FRANKLIN TWP — Teachers were honored Wednesday night at the Red Apple Awards ceremony.

The Education Impact Council of the United Way of Butler County and XTO Energy hosted the annual event at the Atrium.

Red Apple award winners are Butler County educators who exemplify leadership and outstanding dedication to students and the community.

Winners are selected from nominees from each public school district, the Butler County Vocational-Technical School, Slippery Rock University, and preschool educators.

Each winner receives a $500 grant for items to use in the classroom.

Here are this year’s winners:

• Joanne DeCola, Butler Montessori School preschool and kindergarten teacher

DeCola has taught at Butler Montessori School since 2008. She has a bachelor’s degree in early childhood and elementary education from SRU. The mother of two volunteers teaching 4- and 5-year-olds at her church.

• Sarah Beneigh, Butler High School guidance counselor

Beneigh has worked in the Butler School District for 12 years as a guidance counselor. She spent 10 years at the junior high, and has been at the high school for the past two years. She has a masters in secondary school counseling from SRU. The Butler resident is married with two elementary-aged children.

• Joy Heilman, Karns City Junior/Senior High School English teacher

Heilman earned both her bachelors in English and her master’s in teaching English from Indiana (Pa.) University. She is a member of the National Council of Teachers of English, where she has presented to colleagues at the national convention, and she is a member of the National Writing Project, where she served as the technical liaison for a local chapter and did in-services on the teaching of writing. The Ford City resident is married with two elementary-aged children.

• Darcy Marie Silbaugh, Mars High School English and speech teacher

Silbaugh has been an English teacher in the Mars School District for nine years, teaching English, creative writing and public speaking.

She has a bachelor’s degree in secondary education and English/communications from Penn State University and a master’s degree in English education from SRU.

She is the Class of 2018 sponsor, the charity musical sponsor, and the creative writing club adviser.

Silbaugh is married with two sons.

• Mindy Bish, Dassa McKinney Elementary sixth grade math teacher

Bish has taught in the Moniteau School District for 13 years. She has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Clarion University and a master’s degree in math and science from SRU.

Bish was inspired to teach by her own second grade teacher, Mrs. Conti, who made extra efforts to make her students feel special and valued. Those are the same qualities Bish hopes to pass on to her own students.

She organizes the yearly overnight field trip to Gettysburg, is a member of the Dassa McKinney School-Wide Positive Behavior Team, helping organize the Dassa Dash and Basket Bingo events.

Bish is married with three sons.

n Nancy Lintelman, Haine Elementary School second grade teacher

Lintelman has been teaching at Haine Elementary School for 35 years.

“I am at the age now where I have taught some of my old students’ children. Hard to believe that I am closing this book of my life to start a new book,” she said of her retirement.

She has been married for 35 years, and has two grown daughters.

• Darlene Bullock, Slippery Rock Elementary physical education teacher

Bullock has been working at the elementary school since 1992. She also has taught methodology classes at SRU for many years.

Over the years, working at both the elementary and college levels, she implemented the several extracurricular activities, including Pee Wee Globetrotters, Gymnastic Gems, mini-Olympics, Fifth Grade Track & Field Day, Intramurals, Hot Shots, Rope Jumping Team, Dance Competition and Survivor & Jump Rope for Heart Event.

Along with teaching, Bullock is a state licensed auctioneer. She also provides auctioneering services to benefit the Feed My Sheep food cupboard and other causes.

• Kathy Voltz, Knoch High School math teacher

Voltz has been teaching math at Knoch for 18 years.

Inspired by her eighth grade algebra teacher, she received a bachelor’s in secondary math education from Indiana (Pa.) University and a master’s in math from Ball State University.

She has been involved in church and school, including tutoring students, and assisting with homebound instruction.

The mother of five grown children encourages her students to pursue math and science professions.

• Lee Ann Clutter, Butler Vo-Tech advertising design teacher

Clutter has been helping students build their careers in the arts for 18 years, having spent the past eight years as a teacher and the 10 years prior as an instructional aide at the vo-teach.

A vo-tech alum, she studied graphic design at Pittsburgh Technical Institute, Butler County Community College and Indiana (Pa.) University.

• Tamra Andrake Schiappa, SRU associate professor, Department of Geography, Geology and the Environment

Schiappa began her academic career at SRU in 2002.

She received her PhD in geology from the University of Idaho, a master’s in earth science education from Boise State University, and a bachelor’s degree in geology from SUNY Plattsburgh.

She has been nominated for the SRU’s President’s award for Excellence in Teaching and has received the GGE Professor Laureate award in 2004, 2012 and 2015.

She leads numerous field investigations internationally and throughout the United States.

Schiappa lives in Grove City with her husband and daughter.

The sponsors which are donating the money for the $500 grants are paeyc, Grace Youth and Family Foundation, Armstrong, The Utz Agency, Hunter, BASF, Butler County Community College, XTO Energy, UAW Local 3303, and state Sen. Scott Hutchinson.