Little Village Academy teacher wins $60,000 through CIA program
CHICAGO (CBS) – The CIA set out on a mission on Thursday, closing in on a deserving educator working hard to help students.
CBS 2's Andrew Ramos was there for the surprise that's bringing much needed funds to a Chicago classroom.
What started out as a typical school day inside Kyle Nowicki's design lab at Little Village Academy took a sudden turn that left the educator baffled.
He was told he won a $60,000 prize.
"I'm speechless," Nowicki said.
Nowicki and his class came out on top of the CIA Mission Possible Operation Advanced Technology Competition. The program injects much-needed resources into the day-to-day curriculum with laptops for every student and a 3D printing package.
"I'm just so excited for our school and what this is going to do for design and for technology and for STEM and for building that interest with our students," Nowicki said.
The funds come directly from the CIA as part of an ongoing effort to strengthen the passion for science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics education, also known at STEAM, in the classroom.
Nowicki's class is the first to win the top prize in Chicago.
"This is just one way that the CIA and other federal agencies can invest in schools at the local level," said Michael Holtz, of the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education.
Little Village Academy Principal Lillian Lazu added, "It is because of this passion that they have for our students in school is why we do the things that we do."
Little Village Academy is just the first of what CIA hopes will be many recipients in the Chicago area of its new nationwide "Mission Possible" program.
Applications for the next cycle open in January of 2024.
In addition to Little Village Academy, educators at Northside College Prep also won big on Thursday. That team received $30,000 as part of the CIA Mission Possible national prize.