Bishop Leonard P. Blair is to award seven elementary school teachers and two high school teachers the Golden Apple Award for devoting their time and talents to Catholic education in the Diocese of Toledo.

Each award winner is to receive a check for $5,000, a Golden Apple keepsake decorated with a 24-karat gold cross and a lapel pin during an awards banquet May 17 at The Toledo Club.

Teachers from across the diocese were nominated for the award by a parent, student or fellow teacher. Each school is allowed one nominee whose application is then sent to a selection committee comprised of educators, administrators and members of the Bishop’s Education Council.

This year’s winners are:

Tina Abel
Toledo St. Patrick of Heatherdowns
Ms. Abel has been teaching at St. Patrick for the past 17 years, currently as a first-grade teacher. She also taught religious education classes at Perrysburg St. Rose from 1997-2001. Outside of the classroom, Ms. Abel is actively involved at St. Patrick as an extraordinary minister of holy Communion and purificator laundress.

“She really goes above and beyond when it comes to making sure that every one of her students gets the education that they need with the dignity that they desire,” wrote parent Stacey Tate in her nomination.

Father Dennis Walsh, pastor at St. Patrick, says Ms. Abel is a “gifted teacher” who “demonstrates a wonderful charity which proves to be her most effective teaching gift.”

Notre Dame Sister Mary Kent Burgard
Lial Catholic School, Whitehouse
Thirteen families of current students and one fellow teacher submitted nominations for the Golden Apple Award for Sr. Burgard. Nominators cite Sr. Burgard’s patience, encouragement, love, attentiveness, gentleness and dedication to children as some of her greatest assets.

“Having taught the youngest members in many different schools for almost 50 years, Sister has left a lasting impact on many children,” writes Notre Dame Sister Patricia Marie McClain, principal at Lial. “When 35-year-old parents come back with wonderful, warm childhood memories of Sr. Mary Kent as their teacher, one begins to understand the impact an early childhood teacher has on children.”

While presently teaching pre-kindergarten and kindergarten at Lial, Sr. Burgard has taught in Catholic schools through the Diocese of Toledo the past 45 years. In addition to Lial, she has taught at Delphos St. John, Maumee St. Joseph, Toledo St. Mary, Toledo St. Ann, Toledo St. Martin de Porres and Monroeville St. Joseph.

When she’s not in the classroom, Sr. Burgard teaches social justice to children at St. Martin de Porres, visits the sick and those who live in nursing homes, is involved in recycling projects and mentors other teachers.

Sr. Burgard is also the recipient of the 2007 Central City Ministry Award, the 2002 Spirit of St. Ann Award and the 2001 St. Katharine Drexel Award.

Melissa Empie
Toledo Blessed Sacrament School
Ms. Empie has taught first grade at Blessed Sacrament the last 10 years and served as a Catholic school teacher five years prior at Toledo Queen of Apostles and Toledo St. James. In 2003 she won the Blessed Sacrament Parent’s Association Teacher of the Year Award. She also serves the parish as an extraordinary minister of holy Communion, a fish fry coordinator, Christ Renews His Parish spiritual director and has served as the festival committee chairperson and vacation Bible school team member.

“Melissa’s own strengths are exemplified in her classroom, which has made my son’s learning environment everything that a classroom should be: warm, nurturing, interesting, challenging and fun,” writes parent Rebecca Knorek in her nomination letter.

In his letter of support, Father Martin Donnelly writes that Ms. Empie’s students “are delighted to see her enter their classroom. She’s an ingenious teacher, incredibly imaginative and creative.”

Manuel Gonzales III
Toledo Gesu School
Mr. Gonzales has been at Gesu School since 2003, teaching math, science and religion classes. In addition, he is the middle school Quiz Bowl and Math Counts coach, tutors students after school and serves on Gesu’s accreditation committee.

“He is very patient and looks at every student as an individual and finds their talents and struggles and works with that student to be the best they can be,” writes parent Mary Chalmers in her nomination letter. “His religion classes aren’t just textbook classes, but are classes of deep discussion about how the teachings of the church fit into and work in our everyday lives.”

Students who nominated Mr. Gonzales also cited his ability to connect lessons to everyday life and his encouragement to all students to be active participants in class. Moreover, they write that his classes are fun and “he always has the best candy!”

