24-04-2025
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.
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