“Being nominated for the Golden Apple award means a lot to me. It is a recognition of the hard work and dedication I put into being the best teacher I can be, and the fact that someone took the time to nominate me gives me a great sense of accomplishment,” said Mr. Michael Prudisch, science teacher here at NDA. 

 Prudisch started teaching in 2016 at Grafton High School before moving to the area and joining NDA in 2018. 

“I guess there wasn’t one particular person that influenced my decision to become a teacher, but rather experiences in college that helped motivate me to help others through education,” shared Prudish. 

Prudisch had a great sense of achievement from helping friends accomplish their goals in college. It was experiences like these that solidified his decision to become a teacher. 

One of the challenges he faces is trying to motivate students to do their best everyday. 

“Not all topics we cover in class are always exciting, so finding ways to spark their curiosity can be challenging. However, this challenge keeps me motivated to continuously improve as an educator,” said the Golden Apple nominee. 

Prudisch’s favorite part about being a teacher is getting to know the students and not only teaching them about science, but also about life. 

“Building relationships with my students and understanding their interests and passions is truly rewarding,” he said. 

If he had to describe himself in one word, it would be “friendly.” 

“You can put me in a room with just about anyone, and we’ll leave as friends. I try to develop relationships with my students and really get to know them and their interests and passions. I get excited to start every school year knowing that I get a new batch of students to develop those relationships with.”