North Star Technology Teacher Selected as Apple Distinguished Educator

April Requard is only the third person from New Mexico to be selected to the prestigious, international program.

February 28, 2013

April Requard, the technology teacher at North Star Elementary, has been selected as an Apple Distinguished Educator, an international distinction recognizing educators for doing amazing things with Apple technology in and out of the classroom. ADEs explore new ideas, seek new paths, and embrace new opportunities. That includes working with each other — and with Apple — to bring innovative ideas to students everywhere.

ADEs advise Apple on integrating technology into learning environments — and share their expertise with other educators and policy makers. They author original content about their work. They advocate the use of Apple products that help engage students in new ways. And they are ambassadors of innovation, participating in and presenting at education events around the world.

Out of thousands of applicants in North America, Apple only selects 140 ADEs each year. Requard is only the third person from New Mexico to be selected. Ken Tuley, an assistant principal at Manzano High, was selected as an ADE in 1999.

There are now more than 2,000 ADEs worldwide, from the United States to China, New Zealand to Turkey. And they gather every year at ADE Institutes and education events around the world as well as online in the ADE community to collaborate on solutions to the global education challenges of today and tomorrow.

Requard will be attending one of those summits in Austin, Texas, this summer.

"This is probably the greatest honor someone like me could have," Requard said. "I was beyond thrilled to find out."