Despite everything being virtual this year, AT has still managed to organize events and activities that students and staff would normally have in past years.
Many of the events and school related functions have become a very different, virtual experience. This includes the Golden Apple awards, which is currently taking place.
The Golden Apple award is a recognition that is awarded to teachers and staff members that the students nominate, which is meant for students to give recognition to teachers who have made a strong impact on them.
This nomination isn’t just reserved for teachers- students can nominate social workers, supervisors, coaches, and club sponsors as well. It is meant to give staff members a special award that students can use to show their appreciation for them.
This event would normally take place as an in-person event, but this year it will now be a virtual event. Iridia Niewinski, AT’s assistant principal, discussed the different changes made to the Golden Apple award nomination process this year.
“Every student who made a nomination submitted a recording of why they nominated the staff member. All recordings will be put together to create one virtual recognition of these staff members,” she said.
The new process includes a way for students to write a paragraph expressing their gratitude, and then record a video of them reading their said paragraph to make the award seem a lot more heartfelt and personal, while making the event feel more real and less virtual.
These chosen nominees will be featured and given the opportunity to listen and see what their students have to say about them. When a staff member receives a nomination, it means that they have students who were deeply affected in positive ways by their devotion to their students.
Junior Madelyn Ford shared what influenced her to send in her own nomination for one of her teachers. “I chose to nominate someone because it gives me a chance to show my appreciation to my teachers,” she said.
Madelyn also shared that she sends in a nomination for one of her teachers each year. “I want to make a nomination every year to show them how much they mean to me and how big of an impact they’ve had in my life.”
Students were all given the opportunity to choose a teacher that has a great impact on their lives.
This is a great event to participate in, especially considering the circumstances we have all experienced, and sometimes we as students may not completely consider the fact that the whole isolated virtual learning is not only difficult and lonesome for students, but for teachers as well.
When a staff member discovers that a student has nominated them for this Golden Apple award, it may cheer them up and make them feel better about what they do for their students, knowing that they are making a bigger impact than what they had originally thought.
If you didn’t participate in this event this year, be sure to participate in the future, or even just express your appreciation to your favorite staff members!
