Two Queens teachers have been named winners of a local restaurant chain’s annual teacher appreciation essay contest, earning both recognition and rewards from their students and the community.
Chloe Lipka, of Forte Preparatory Academy in Elmhurst and Jenna Kavaler, of PS/MS 164 Queens Valley School of the Arts in Flushing, were selected as winners of the ninth annual ‘BEE’yond Teacher Essay Contest, sponsored by Doherty-owned Applebee’s. As part of the award, each educator received a $500 check for the 2025–26 school year and a free end-of-year classroom party at Applebee’s.
The contest invited elementary, middle, and high school students from across the five boroughs and Westchester to submit essays earlier this year, highlighting teachers who have made a meaningful impact on their lives. Lipka and Kavaler were among six teachers selected by a panel of judges from across the New York City and Westchester region.
Kavaler, a K–8 theatre teacher at PS/MS 164, said she was touched to learn a fourth-grade student had nominated her.
“When I got the email, I was pleasantly surprised. I love theatre, but it’s kind of hard to know what the kids feel about it. You don’t always know the impact you’re making,” she said. “When I hear a student who has these other teachers and does all these other subjects wants to write about me, it really makes me feel good.”
The annual contest, now in its ninth year, is part of Applebee’s continued efforts to recognize and celebrate exceptional educators in the communities they serve.
Kavaler said reading Samantha’s essay revealed just how much her student valued the extra effort she puts into her teaching.
“A lot of what she talked about were things that I do outside of normal school hours, like the after-school program that I do,” Kavaler said. “She talked about how I had written a play about the Iroquois Confederacy, so it went along with her social studies curriculum. It was really nice to know that it was something that left a lasting impact on her and something that she loved.”
The prize funding, she said, offers new opportunities for her classroom and creative programs.
“This is my seventh year teaching, and it’s the first time I’ve been given money where I can do whatever I want with it,” she said. “It opens up a lot of possibilities—maybe something to do with the costumes for one of my shows, or new puppets for the kids.”
Like many educators, Kavaler often spends out-of-pocket on supplies and classroom enrichment. She said being recognized by Applebee’s and her student was especially meaningful given the challenges arts educators frequently face.
“It just really means a lot that students are noticing the hard work that we put in and that we really care—and also that other people outside of the school building see what we do and have value in it, especially with the arts,” she said. “A lot of times we really have to fight for rehearsal time or space, or money, so to have them reward us in this way is really nice.”
