This week’s Golden Apple Award winner is a teacher at Meadville High School.

He was nominated by a student whose grandfather was a Golden Apple Award winner.

High school English teacher Matthew Jaros was presented the Golden Apple Award by the superintendent of the Crawford Central School District.

Mr. Jaros has spent seven years teaching, he’s very comfortable in the classroom.

“I’ve always liked being in the academic setting. I enjoyed being a student in college, in classes. Reading and discussing literature has always been something I enjoyed doing. I liked writing and I felt this was something I could see myself doing for the rest of my life, really,” said Matthew Jaros, Golden Apple Award winner.

Like so many other Golden Apple Award winning teachers, Mr. Jaros said building relationships is the key to success for a teacher.

“Getting to know them and showing that you are interested in them as people, and becoming a mentor, establishing a positive friend like relationship with students. I feel that’s something I’ve always done well with,” Jaros went on to say.

His style certainly made a lasting impression on Gavin Beck.

“He was my teacher in eighth grade, it was his first year here at Meadville.  Whether I like English or not, or like the suspect, he made it enjoyable for all of us.  Students had a lot of fun in his class,” said Gavin Beck, student nominator.

This week’s student nominator calls Mr. Jaros an exceptional teacher, a friend and sometimes a therapist.

“Students, they have issues, they have things they deal with beyond turning in their essay on time and getting work done, and being willing to take the time to sit and listen no matter what it is,” Mr. Jaros went on to say.

“I believe because of these strong relationships Mr. Jaros has created in his classroom, these students are going to do wonderful things to make a difference beyond the halls and walls of Meadville Senior High, said Dr. Mary Jo Melvin of Penn West University.

Congratulations Matthew Jaros, this week’s Jet 24 Penn West University Golden Apple Award winner.