Congratulations to Mrs. Patty Sarkady on being selected as the 2024 Illinois Digital Educators Alliance (IDEA) Classroom Teacher of the Year! The IDEA Educator of the Year Award honors educators who have made outstanding contributions toward integrating technology in education for Illinois schools and students.
Mrs. Sarkady has been a Career and Technical Educator at Riverside Brookfield High School for over 20 years. She currently teaches Business Communications I and II, Marketing, Digital Design, Advanced Digital Design, and Game Design and Animation. Four of these classes have a Dual Credit designation with Triton College, so students enrolled in these classes earn both high school and college credit. She has been preparing her students for the Adobe Certified Professional Exams this school year, and so far, eight students have passed an Adobe Illustrator and/or Adobe Photoshop Exam. Her students are always excited to walk into her classroom, as she has developed a strong community in each of her classes. Students are encouraged to take risks, work together, and explore ways to problem-solve. Mrs. Sarkady is also the Coffee and Tea Club sponsor, a new club where students can relax and bond over their love for coffee and tea.
"When I heard that I was named Educator of the Year by IDEA, I was overwhelmed with gratitude. I am grateful to our District for encouraging us to take risks in our classrooms with technology. Technology is such an integral part of education and how we use it as educators enriches our instruction and allows for a blended experience centered around the students. I am forever grateful to my students and their adaptability as I continue to take risks with technology to provide the best learning opportunities for them," said Sarkady.
Riverside Brookfield High School is incredibly fortunate to have Mrs. Sarkady as a CTE/Business & Technology Instructor!
