Crystal Apple award winner, Jonathan Hitchcock of Marshfield’s Grant Elementary speaks at the May 1 event. Hub City Times staff photo

By Hub City Times staff

MARSHFIELD – Two dozen of the area’s top teachers were recognized May 1, for their contributions to education.

The Marshfield Chamber Foundation held its 16th annual Crystal Apple Awards banquet at Hotel Marshfield, with 23 educators honored as Teachers of Distinction, and four given top honors as 2019 Crystal Apple Award winners. The Crystal Apple winners included Deb Kennedy of Columbus Catholic Middle and High School in Marshfield – the first two-time winner of the award.

Kennedy has taught Spanish at Columbus for 21 years, and was a Crystal Apple Award recipient in 2008.

Also honored last night was Jonathan Hitchcock, a fifth grade teacher at Grant Elementary in Marshfield.

Hitchcock has been teaching the past seven years at Grant.

Auburndale Art instructor Kara Lasiewicz was also one of the Crystal Apple recipients. She said:

Kara has taught in Auburndale for 11 years, and was recognized as a Teacher of Distinction in 2015.

Greenwood has another Crystal Apple award recipient this year, with technology education instructor Noah Werner taking one of the top honors.

Werner is an Edgar native, and has taught at Greenwood for the past four years.

Nineteen other instructors were honored last night as 2019 Teachers of Distinction. They include: Marshfield teachers Nancy Baierl of Columbus Catholic and OLP, Timothy Bergelin and Dean McFarlane of Marshfield High School, Madalyn Field from Marshfield Middle School, Janeen Herkert from Lincoln Elementary, Cari Martin from Washington Elementary, Christine Zanotelli of Madison Elementary, Shelisa Schmidt of Grant Elementary, Kris Phillips of Nasonville Elementary, and Brenda Kuhnau from Immanuel Lutheran. Other area Teachers of Distinction include Kayleigh Vantassel of Granton, Michelle Abel and Todd Steward of Pittsville, Kristie Bangart of St. Joseph’s in Stratford, Mike Wisniewski of Trinity Lutheran, Carey Petri of Greenwood Elementary, Abbi Roehrborn and Holly Strey of Spencer, and Steve Voss of Auburndale Elementary.

The Crystal Apple group received 760 nominations for 301 different teachers for this year’s awards.