Morning prayer and announcements unfolded as usual at St. Mary’s School in Bryantown, Maryland on April 15, but when Catherine Silverstone, the principal, shouted, “Fiesta,” the students shook maracas, and the curtains on stage parted to reveal a large banner congratulating Spanish and religion teacher Ashley White as a 2024 Golden Apple Award winner.
As students cheered and shook gold-colored pom-poms, the surprised teacher smiled and stepped forward. Anne Dillon, the assistant superintendent for school operations and student services for the Catholic Schools Office of The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, announced that White is one of 10 Golden Apple Award winning teachers for this school year.
The Golden Apple teachers, who will be honored at a May 16 dinner, will each receive a golden apple and a monetary award of $5,000 from the Donahue Family Foundation, which sponsors the annual award for teaching excellence and dedication to Catholic education.
At St. Mary’s School, Ashley White teaches Spanish to students in grades 3-8, library skills to prekindergarten to fifth grade students, and religion to third graders.
When Silverstone asked the school’s 252 students to raise their hands if they have Mrs. White for class that week, they all raised their hands.
“She’s just a dynamo,” Silverstone said in an interview before the surprise announcement. “We’re very blessed she’s on our team. She makes this place better.”
White’s third grade students lined up to present her with apples that had thank-you messages attached to them. Gathered behind a table on the stage were several of her family members including her husband, George White, in front of an elaborate castle backdrop for the school’s “Beauty and the Beast” spring musical that her father Jeff Merritt and her uncle John Merritt built. Ashley White serves as the assistant director for the school’s Drama Club.
In a reflection on her work as a Catholic school teacher, White wrote, “I am privileged to teach every child in our school and through this experience, I have learned so much about them. They have shaped who I am as a teacher by showing me what they need, want and where support is most needed, whether academically, spiritually or personally. I am beyond blessed to be their teacher!”
During the ceremony, White was also presented with flowers and sat in one of the chairs from the “Beauty and the Beast” production decorated with gold balloons, and afterward she posed for photos with her husband and their daughter Camille, a sixth grader there.
White’s connection with St. Mary’s began when she was a school parent, active in its Home and School Association. A Southern Maryland native, she grew up as a member of Our Lady Help of Christians Parish in Waldorf, and after earning a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Towson University in Maryland with Summa Cum Laude honors, she taught Spanish from 2007-09 at St. Thomas Stone High School in Charles County.
Then after a 10-year break away from the classroom for family responsibilities, White said she believes the Holy Spirit called her to begin her vocation as a Catholic school teacher. During the 2019-20 school year, she began as a PreK3 classroom aide at St. Mary’s School. That spring, schools had to pivot at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Then White began teaching Spanish to kindergarten through eighth grade students at St. Mary’ School in the 2020-21 school year.
In her reflection, White noted that her call to teach at St. Mary’s School came at a pivotal time. “Returning to teaching was challenging during virtual and hybrid instruction, but it provided an opportunity for perseverance, personal growth and a deeper relationship with God. The daily challenges and life lessons prepared me to become a leader in our school.”
White, who is studying for a master’s degree from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland in Baltimore, said her interest in teaching Spanish was sparked by her grandmother, who was born in Puerto Rico.
Reflecting on her work teaching Spanish, religion and library skills, White said, “What I want them (students) to take away is being a lifelong learner and having an appreciation for people and languages and experiences that are different from their own, so as they continue to grow, they will have an appreciation for the world and have a world view.”
At St. Mary’s, White also helps with the student choir at school Masses and coordinates the Book Fair there.
Asked about her work with the school’s Drama Club, White said, “Drama teaches them about teamwork and responsibility… It takes everybody to work together.”
White, who is enrolled in the archdiocese’s Leadership Academy, started a religion program for St. Mary’s middle school students called “Rooted in Revelation,” that includes tying together the biblical basis for songs sung at Masses and leading students on pilgrimages, including to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
“It is a supplement to our religion curriculum,” she said, noting that the goal is “to allow our children to truly live their faith and not just read about it.”
Her students are also encouraged to serve others, including a safety patrol program called “Angels on Patrol” where older students help younger children at dismissal time.
White said having faith at the forefront is central to the Catholic school experience, so children are rooted in their faith no matter what subject they are learning. This school year, St. Mary’s students are encouraged to think about how they can have “holy moments” and reflect their faith during the day. White said that reinforces the importance “of having Christ at the center of what we do… (that) everything we’re doing is for God and others.”
In her reflection on being a Catholic school teacher, White noted that St. Mary’s school motto is, “Nurturing a Lifelong Love for Jesus, Each Other and Learning.”
The Golden Apple Award winning teacher wrote, “Every decision, lesson plan, extra-curricular activity, field trip, pep talk and assignment is created with love and care to educate, strengthen, help and protect the whole child while glorifying God the Father.” She added, “As a Catholic educator, I aim to help my students establish a strong, rooted Christian foundation and prepare them for the real-world application of their steadfast belief in Jesus Christ and His teachings. I am proud of the students in our school, the growth they are achieving, and the difference they are making in our community and beyond.”
