The Chicago Bears on Wednesday recognized Prairie Trails School kindergarten teacher Tracy Frew as part of the team’s “Classroom Legends” program. The program, according to the Bears, is in its second year and selects two teachers each month in order “to spotlight educators who go above and beyond the day-to-day job.”
During a surprise visit members of the Bears organization, including former player Rashied Davis, presented Frew with a personalized Bears jersey, custom-painted football, and a $1000 grant for her classroom. She was also rewarded with tickets to an upcoming game at which she will be honored on the jumbotron.
“I’m so glad I get to impact so many lives,” Frew said during the recognition. “But really they’re the ones impacting mine and I become a better teacher with each class I get. I’m excited to have more fun every single day.”
Frew is in her 12th year of teaching, spending the past five years in River Trails School District 26. In 2021, she began at Prairie Trails School when it first opened as the district’s pre-kindergarten and kindergarten building.
“Tracy makes kindergarten a magical experience for her students,” Prairie Trails teachers Natalie Hudson and Laura Chmura wrote in their nomination submission. “She meets each student where they’re at, appreciates them for who they are and helps them blossom. She also isn’t afraid to get messy and have fun, which is exactly what kindergarten is all about.”