It was Monday afternoon. Lunchtime was over, and the hallways at Leo High School were buzzing with excitement.
At 1:08 pm, Dr. Shaka Rawls walked into the auditorium at Leo High School where hundreds of students, teachers, administrators and community leaders were waiting to give him a big surprise.
Loud cheers erupted as Rawls, the principal at the nationally renowned all boys Catholic high school, received the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership. He was praised for transforming Leo High School into a beacon of excellence in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood.
The award came on the anniversary of Leo High School’s 100th birthday. Once a white Catholic institution that was founded in 1926, today Leo High School ‘s predominately Black male students are experiencing a string of achievements since Rawls arrived in 2016.
In recent years, the school has consistently maintained a 100 percent college acceptance rate among its seniors. This year’s graduating class earned over $5 million in scholarship awards. Enrollment and attendance are up and the school’s renowned boys choir is still getting offers to perform at venues after it made it to the finals of NBC’s America’s Got Talent last year.
Community leaders said those achievements stem from Rawls’ hard work in helping boost pride and self-esteem among Leo High School’s students.
On May 4, Alan Mather, president of the Golden Apple Foundation, presented Rawls with the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership. Rawls received $10,000 and the opportunity to take free classes at Northwestern University.
In accepting the award, Rawls told the students, “I am the leader today because of God…I’m excited about our future. Today is great, but tomorrow is going to be your turn.”
Several community and political leaders gave speeches praising Rawls’ leadership at Leo High School.
Father Michael Pfleger said, “You put Leo High School on the national map in this country. You created not just pride, but you helped young Black men take pride in themselves.”
State Senator Willie Preston (D-16th) said, “This man fights, mentors, and stands tall for Leo men.”
State Representative Michael Crawford said, “We’re here today not because of the words you spoke. We’re here for the work you put in.”
The Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership is given annually to a small number of principals across Illinois who demonstrate significant and sustained impact on their schools.
Mather said candidates for the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership must go through a long nomination process than began last August.
Mather said Rawls beat out 72 candidates for the award.
According to Mather, candidates are nominated by a peer and must submit an application. Candidates then submit an application (Rawls submitted his in February). The application is then read by a team of reviewers. Successful candidates advanced to the semifinal round and the final round. In the final round, the foundation then sends a team to visit the school to interview colleagues for insight into the person’s candidates leadership abilities. Mather said the team was “blown away” by the responses they received about Rawls’s leadership abilities.