Latest news with #GoldenAppleAward-winning
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Golden Apple: Reflecting on the 2024-25 winners
Each week, the Golden Apple Award-winning teacher receives $250 from Big Ideas Learning. It's a local company that produces math textbooks and sells them in all 50 states and other countries. The company is headquartered in the former Belle Valley School building. It was started in the 1970s by Tim Larson's dad, Penn State Behrend math professor Ron Larson. He wanted to fix a deficiency in math textbooks. 'Books were not very readable, not very student-friendly. They were difficult to get through. Maybe even intentionally difficult. His idea was that a math textbook should be readable, should be something a person should be able to sit down and understand and enjoy. We always like to say, 'Math isn't really hard unless you make it hard.' The old books were making it hard,' said Tim Larson, Big Ideas Learning's chief product architect. Over the years, Big Ideas Learning has grown to a company of 180 employees. Most of them are working on the Erie campus. In this digital era, you can find Big Ideas Learning math products everywhere 'Every media you can imagine. We do video work. We actually produce thousands of videos a year. We do a lot of digital products of all kinds, delivering book content, practice content. In addition to lots of print. Print is still a big part of what we do,' said Larson. This is the second year Big Ideas Learning has rewarded Golden Apple teachers with a $250 cash prize to help offset costs in the classroom. 'We're an education company. And we're talking to educators every day. And obviously producing products for them. So it's a great fit for us,' said Larson. Once again this year, Big Ideas will be presenting the Larson Cup to one of this year's 27 Golden Apple teachers. It's earned for how creatively they invested their $250 prize. Another way for the local company to say thank you. 'We really do appreciate everything you do. You are the core of learning. This is something research bears out. It's something we believe in strongly, that teachers are the most important part of the learning environment. So this is just a great way to say thank you and to support what you do, thank you so much,' said Larson. Our thanks to Tim Larson and Big Ideas Learning for their support of the Golden Apple Award-winning teacher. Be sure to join JET 24 on Wednesday, May 14, at 7 p.m., where we'll name the Golden Apple Teacher of the Year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Golden Apple Award: Walter Chevalier, Fairview Middle School
The Fairview school district is where we found the latest Golden Apple Award-winning teacher. It's where this outstanding educator has spent most of his school years, both as a student and teacher. This week's winner is Walter Chevalier, a middle school English language arts teacher. It's a career just four years old, but already he's learned the importance of making personal connections with his students. 'The students all have their own stories. They all have their own personalities. And just getting to know them and work with them is special and is incredibly rewarding,' Chevalier said. Chevalier is a product of the Fairview School District. Teaching here is like coming home. 'It's just a wonderful experience and it's an honor and privilege truly to give back to a community that's given me so much and to stay invested in such a tight-knit incredible community.' Mr. Chevalier's Golden Apple award comes as the result of a nomination from student Alivia Langer. 'He's very kind and he's caring, and he gave me the encouragement and confidence that I need to improve my grades, and he makes me want to be a better person and love to learn at school,' she said. 'He's everything a teacher should be and more, and he's encouraging her to be the best, and that's pretty special,' PennWest University education professor Mary Jo Melvin, PhD, said. 'His mentoring is really going to make an impact on these students that will really go beyond the walls of this classroom.' Big Ideas Learning, a national math textbook company headquartered in Erie, presented Chevalier with a financial gift of $250 to use in his classroom. 'He's obviously inspired them in so many ways, and so it's just a real honor to let him know how thankful we are for his commitment,' said Courtney Nagle of Big Ideas Learning. Wednesday, April 30, will be our final Golden Apple Award presentation of this school year. Then on Wednesday, May 14, we will announce the Golden Apple Teacher of the Year, as selected by a panel of educators from PennWest University. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Golden Apple Award winner: Steven Spizarni, St. George School
Teaching life lessons and talking about baseball. Just two reasons why this week's Golden Apple Award-winning teacher was nominated. Here at Saint George School in Millcreek, Steven Spizarni teaches American history to sixth, seventh and eighth graders. He's been teaching in the Catholic diocese for 35 years. Though he's considering retirement soon, he still enjoys being with the kids 'Being around the kids and spending time with them. Being able to mold them and just trying to talk to them about how character matters in people's lives and try to steer them to whatever they want in life. It's possible,' said Steven Spizarni, Golden Apple teacher. Mr. Spizarni respects his students. And they in turn respect him. A secret to his success is showing the kids you care. 