Peggy Snyder, principal of Our Mother of Perpetual Help (OMPH) School in Ephrata, was one of seven educators from Catholic schools in the Diocese of Harrisburg who were chosen to receive the 2025 Golden Apple Award. The highest recognition given by the diocese to principals and teachers, this honor commends recipients for their professional excellence, leadership, commitment to Catholic values, and devotion to teaching in a Catholic school. Bishop Timothy Senior will present Snyder with her award in May at a banquet held at the Diocesan Center in Harrisburg.

Snyder, who became principal at OMPH School in 2022, Snyder has devoted her entire career to Catholic education and has spent more than 40 years as an educator in the Diocese of Harrisburg. Her teaching career began at St. Joseph Catholic School in Dallastown, where she spent 25 years in the classroom and many years as principal. Before joining the OMPH School community, she served at Holy Trinity Catholic School in York and the School of the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore.

The other Golden Apple award recipients for the Diocese of Harrisburg are MaKathy Donley, mathematics teacher at Trinity High School in Camp Hill; Elizabeth Gensemer, middle school social studies teacher at Saint Joan of Arc School in Hershey; Anna Nissley, instructional support teacher at Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg; Laura Sabold, kindergarten teacher at Saint Rose of Lima School in Thomasville; Jill Seymore, kindergarten teacher at Saint Teresa of Calcutta School in Hanover; and Mandy Willard, kindergarten teacher at Saint Francis Xavier School in Gettysburg.

Each Golden Apple recipient receives a certificate of achievement; a $5,000 cash award; a golden apple plated in 24-carat gold; and an individual photo with Senior.

In the Diocese of Harrisburg, nearly 10,000 students are enrolled at 33 schools. High school students in the Diocese typically have a graduation rate over 98% and annually are offered more than $40 million in scholarship funds.

The Golden Apple Awards Program was established through the generosity of the Donahue Family Foundation Inc., located in Pittsburgh. Jack and Rhodora Donahue are the parents of 13 children, all of whom were educated in Catholic schools. The Donahues wanted to express their deep appreciation to Catholic school teachers for providing quality academic and faith-filled education for their children. They established the awards program in Pittsburgh in 1992. To learn more about the Golden Apple Awards or Catholic education, visit http://www.gocatholicschools.org.

For more information about OMPH School, call 717-738-2414 or visit http://www.omphschool.com.