Teachers receive their Red Apples
The United Way of Butler County honors top teachers with the Red Apple Awards.
An award goes annually to one outstanding pre-kindergarten educator, one teacher from each of Butler County’s seven school districts, and one instructor each from the Butler County Vocational-Technical School, Butler County Community College and Slippery Rock University.
The educators are nominated by peers, students, parents, administrators, and community members for demonstrating dedication, school involvement, leadership and community involvement.
Each award comes with $500 provided by a sponsoring organization that goes to the teacher’s school.
Here are the 2012 honorees in each district:
• Pre-K Educator: Kathleen Ditch is a preschool educator for the Children’s Creative Learning Center at Butler County Community College. She also teaches Sunday School classes at her church and participates in charity walks. Her award is sponsored by the Pittsburgh Association for the Education of Young Children.
• Butler: Patricia L. Saeler, a second grade teacher at Summit Township Elementary School, is a school leader and tutored a student diagnosed with cancer. Her students donate items for Russian orphans. Her award is sponsored by Butler Health System, Butler.
• Karns City: Elaine Custer, a high school physics and computer teacher, encourages students to get excited about physics. She led many school activities including student council and plays piano and teaches Bible school at her church. Her award is sponsored by Waltman Furniture, Chicora.
• Mars: Rebecca Laubach, an advanced English teacher at Mars High School, mentors young people, volunteers with marriage classes at her church and helps at a charity that rescues wild birds. Her award is sponsored by The Utz Agency/Kansas City Life, Allison Park.
• Moniteau: Kylene Gordon, a first grade teacher at Dassa McKinney Elementary School, participates in walks to benefit charities and in the Salvation Army bell ringing mission at Christmastime and has taken mission trips to Mexico. Her award is sponsored by Hunter Truck Sales & Service.
• Seneca Valley: Michael “Mickey” Flood, a middle school health teacher, creates events for students such as Guitar Day and community events such as movie nights at the pool and promotes his hometown of Zelienople. His award is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Cranberry Township-Sunrise.
• Slippery Rock: Donna Glenn teaches gifted English and English as a second language at Slippery Rock Elementary School. She has organized field trips, career days and elementary-level academic games and serves on the community’s Little League and soccer boards. Her award is sponsored by Diehl Accounting & Financial Services, Butler.
• South Butler: Lisa Adler, an eighth-grade algebra teacher, offers private math tutoring and volunteered as a traveling elementary art teacher. At her church, she teaches Sunday school and the Marriage Matters program and leads a youth group. Her award is sponsored by Citizens Bank.
• Butler County Vocational-Technical School: William D. Rearick is a heavy equipment repair teacher whose students work with businesses and community members who bring in equipment for the students to learn to repair. He is involved with his church and has taken many mission trips to repair houses. His award is sponsored by UAW Local Union 3303, Butler.
• Butler County Community College: Nancy Jean Rose, a graphic design teacher, was nominated four times to Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers and has been co-advisor to FACETS Art and Literary Journal Graphic Design, a 14-year national award winning publication. Her award was sponsored by the BC3 Education Foundation.
• Slippery Rock University: Christine Walsh is an assistant professor in the early childhood and education department, is on the Research Symposium Committee and is the reviewer and copy editor of the Journal of Scholarly Endeavor. She leads the Pajama Read-a-Rama at the I-CARE House in New Castle and works with the United Way in Mercer County. Her award is sponsored by Diehl Accounting & Financial Services, Butler.