Christine Long
Defiance Holy Cross Catholic School
For the past 35 years Ms. Long has taught at a Catholic school in Defiance: 29 years at Defiance St. Mary for grades one, two and three; and the past six years as a second-grade teacher for Defiance Catholic School and now Holy Cross.

Outside of the classroom, she serves as a lector and extraordinary minister of holy Communion for Defiance St. Mary. Additionally, she helps the parish with sacramental preparations for reconciliation and Communion. Volunteer work at Holy Cross includes working the reverse raffle and providing morning daycare. She is also active in the Defiance community through her participation in fundraising for Christmas for Kids, volunteering at the Rib Fest and collecting food for the local food pantry.

Parent Kathy Homier nominated Ms. Long for the Golden Apple Award.

“Her classroom does remind me of a little ‘community’ where everyone is looking out for one another, and character is just as important as education,” Ms. Homier writes.

Father Timothy Kummerer, pastor of Defiance St. Mary, commends Ms. Long for her faith both in and out of the classroom.

“Her love for Christ and her love of Christ in the sacraments is so obvious to the children, their families and the whole school/parish community,” he writes. “ Chris Long has been an outstanding example to us all in her fidelity to the Gospel and her consistent and joyful witness of the Catholic faith that she not only teaches … but lives!”

Judith Nachazel
Toledo St. Pius X School
Ms. Nachazel has taught at St. Pius X for the past 22 years, first as a seventh-grade teacher then as an eighth-grade teacher and presently as the middle school social studies teacher. Prior to that, she was a substitute for both St. Pius and Toledo Christ the King.

She has served as a volunteer in numerous capacities for the school, parish and local community, presently as a teacher mentor, catechist, extraordinary ministry of holy Communion, study club moderator, assistant for the parish youth group and a member of the Junior Coterie Theta women’s social service organization.

“Mrs. Nachazel shares her love of learning with the students,” write parents Larry and Karen Hack. “She is committed to Catholic education and assisting students to become the best they can be.”

A former student who also nominated Ms. Nachazel recalls the teacher “always knows how to see the best in things and makes you sure you have a full understanding of what she is teaching.”

Patricia Sanders
Toledo Notre Dame Academy
For 23 years, Ms. Sanders has taught drama and speech at Notre Dame Academy and is currently the fine arts department chairperson.

In addition to her work at the academy, Ms. Sanders is a member of the executive committee of the Ohio High School Speech League and coordinates the group’s state tournament, annual coaches workshop and district tournaments. In 2010, she was inducted into the Ohio High School Speech League Hall of Fame.

“Trish has a genuine and God-given ability to bring out the best in her students,” writes Notre Dame Sister Mary Ann Culpert, president of Notre Dame Academy. “Her faith is important to her, not just in theory, but in the example of tolerance, kindness and selflessness that she models to our young women.”

Wayne “Butch” Welling
Toledo St. John’s Jesuit High School
A Catholic school teacher for 39 years, Mr. Welling has taught theology and science at St. John’s for the past 26 years while coaching the freshman football team and acting as admissions director. Outside of school, he volunteers in youth sports programs and was a coach, trainer and equipment manager for the pee-wee football teams at Toledo St. Joan of Arc from 1992 to 2007. He has also served as a lector and extraordinary minister of holy Communion. In 2005, he was honored as St. John’s Jesuit Teacher of the Year.

“The kindness he shows towards everyone in the building, especially the students, is very easily detectable,” writes Chase Shugarman, a St. John’s student who nominated Mr. Welling for the award.

Jesuit Father Joaquin Martinez, president of St. John’s, writes that Mr. Welling’s role model example became most obvious “when last year’s valedictorian based his speech on how Mr. Welling’s freshman theology class changed his life.”

Debra Wilfong
Clyde St. Mary School
Ms. Wilfong has taught at St. Mary since 1982, presently in the combined fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade classroom. In addition, she serves on the school’s technology and discipline committees and leads the school-wide can tab collection for the Ronald McDonald House.

Parent Ann Kauble nominated the teacher for the Golden Apple award and writes that Ms. Wilfong “has brought her love of learning into her classroom and has made a positive impact on many students during her years of teaching at Clyde St. Mary’s School.”

A former student also nominated the teacher for the award, writing that she still uses on a daily basis the skills learned in Ms. Wilfong’s classroom.

“She makes learning fun and interesting while at the same time challenging each student to do their best,” writes Notre Dame Sister Regina Fisher, pastoral leader at St. Mary. “She is creative in her teaching and very dedicated to the students.”