USD 457 Teachers Named Semi-Finalists For Crystal Apple Award

A number of teachers from Garden City Public Schools have been named semi-finalists for this year’s Garden City Area Chamber of Commerce Crystal Apple Teacher Recognition program. The Chamber’s Crystal Apple Committee is made up of representatives from the business community who look to honor outstanding teachers in Finney County for their exceptional efforts in education.

The 2025 semi-finalists are: Andrea Ardery, Holcomb High School; Carla Algrim, Horace Good Middle School; Buffi Brimm, Charles Stones Intermediate Center; Matt De La Cruz, Alta Brown Elementary School; Megan Ford, Jennie Barker Elementary School; Danica Kitch, Georgia Matthews Elementary School; Kelly Myatt, Garden City Achieve; Mitchelle Perez, Garden City High School; Debbie Tidwell, Holcomb Elementary School; Tammy Wallace, Holcomb Elementary School; Laura Walsh, Charles Stones Intermediate Center; and Kristina Younkman, Garden City Achieve.

The Crystal Apple Committee will narrow the 12 semi-finalists down to six finalists in September following individual teacher interviews.  The six finalists will then be observed by three additional Crystal Apple committee members in their classrooms at times unknown to each of the six teachers.

The top three of the six finalists will be named as the 2025 Crystal Apple Teachers of Finney County at a banquet beginning at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 20, 2025, at the Clarion Inn, 1911 East Kansas Avenue and will receive an engraved crystal apple, $1,000 cash award and an iPad. The three finalists will be presented with a cash award of $250.