Whitney Young science teacher wins Golden Apple Award

CHICAGO (WLS) -- It's been a very good Monday for one Chicago Public School science teacher.

Todd Katz was named the 2016 Golden Apple Award winner for teaching excellence.

Katz, who teaches at Whitney Young High School, was selected from more than 400 candidates from across the state of Illinois. His prize includes $5,000 and a spring sabbatical to study at Northwestern University.

He said it was a surprise of the most pleasant kind.

"I'm overjoyed," Katz said. "I've achieved something I've always dreamed of achieving and the opportunities that'll be afforded to me in the future... I'm looking forward to taking advantage of it."

Katz has taught for 14 years, and at Whitney Young for the last eight. During his time there he has built a greenhouse, started an ecology club and expanded the school's science curriculum.