Erie Day School Teacher Received Golden Apple Award

Brian Gutkowski was honored with the teaching award for his dedicated career and classroom methods.

Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Awards

Erie Day School Teacher Received Golden Apple Award

Brian Gutkowski, a history teacher at Erie Day School, has been honored with the JET 24 and PennWest University Golden Apple Award. He was nominated for the recognition by student Vihaan Koradia.

Why it matters

The award recognizes exceptional educators who demonstrate a commitment to student engagement through interactive classroom techniques.

Brian Gutkowski has 21 years of total classroom teaching experience, including 19 years at Erie Day School. The award includes a $250 prize provided by Big Ideas Learning, an Erie-based textbook publisher.

The players

Brian Gutkowski

He is a history teacher at Erie Day School with 21 years of classroom experience.

Vihaan Koradia

He is the student who nominated Brian Gutkowski for the Golden Apple Award.

Big Ideas Learning

This Erie-based textbook publisher provides the prize funding for the award program.

The details

Gutkowski incorporates simulation and role-playing exercises into his history curriculum to foster collaboration among students. He also emphasizes the development of public speaking skills as a core component of his instructional approach.

October 14, 2026: The award announcement was published.

Culture Shift

This recognition follows the ongoing trend of community-based awards that emphasize local educators rather than national metrics. These programs underscore a shift toward celebrating classroom-level interaction over standardized performance testing.

This award highlights the ongoing efforts of educators to engage students through specialized history lessons. Parents and students at Erie Day School may notice continued emphasis on public speaking and collaboration in their history curriculum.

The takeaway

Interactive teaching methods like role-playing and simulations can significantly increase student participation in history classes. Teachers looking to improve classroom engagement can adopt these student-led speaking techniques to create a more collaborative environment.