Lima Rotary Club asked to consider adopting teacher recognition program.
The Findlay Rotary Club began the Golden Apple Awards program 31 years ago to recognize outstanding teachers. At Monday's meeting, Wayne Korpics told us about the program and asked us to consider adopting the program for local teachers. "If you think back to those years when you were in elementary school, middle school, high school, can you picture that one teacher, that one special teacher that made everything click for you? They are the one that you think back about today and say if it wasn't for ________, I wouldn't be where I am today." Those are the teachers that the Golden Apple Awards recognize. Nominees must teach preschool through 12th grade full-time, have taught a minimum of three years in their current school system, and have spent a majority of their time in the classroom. The Findlay Rotary Club chooses one winner and two runners up in each of the elementary, middle and high school levels. Winners receive $2,500 and runners up receive $250 to be spent in their classrooms.
Wayne says the Golden Apple Awards do much more than just recognize teachers: the program generates a significant focus on education and educators within the community which teachers greatly appreciate; partnerships have been developed combining the skills of the higher education institutions with Rotarians to develop the media releases and produce videos; local news outlets spotlight both Rotary and the teachers/schools; Rotarians see firsthand how our children are being developed into future leaders; and rotarians experience the impact of exceptional quality teachers.