Getting to Know Nita Sengupta, One of Our Outstanding Golden Apple Winners

Ms. Nita Sengupta, a middle school math teacher at Salazar Bilingual Center, thought she was walking into a scheduled 8th-grade graduation rehearsal. Concerned that her students had not had enough time to practice their graduation song, she entered the room focused entirely on them — unaware that her school community was waiting inside to surprise her with one of the most prestigious education awards in Illinois - the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching.

For a few moments, she could hardly process what was happening. Yet even in that unforgettable moment, her thoughts were not centered on awards or recognition. “I was thinking about my students, my parents, my journey, the struggles I had overcome, and the little girl who once used a door as her whiteboard while pretending to be a teacher,” she said.

Throughout her teaching journey, Ms. Sengupta credits her parents and her students as her greatest source of strength and inspiration. “My parents have been the heart, soul, and foundation of my entire journey,” she shared.

Ms. Sengupta’s journey into education began long before she ever entered a classroom professionally. As a child, she loved playing “teacher” with neighborhood children, using her family’s door as a makeshift whiteboard. Though life eventually led her down a different path, that dream quietly remained within her. Years later, during a difficult period in her life, she found herself unexpectedly drawn toward teaching while attending orientation at Loyola University Chicago.

“Teaching was not even on my mind,” she said. “Without thinking, I stood up and followed the School of Education group at orientation. From that moment on, I never looked back. It felt as though life had quietly brought me full circle.”

For Ms. Sengupta, teaching goes beyond academics. She strives to bring worldly learning into the classroom by connecting lessons to culture, real-world experiences, current events, and meaningful discussions that help students better understand themselves and the world around them. Her goal is to nurture her students to grow into compassionate, thoughtful, and culturally aware human beings.

One example is her student-led fundraising initiative to support cleft lip surgeries for children in South America. Spearheaded entirely by them, students managed sales, calculated profit margins and fundraising totals, organized schedules for the fundraising counter, wrote and delivered PA announcements, and even created posters about the realities and difficulties children with cleft lips experience. What made this project so special to Ms. Sengupta was seeing her students’ hearts open to helping others.

Ms. Sengupta hopes other educators remember that while teaching can bring exhausting days and invisible emotional weight, it also brings unforgettable moments that touch your soul forever — moments that remind you teaching is far more than academics. It is about nurturing students’ happiness and empowering them to become empathetic, culturally responsive global citizens.

She is grateful to her colleagues along the way for believing in her and for sharing their kindness, wisdom, and friendship, which have shaped her over the years. “Having colleagues who genuinely care makes the journey lighter and more meaningful.”

Above all, Ms. Sengupta hopes her students — past and present — always know her heart belongs to them. She is deeply grateful to them for allowing her to be part of their lives and educational journey, and for reminding her every day why this profession matters so deeply.

“I want them to grow into courageous, thoughtful individuals who are not afraid to stand up for others, and lead with kindness in a world that desperately needs more humanity.”

Watch Ms. Sengupta’s surprise Golden Apple Award celebration here and read the Golden Apple Foundation press release here. Learn more about the Golden Apple Foundation and see the full list of award recipients here.