Evergreen Park educator among 15 named to state’s Teacher of the Year cohort

Bryn Zingrebe does her best to make her science lessons at Evergreen Park Community High School come alive for students, combining scientific examples that struggling students can grasp with concepts more advanced pupils find challenging, such as illustrating the behavior of gasses with automobile analogies.

“When gasses are exposed to lower temperatures, they contract and take up less space in a container,” Zingrebe said. “So when a low tire pressure light turns on in a car in winter, it doesn’t necessarily mean the tire has lost air but that gas needs to be added to the tire. This is an application of something you observe in real life that we can directly connect to our class.”

Those sorts of interactions are among the reasons Zingrebe recently was named Outstanding Early Career Educator by the Illinois State Board of Education, making her one of 15 teachers across Illinois included in the winning 2024 Illinois Teacher of the Year cohort.

Senior Samantha Ricks was so moved by Zingrebe’s teaching in her AP chemistry class last year that she wrote a letter of recommendation to support her application for the award. Zingrebe also came highly recommended by Megan Schillo, curriculum director and Michael Thomas, Science Department chair.

“I just wrote about how much of an amazing teacher she was and how much fun I had in her class,” said Ricks, who is part of the school’s Leadership Team Program, of which Zingrebe is a sponsor. “We do lots of fun labs and projects. It’s a great way to end the day.”

Ricks also said Zingrebe had a knack for reaching every student.

“Mrs. Zingrebe teaches it in a way everyone can understand,” she said.

Zingrebe notices when students might be needing extra help and saw early on that Spanish-speaking students sometimes had trouble learning because they were busy translating concepts back and forth between Spanish and English.

“That’s an obstacle for their learning experience,” Zingrebe said. “I just wanted to gain a better idea of what their learning experience was like.”

So Zingrebe recruited a dozen other teachers and they all earned an English as a Second Language endorsement to help teach bilingual students.

“This would mean more support throughout the day for them,” she said.

That inclusivity goes beyond the classroom. As a track and field and cross country coach, she encourages students to participate even if they’re not the most athletic or talented.

“We try to encourage students to embrace a growth mindset,” she said. “We tell students they can grow at their own pace.”

She also helps with the Bridge Program, preparing students for high school who need more help learning math and English.

Zingrebe said teaching was a natural fit for her because she loves mentoring. In her spare time, she enjoys reading books such as “Harry Potter” as well as non-fiction books like “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lachs,” because she likes learning about people, science and medicine.

She still enjoys Star Wars movies, too.

“They remind me of my dad, and that’s someone who’s really valuable in my life,” Zingrebe said.

Janice Neumann is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.