High Point Elementary School teacher Carita Hall at first thought it was a mistake when she received an e-mail in early September from Econ Illinois informing her she won a  2011 Star in the Classroom award.

“It was a total surprise,” Hall said. “I thought I was a nominee. I didn’t know I was going to receive it. At first I said ‘it’s a mistake.’ You don’t see yourself as winning something like this.”

Hall, one of 10 Illinois teachers to win, was honored Monday night during the Orland School District 135 meeting. She will also be honored at the Econ Illinois Economic Education Day Oct. 25 in Chicago.

Others from the TribLocal area who will be honored include Peg Seaman (Victor J. Andrew High School in Tinley Park), Wendy Hegarty (Lincoln-Way East High School in Frankfort), Janet Kuo (Fry Elementary School in Naperville), David Burke (Highland Park High School) and Laura Raineri (Isaac Fox Elementary School in Lake Zurich).

Econ Illinois is an affiliate of the Council for Economic Education and was established in 1951.

Hall, who has been in D-135 for 10 years, was recognized for implementing Econ Illinois-sponsored programs in her classroom. Four of her students–Zoe Baker, Michael Gartlan, Aris Vainikos and Sofia Vainikos– received regional recognition for an Econ Illinois-sponsored poster contest last year. She also uses the Econ Illinois stock market game and money saving program in her class.

Hall, who grew up in Palos Hills and attended Amos Alonzo Stagg High School, said she tries to make her classes fun, but also has a “real world” tone to them as well.

“The kids have to see the connection between what we’re doing in the class and the real world,” she said. “If you don’t make that connection, it’s not going to stick.”