CHARLESTON — Sixteen West Virginia teachers were presented Golden Apple Achiever awards by the Arch Coal Foundation, according to John R. Snider, Arch Coal, Inc. vice president, external affairs, eastern region on April 18.

“Last month, Arch Coal honored 12 teachers with our Teacher Achievement Award,” said Snider. “The Golden Apple Achiever Award is presented to teachers who submitted exemplary applications to the Arch Coal Teacher Achievement Awards program and came close to being honored with the Foundation’s major award.

“Our panel of peer judges — past recipients of the award — indicated the applications this year were of very high quality, which made selections difficult. West Virginia has many superior classroom teachers who deserve recognition. I hope each of these teachers will be nominated again next year because classroom teaching excellence is one of the keys to student achievement.”

Local teachers receiving Golden Apple Awards were:

• Laura Addamiano Bobbera, Gilbert Elementary School

• Pamela Bush, Logan Middle School

• Crystal Howell, Chapmanville Middle School

• Rebecca Keathley, Ralph R. Willis Career & Technical School.

The Arch Coal Teacher Achievement Awards program is the longest running, privately sponsored teacher recognition program in West Virginia. The teacher recognition awards are underwritten by the Arch Coal Foundation and supported in program-promotion by the West Virginia Department of Education, the West Virginia Education Association and the West Virginia Library Commission. The Arch Coal Foundation also supports teacher recognition or grant programs in Wyoming, Utah and Colorado, as well as a number of other education-related causes.