Scottsdale high school teacher honored with Silver Apple Award

SCOTTSDALE (3TV/CBS 5) — As the school year comes to a close, Arizona’s Family is recognizing one more teacher with the Silver Apple Award.

Albert Keller started his teaching career in the middle of the pandemic but rose to the challenge and is making a name for himself at Coronado High School in Scottsdale!

“I graduated 2016 here at Coronado High School. If you would have told me at that time that I was gonna come back here, I probably would cry, but it’s the biggest honor I think I could ever have. Just coming back here and working with the community that did so much for me,” Keller said. He teaches world history, economics, and government at Coronado. His students say he’s enthusiastic, compassionate, funny, hyper and spontaneous.

Even though it’s been two years since Diego Rivera was in Keller’s class, he nominated Keller for the award, saying his “teaching methods and techniques helped me stay motivated during a global pandemic.” Rivera also wrote about how he loved that he was a “brand-new teacher with energy” and easy to relate to.

“Coming back here has been the greatest pleasure, I think, I’ve ever had — just seeing these kids that remind me so much of the people that I graduated from here, and having that part of helping these people become the best people they can be, like that’s all that it’s about,” he added.

Our sponsor, Arizona Bank and Trust, presented Keller with a $1,000 reward for his dedication and passion in the classroom. Keller was visibly emotional after receiving the check and the Silver Apple Award.

“It’s an honor. You know, like you don’t get into education for the money, and working with these guys every day is like what keeps me going right? That’s why we do it,” he said.

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