'The more they know you care about them and have their best interests at heart, the more they tend to respond to you,' he said. Some of the best lessons in school aren't always taught in the classroom. Sometimes they happen here in the hallway. 'I just like how he talks sports to us and makes life more simple and gives life lessons to us. It helps all of us out,' said Karter Kleckner, student nominator. 'His students, they respect him, they admire him, they trust him. And when he shares those life lessons which he does on a daily basis, they listen,' said Mary Jo Melvin, PhD of PennWest University. This year, Golden Apple teachers receive a financial gift from big ideas learning. 'Teachers like Mr. Spizarny who create relationships with their students inside and outside the classroom are so deserving of an award like the Golden Apple Award. And we're so thrilled to donate funds to have him to continue that relationship all year long,' said Carissa Snarski of Big Ideas Learning. Congratulations Steven Spizarny this week's JET 24 PennWest University Golden Apple Award winner! You can nominate your favorite teacher on our Golden Apple Award page here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Golden Apple: Arrianna Pickens, RB Wiley Community Charter School
One day while working at a fast food restaurant, this week's Golden Apple Award-winning teacher decided she wanted to do more with her life. And now she is. Arrianna Pickens teaches at the Robert Benjamin Wiley Charter School in Erie. 'I feel so blessed right now. I work at the best school with the best students. I can't even help but to get emotional right now,' she said. For Ms. Pickens, this almost didn't happen, until one day south of the border. 'When I was working at Taco Bell I decided I didn't want this life and I wanted to sign myself up for college. I put myself through college. And I knew every single semester I was one step closer to my dream of teaching the youth and being a part of their lives,' she recalled. Receiving a Golden Apple Award may not have been on the radar of this teacher, but it didn't happen by accident. Ms Pickens always wanted to be that teacher. 'Growing up it has always been a dream to be the teacher that students want to come to and learn from. I'm grateful that I finally accomplished that mission and what's so great about teaching is that it's a never-ending cycle of learning and educating yourself so you can be the best teacher you can be,' Pickens said. Five years into her teaching career, this Edinboro University graduate is inspiring her students with compassion and kindness 'She deserves this so much. She is so kind to everyone and I love her so much. She is the best teacher in the whole world,' said Skyla Mims, the student nominator. 'Here we have a teacher who says never give up, and we have students who are not going to give up because of that belief system. Well thats a pretty successful combination in my mind,' said Mary Jo Melvin PhD of PennWest University. To help that success continue a donation from Big Ideas Learning. 'Ms. Pickens has created such a dynamic and fun and engaging environment in her classroom and she's opened her arms and heart to learning in a lifelong way. We are just so thankful to continue her efforts to spread that joy in the classroom with our donation,' said Carissa Snarski of Big Ideas Learning. Congratulations Arrianna Pickens this week's JET 24 PennWest University Golden Apple Award winner! Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Golden Apple Award: Tammy Benovic – Iroquois Jr./Sr. High School
Math is magical! So said this week's Golden Apple Award-winning school teacher. Her success in the classroom adds up to receiving this week's special honor. Tammy Benovic has been teaching math 34 years, the last 24 at Iroquois in Lawrence Park where she went to school. 'I was really good at math and the math teachers were excellent here so it was just a natural fit. It's just what I wanted to do, follow in their footsteps,' said Tammy Benovic, Golden Apple Award-winning teacher. Benovic said math is magic and she makes it fun. Student nominator Ivy Meyers told us besides helping everyone understand math, her teacher is very involved in the school and LP community helping out in the concession stand at games, and helping to plan the Fourth of July parade. 'I've been thinking about nominating one of my teachers for the last little bit. And I decided that ya know what, she's really helped me in my life, I'm gonna do Ms. Beneovic,' said Meyers. Meyers called her teacher selfless, helpful, fun and caring about her students both in and out of the classroom. 'I think it's important to be involved in all aspects of their lives. I think it makes them realize how important they are to us. It transfers into the classroom as well and creates quite the relationship,' Benovic explained. 'With her volunteerism, her outreach, her service and these students are seeing firsthand the importance of giving back,' said Dr. Mary Jo Melvin, PhD, PennWest University. 'To me, that's important, it's making an impact. That impact is something that is going to pave the way to making them to be better citizens.' Once again this week, financial support from Big Ideas Learning. 'Big Ideas Learning being a math textbook publisher is super excited to have Beneovic be nominated. She said she makes math magic and that's exactly what we like to do. Our hope is our donation will help support the classroom for the rest of the year,' said Carissa Snarski, Big Ideas Learning. Congratulations Tammy Benovic, this week's JET 24 PennWest University Golden Apple Award winner. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
