Golden Apple Award Semi-Finalists Announced

(From the Findlay Rotary Club)

The Findlay Rotary Club has announced its semifinalists for the 2024 Golden Apple Awards.

The club selected three teachers from the elementary level, three teachers from the middle school level and two teachers from the high school level to compete for the award. The finalists will be announced at the annual Golden Apple Awards Dinner on October 16, 2024.

The finalist at each level receives the Golden Apple Award along with a $2,500 cash prize. Second and third place semi-finalist each receive a $250 cash prize. Finalists also accept an invitation to join the Golden Apple Academy, a group consisting of all past Golden Apple Award finalists.

At the elementary level, the semifinalists are: Heagan Sparling, Kindergarten at Liberty Benton; Jena Meloy, Kindergarten at Whittier; and Jayson Schube, 4th grade at Bigelow Hill.

At the middle school level, the semifinalists are: Angel Buck, 6th Grade Social Studies at Glenwood Middle School; Andy Honse, Band at McComb; and Maryann Holderman, Science at Riverdale.

At the high school level, the semifinalists are: Amy Teders, English at Liberty Benton; and Tyler Smith, Science at Findlay High School.

The Findlay Rotary Club accepted nominations for the award from students, parents, administration, colleagues and the community-at-large through the beginning of April.

Nominees are required to be a current teacher in the Findlay area or a Hancock County school and have at least three years of experience.

Nominated teachers submit a resume, a teaching philosophy essay, and two letters of recommendation to the Rotary Community Selection Committee who selected this year’s semifinalists. A second group of members from the Rotary Final Selection Committee interviews and conducts classroom visits to determine the finalists.

Below is a picture of last year’s winners, and you can learn more about them by clicking here. 

The Findlay Rotary Club was founded in 1920 and is a member of Rotary International, an association of Rotary clubs around the world, which today numbers almost 32,000 clubs in over 200 countries. The Rotary Club of Findlay was founded by the city’s leaders in 1920, and continues with the leaders of today. The club also sponsors the Rotaract Club at The University of Findlay.