Golden Apple Award surprises St. John’s teacher Amber Kinnally, who once sat in its classrooms
Amber Kinnally, a third grade teacher at St. John’s School in Hollywood, Maryland, was already grateful just to be nominated for a 2026 Golden Apple Award for teaching excellence.
Winning the award came as a complete surprise.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington’s Catholic Schools Office presents the Golden Apple Awards each year to recognize outstanding Catholic school educators. Recipients are surprised at their schools with the announcement. At a May 21 dinner, the 10 Golden Apple Award-winning teachers from Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Washington will be presented with a golden apple, and each will receive a $5,000 check from the Donahue Family Foundation, which sponsors the awards.