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For local educators, recognition that's golden
Archdiocese honors teachers with $5,000 award
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
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Carrie Brooke-Ptack, right, is a Golden Apple Award winner. The Golden Apple awards were presented to teachers who showed excellence in teaching and a commitment to Catholic education. Also pictured is Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl and St. Mary's Bryantown Principal Sharon Caniglia.
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Three Charles County Catholic school teachers found out last week that their commitment to education pays off.
On Thursday, 10 Washington area teachers were presented with Golden Apple Awards from the Archdiocese of Washington. The award is given to teachers who show excellence in teaching and a commitment to Catholic education.
Five teachers were recognized from Southern Maryland.
Beth Watson, an eighth-grade teacher from St. Peter's School in Waldorf, was honored for her commitment at St. Peter's where she has been an eighth-grade math, science and religion teacher for 29 years.
"One of the most fulfilling parts of what I do is helping the whole child, not just with academics," Watson said in a press release.
According to the release, Watson brings her faith into each subject she teaches.
"I love teaching kids and helping them grow in all ways," she said.
Watson said she frequently helps not only current students but former students too.
"Once they are mine they are always mine," she said.
Carrie Brooke-Ptack, a teacher at St. Mary's School in Bryantown, has been teaching for three years and said she feels great joy working with prekindergarten students.
"The kids make [teaching] easier, by seeing their joy and watching them learn at that young age," Brooke-Ptack said.
Brooke-Ptack said she is able to pass on her faith to her students in a school setting and often pulls from some Bible lessons she learned as a child to help get the message of Jesus across to her students.
St. Mary's Bryantown Principal Sharon Caniglia said Brooke-Ptack helped establish the school's first preschool three years ago and helped give it the positive reputation it has.
Caniglia said Brooke-Ptack's classroom is "a buzz of activity," and that she goes beyond the call of duty.
There is a buzz of activity in Barbara Costa's classroom as well, including field trips to places such as Mount Vernon. Costa teaches fourth grade at Archbishop Neale School in La Plata.
She has been teaching at the school for 27 years, and said it's the kids who keep her going.
Costa said she had to read her recipient letter over and over again because she just couldn't believe she was among the winners in the first-time award program.
Costa said for those who strive to become great teachers "just take each day as it comes and keep the faith. You are there to help the children; keep going on and don't get discouraged."
The award winners received a $5,000 prize along with a golden apple sculpture, pin and certificate at the awards ceremony last week.
Caniglia said the archdiocese is moving in the right direction with an award like this as she said there are many Catholic educators who deserve recognition.
Two teachers in St. Mary's County were also presented with awards, Ellen Boyd of Father Andrew White School in Leonardtown and Barbara Skane of St. John's School in Hollywood.
