Shortly after classes end on Wednesdays, freshman biology teacher Jason Crean opens up the Vivarium at South Campus to a group of eager students ready to get their hands on a chinchilla. Crean, who works on cleaning the various cages, allows the students to begin cleaning cages and caring for the animals alongside him. This seems to be the typical routine under Crean’s trust in the zoology club members to be self-determined. This is just one example of Crean’s teaching that led him to win him the Golden Apple Award for excellence in teaching and leadership.

While teaching his seventh period biology class, Crean was surprised by a group of important faces including: Principal Brian Waterman, Superintendent Timothy Kilrea, Associate Principal Therese Nelson, Math/ Science Division Chair Ismael Zamora, English teacher Marie Gillespie and a team from Golden Apple to congratulate and notify Crean of his accomplishment of winning the award. Interviews were conducted of multiple students and various teachers and colleagues to be presented on the televised program on May 20.

“He is an incredible teacher,” Zamora said. “He is ahead of the curve as far as what we are supposed to be doing in science. His notoriety goes outside the walls of LT.”

Each year, the Golden Apple is awarded to 10 teachers in the Chicagoland area who dedicate their time to transforming teaching and enriching the lives of both students and teachers. After an extensive evaluation process including written reflections, classroom observations and in-person interviews, Crean was bestowed with the award.

The teachers who win this accolade join the Golden Apple Academy of Educators, which allows them to continue their previous efforts of being exemplary teachers and strengthen what they bring to the classroom. Recipients are awarded a cash prize and a nine-week sabbatical to study tuition-free at Northwestern University.

“For me, [the award] has been another validation of the work I’ve been doing over the past several years,” Crean said.  “I’m glad people like what we are doing here at LT!”

Crean has animals at home, in his classroom and is in charge of the Vivarium at South Campus where upper C and J-wing meet. Crean lives out the “Vita Plena,” the quest for a fulfilling life,  by teaching what he loves and enjoying his time doing it, Zamora said.

“Mr. Crean was by far one of my favorite teachers because he breaks the tension between teacher and student and really tries to be your friend,” Michael Gilger ‘16 said. “I had him four years ago freshman year so he was one of my first impressions of teachers at LT, and let me say, he set the bar pretty high. I hated biology, I really did. But Mr. Crean made it fun and enjoyable.”

In addition to teaching, Crean holds 12 different biology education positions including research at Wildlife Genetics Lab and a consultant to zoos addressing care, breeding and propagation of avian species and curriculum development.

“Teaching allows me to not only be creative, but allows me to share my love of the living things with my students,” Crean said. “ I have the best of all worlds.”