“It’s always nice to be recognized, especially when there are so many other people that deserve recognition amongst a sea of people,” said art teacher Tina Harpold, who recently learned she was one of the six NDA teachers nominated for the Golden Apple Award.

Harpold has been teaching for 14 years, and the last three of those years have been here at Notre Dame Academy.

“No one really inspired me to become a teacher, but there were seeds that were planted along the way, like my mom and a friend from my art class back when I was in high school,” said the nominee.

“A lot about teaching is hard,” she said,” because you are basically trying to do the impossible and trying to be different everyday and changing the needs of everyone in all classes.”

One of Harpold’s most rewarding moments as a teacher is when former students go to art school or take on a job that is in or related to the art field and use things that they had learned in the class.

Harpold’s favorite time of the school year is in the second and fourth quarters because, as she explained, students get used to expectations and everyone in the class.  It’s the time when students apply what they are learning and have more intelligent interactions and ideas that they wouldn’t have had at the beginning of the semester.

“If I had to say something to everyone who voted for me for the Golden Apple Award, I would say ‘thank you,’” said Harpold.

Beyond the classroom, the art teacher advises a very active Art Club and does tech lighting and sound with the Gerlikovski team for events like the upcoming Academy Awards Show.

“Tina is a young teacher who amazes me with her talents, her energy and her enthusiasm for teaching,” said one veteran NDA teacher.  “Have you ever seen all the stuff she hauls into school each day?”