of May 2023, do hereby honor Rebecca Hermann for her commitment to her craft, and congratulate her on receiving this Award; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be prepared and presented to Rebecca Hermann as a sign of our honor and respect.
SAMANTHA NUGENT
Alderman, 39th Ward