The Golden Apple Award honors educators who exhibit exemplary commitment and witness to Gospel values in the Catholic Schools of the Diocese of Pittsburgh.
Bishop David Zubik presented this prestigious award to the 2020-2023 winners at a special dinner in May. Congratulations to all the winners!
In the "Good News from Schools" section, you'll read stories about how our Catholic school students and staff are lighting the way every day! Read a few of them below.
A student’s recycled fashion project was selected for display at Phipps Conservatory when sixth graders from Archangel Gabriel School participated in an environmental educational outreach challenge.
Middle school students were tasked with creating a “big, fabulous, wearable hat made from repurposed materials,” said Susan Kalich, advancement director at the school. Judges could only choose 8 hats for display.
“We were extremely proud when our very own Lauralei Kroniser’s project was chosen to be displayed in their upcoming summer flower show,” Kalich said.
Lauralei’s creation, “Sun Hats and the Spring,’’ was made by braiding plastic bags she retrieved from recycling bins. The hat took more than 10 hours to create.
Sustainable fashion “reduces the impact of garbage and litter on the environment,” Lauralei said.
The Holy Cross Academy Girls’ Varsity Basketball team, who were undefeated in the regular season and finished third at the Catholic Youth Organization State Tournament, went for a bigger win against cancer. Together with the JV Girls’ team they held a “Pink Out” game to raise money for the Young Women’s Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation. Many team members have played basketball together since the third grade and are moving on to play in high school. “This is a great group of girls,” said assistant coach Lauri Miller. “The chemistry between them is really something special.”
Fifth graders at Saint Benedict the Moor School learned from a simulated workplace through BiZTown, a hands-on learning lab sponsored by Junior Achievement of Western Pennsylvania. The students prepared for the “work day” visit by learning to make budgets, write checks and balance bank accounts.
At BizTown, they participated in business and community simulations, including managing banks and restaurants, and voting for the mayor. They built, bought and sold items, seeking profits for their companies.“Having our own offices and my own job for the day was awesome!” said fifth grader Chantz Hightower.
“These types of real-world experiences are the kinds of lessons students will remember later in life,” said Kayla Edwards, lead administrator at Saint Benedict the Moor.
Saint Bede School is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Saint Bede School family with numerous activities and celebrations. In the spring, it held a Mass followed by an ice cream social for all school families, alumni, faculty, staff and the parish community.
A new alumni organization has been christened “Beders for Life” by alumnus Father Tom Kunz, associate general secretary of the diocese.
A panel of Muslim women of different ages and backgrounds shared their experiences of life in the U.S. with students at Oakland Catholic High School. The pilot project in Catholic-Muslim relations was inspired by a 2013 Holy See document. This document explained how interfaith dialogue can serve Catholic education by minimizing religious antagonism, conflict and prejudice. The program sought to model dialogue that affirms the dignity of all persons. More than 70 students took part in the program, which was held in collaboration with the Diocese of Pittsburgh
Seniors at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School capped their year with presentations to the faculty on service projects they undertook in 2022-2023.Projects ranged from youth sports to food banks. In their presentations, students reflected on their experiences, “connecting everything back to the school’s core values,” said Jessica Cerchiaro, executive director of communications for OLSH. These values include respect for human dignity, compassion, helping those in need, and fostering justice and peace. The students also shared accounts of their own personal transformations during their four years of high school.
For more than 20 years, hundreds of volunteers from Serra Catholic High School have supported Young People Who Care, a ministry for those living in poverty in rural Clearfield County, Pa. This past year, a group of students and faculty brought loads of presents to the mission and distributed packages to more than 80 needy families. The Serra Catholic High School 2023 commencement address will be given by Sister Suzanne Thibault, youth director of the ministry.Sister Suzanne’s “daily life resembles many qualities of Saint Francis and her words will certainly reflect the mission of Serra and inspire its next class of graduates,” said Tim Chirdon, president of Serra Catholi
The young women who attend Saint Joseph High School had a chance to attend a weeklong leadership conference for women, designed to help them achieve their goals.“Seeds of Hope” held by the Felician Sisters of North America at the Maryville Retreat Center in Holly, Mich., brought together students, peer leaders and adult mentors from across North America to help the young women enhance their strengths and skills.
While learning about servant leadership and working on a service project, the students had opportunities to “step away from life’s distractions” and experience different forms of prayer and meditation, said Jennifer Kaniecki MacNeil, the school’s director of development
We are passionate about providing accessible, affordable, sustainable Catholic education where students come to understand that God is present and active in their lives. Our children understand how they can become instruments of His grace in our world.
The Diocese of Pittsburgh is proud to be home to a variety of choices for Catholic education from pre-school through high school. Find out more about how our Pittsburgh Catholic Schools are Lighting the Way!
Tune in every other Sunday at 6:30 am as Father Tom Burke and Michelle Peduto, superintendent of Catholic schools, talk about important issues in Catholic education locally and nationally.
Episodes air every other Sunday at 6:30 am on 100.1 FM or AM 1020 KDKA.
Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, four Catholic schools are benefitting from St. John Paul II STAR Student tuition assistance, through scholarships available now.
STAR stands for Student Tuition Assistance Resource. The donor has specified that funding will initially serve students at Butler Catholic School in Butler, Holy Sepulcher School in Glade Mills, St. Joseph High School in Natrona Heights, and St. Wendelin School in Carbon Center.