PITTSBURGH - Ten Diocese of Pittsburgh Catholic school teachers received the Golden Apple Award for Excellence Tuesday night, including a Butler County woman.

Katherine Leone, an elementary teacher at Butler Catholic School, is among the winners to receive a $5,000 prize as well as a golden apple statue.

Bishop Donald Wuerl presented the awards following the dinner at the Westin Convention Center Hotel.

Leone has been a teacher at the school for 14 years.

She was nominated for the award by a colleague, who described her professional accomplishments as many and varied.

Leone instituted a program called Eighth Grade Graduation Studies in which students are able to select career areas they might want to explore and then spend some time with mentors and professionals in that field.

She has led students in preparation for participation in the Shakespeare Festival and has been a team leader for the diocese's regional Challenge of Champions academic competition. She also is the adviser for the forensics team and for the Butler Catholic Student Council.

Butler Catholic School principal Sister John Ann Mulhern said Leone "thoroughly impresses me with all she does for our school. Kathy epitomizes all the finest characteristics of a Catholic school teacher, but she does so in leadership positions."

Father Harry Bielewicz, one of five pastors involved with the school, said Leone is someone who believes in her faith and practices it every day.

Leone has a bachelor's of science degree from Slippery Rock University and is working on her master's degree.

She has served as state conference co-chair of the Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of English and Language Arts and was a past president of the Association for Children with Learning Disabilities.

Leone said she is honored and thrilled to have received the award.