Ritchie Honors 65 Educators WITH Golden Apple Award

Teachers Receive Special Funding for Classroom Enrichment

In recognition of their efforts to encourage students to succeed, 65 educators from Oswego, Jefferson and St. Lawrence Counties were awarded State Senator Patty Ritchie’s Golden Apple Award for Teaching Excellence at a special ceremony held Friday evening at Pulaski’s historic Kallet Theater.

CLICK HERE TO SEE A VIDEO OF THE EVENT

In addition to receiving the Golden Apple Award, each teacher was also awarded $500 in special funding for classroom enrichment.  The funding—which represents a more than $30,000 addition to the increase in state education funding local schools received this year—will be used by teachers for making improvements to their classrooms. 

“If we think back to our school years, we can all remember a teacher who has made a difference in our life.  Whether they are teaching their students how to read and write or are tackling life’s bigger lessons—like sharing and treating others with kindness—the impact that educators have on the lives of those they teach cannot be understated,” said Senator Ritchie.

“It’s truly my pleasure to honor these 65 individuals who are doing remarkable things in schools throughout our region and creating brighter futures for the students who they dedicate each and every day to.”

Last year, Senator Ritchie recognized more than 40 educators from the Central and Northern New York region through her Golden Apple Award for Teaching Excellence program. Since then, the program has been replicated across New York State by her colleagues in an effort to recognize educators.

The 2014 honorees—who were nominated by colleagues, former students, current students, friends and family members—included the following:

Lisa Balles: Michael A. Maroun Elementary School

Rebecca Ballard: Mexico Middle School

Courtney Belloff-Barker: Black River Elementary

Pamela  Bice: Ogdensburg Free Academy

Helen Bolen: Cleveland Elementary

Teresa Burleigh: Central Square Intermediate School

John Canale: Oswego High School

Linda Carney: Augustinian Academy

Margaret Clemens: Hugh C. Williams High School

Jon Cole: Ogdensburg Free Academy

Danielle Crisafulli: G. Ray Bodley High School

Edward Darrh: Central Square Middle School

Pamela  Delfino: Minetto Elementary

Toby Draper: Wilson Elementary

Fred Ensworth: Oswego Middle School

Aimee Flynn: St. Marguerite D'Youville Academy

Craig Freitag: Thousand Islands Central School

Andrea Gibbs: Pulaski High School

Christine Haessig: Fitzhugh Park Elementary

Bill Hansen: Millard Hawk Primary School

Sheri Hansen: Millard Hawk Primary School

Elaina Hastings-Gauthier: New Haven Elementary School

Renee Hendrickson: Volney Elementary School

Christine Kassian: Lisbon Central School

Julie Kealy: South Jefferson Middle School

Lisa Keegan: South Jefferson High School

Lynn Kellogg: South Jefferson Central-Middle School

Robert Kuba: Indian River Central School

Stacey Landas: Lura Sharp Elementary School

Arlene Laut: Hannibal High School

Shelly Lee: Millard Hawk Primary School

Tina Lewis: Aura A. Cole Elementary School

Carol Livingston: Mexico Middle School

Jennifer Lyons: Millard Hawk Primary School

Suzanne McLean: Ogdensburg Free Academy

Joni Macaulay: Edwards Knox Central School District

Andrea Mason: Mexico High School

Kylee Monroe: General Brown Jr/Sr High School

Lauren Morley: Ogdensburg Free Academy

Sharon Murdock: Heuvelton Central School

Cindy Niles: St. Mary's Parochial School

Deborah Patterson: New Haven Elementary School

Jeanette Perry: Southwest Tech Center BOCES

Stephanie Plaisted: East Side Elementary

Simmone Pone':Brewerton Elementary School

Margaret Pryor: Mexico Elementary School

Jennifer Putman: Ogdensburg Free Academy

Deborah Reddick: Indian River Central School

Tracy Robertson: Indian River Central School

Cheryl Rogers: Oswego High School

Gina Salerno: Lanigan Elementary School

Lisa Sargent: Lisbon Central School

Carol Scaccia: Hastings-Mallory Elementary

Stacie Shaffer: Ed. Center & Paul V. Moore High School

Dianna Shear: Watertown High School

Paul Sornborger: Sandy Creek Central School

Lisa Spereno: Phoenix Central Schools

Paula Straub: Mexico High School

Lynn Tayler: Morristown Central School

Diane Tedford: Lyme Central

Keira Thurheimer: Case Middle School

TaraVanhorn: South Jefferson Middle School

Maria VanPelt: La Fargeville Central School

Barbara vonHoltz: Trinity Catholic School

Sarah Wood: Hermon-Dekalb Central School