2026 Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Leadership Finalists
A highly competitive award process resulted in the selection of seven Pre-K-12th grade school leader finalists from nearly 100 nominations received.
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2026 Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching Finalists
Following a highly competitive process, 30 4th-8th grade teachers were selected as finalists for the 2026 Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching.
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The Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching & Leadership was the idea of Golden Apple founders Mike and Patricia Koldyke, who felt that excellent teachers did not receive adequate recognition for their contributions to building a stronger, better-educated society.
Every year since 1986, Golden Apple has selected master teachers to receive the prestigious Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. In 2014, Golden Apple began honoring exemplary school leaders with the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership in honor of founding Golden Apple board member, Stanley C. Golder.
Golden Apple Award recipients play an important role in preparing the next generation of teachers by providing instruction and mentorship to future teachers in the Golden Apple Scholars and Accelerators programs - programs dedicated to addressing the teacher shortage.
ACADEMY OF EDUCATORS
Golden Apple Award recipients become lifetime members of the Golden Apple Academy of Educators. These master educators help prepare the next generation of teachers through both our Golden Apple Scholars (for undergraduates) and Golden Apple Accelerators (for career-changers) programs.