Honoring the outstanding teachers in Catholic schools
The Diocese of Toledo honored nine outstanding Catholic school educators at the 2026 Golden Apple Awards, held Thursday, May 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Perrysburg. The annual event brought together honorees, their families, pastors, principals, colleagues, and diocesan leaders to celebrate excellence in Catholic education.
Sponsored through the generosity of the Jack and Rhodora Donahue Family Foundation of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Golden Apple Award recognizes Catholic school teachers who demonstrate exceptional dedication to their vocation as educator-ministers. Each recipient receives a handcrafted Golden Apple and a $5,000 award.
In welcoming guests, Kyle Kubik, Senior Director of Catholic Education for the Diocese of Toledo, reflected on the essential role teachers play in forming young people in faith and knowledge.
“Tonight is a celebration not only of professional accomplishment, but of vocation, witness, sacrifice, and love,” Kubik said. “We gather to recognize educators whose daily work helps make our Catholic schools places where young people are known, loved, served, and formed as disciples of Jesus Christ.”
Kubik noted that among the Diocese of Toledo’s more than 1,200 Catholic school educators, the honorees exemplify what it means to serve as “teacher-ministers.”
“They have embraced teaching not merely as a profession, but as a vocation,” he said. “They serve their students with dedication, patience, creativity, and faith. They model the joy of the Gospel in their classrooms, hallways, school communities, and parish communities.”
Bishop Daniel E. Thomas congratulated the recipients and thanked them for their faithful witness in Catholic education.
“Warm congratulations to our 2026 Golden Apple honorees, nine standout Catholic school teacher-ministers from across our diocese who have distinguished themselves by living out our Catholic School Educators’ Credo,” Bishop Thomas said. “The Diocese of Toledo is blessed by and proud of these remarkable educators.”
The 2026 Golden Apple Award recipients are:
- Gabriel Gonzalez – St. John’s Jesuit High School & Academy, Toledo
- Annette Greer – St. Michael School, Findlay
- Jamie Hinz – St. Aloysius School, Bowling Green
- Jennifer Kraus – St. Joan of Arc School, Toledo
- Kelly Lamb – St. Peter School, Huron
- Sandy Miner – Cardinal Stritch Catholic High School & Academy, Oregon
- Cheryl Peatee – St. Joseph School, Sylvania
- Sr. Frances Marie Penwell, SND – Queen of Apostles School, Toledo
- Janene Smith – St. Peter’s Junior High & High School, Mansfield
Watch a video celebrating each recipient here:
Posted June 3, 2026 at 1:34 pm