Excellence, Leadership & Commitment

The Golden Apple Award symbolizes a teacher’s professional excellence, leadership, commitment to Catholic values, and devotion to teaching in Catholic schools.

The Golden Apple Awards Program has been established to honor outstanding individuals who devote their lives to teaching in Catholic Schools. It is our pleasure to announce that the Donahue Family Foundation will again sponsor the annual Golden Apple Awards Program for our Diocese.

Honoring Outstanding Teachers

The Golden Apple Award is given to six teachers and one principal in the Diocese of Harrisburg. The award consists of the following:

Cash Award of $5,000
Certificate of Achievement
Golden Apple Award

Meet Our Awardees

The 2026 Golden Apple Award recipients are:

  • Dana Baker, Kindergarten Teacher, Saint John the Baptist School, New Freedom
  • Jennifer Grill, Eighth Grade Teacher, Saint Margaret Mary School, Harrisburg
  • Lucy Hamilton, Spanish Teacher, Trinity High School, Camp Hill
  • Jacqueline Molsky, First Grade Teacher, Saint Theresa of the Infant Jesus School, New Cumberland
  • Louise Pirrotta, Fifth and Sixth Grade Teacher, Saint Joseph School, York
  • Teresa Swisher, Computer Teacher and Director of Studies, Lancaster Catholic High School, Lancaster
  • Michelle Williams, Principal, Saint John the Baptist School, New Freedom

The Donahue Family Foundation

Some background:

  • The Golden Apple Awards are sponsored through the generosity and kindness of the Donahue Family Foundation.
  • Jack and Rhodora Donahue are parents of thirteen children all of whom were educated in Catholic schools.
  • The Donahue’s were eager to express their deep appreciation to Catholic school teachers for providing quality academic and faith filled education for their children.
  • The Donahue’s approached Bishop Donald W. Wuerl, Bishop of Pittsburgh, who immediately embraced the idea of a Golden Apple Award and the first group of teachers in the Diocese of Pittsburgh were honored in 1992.
  • Since that time the Donahue family instituted a program in the Diocese of Youngstown, Ohio and in May of 2005 invited the Diocese of Harrisburg to institute the Golden Apple Awards Program.
  • The Donahue Family Foundation, Inc is located in Pittsburgh, PA and a son; William J. Donahue is president of the foundation.