Overview
- Rawls was celebrated at a surprise assembly Monday at Leo High School as the Golden Apple Foundation named him a leadership award winner and presented a $10,000 check.
- He was chosen from nearly 100 nominees for a prize that typically honors one or two principals statewide each year in Illinois.
- Since taking over in 2016, Rawls has led gains cited by the foundation that include a 100% college acceptance rate for seniors, a 20-point rise in ninth-graders on track to graduate, and a doubling of enrollment.
- An alumnus of Leo, Rawls centers mentorship and a safe, supportive space for young Black and brown boys, and he says a failed 2022 application pushed him to keep striving.
- The award also includes a sabbatical at Northwestern University and entry into the Golden Apple Academy, positioning Rawls to bring new resources to Leo and to help develop future educators.