Two teachers from Garden City Public Schools were named 2025 Crystal Apple Teachers of Finney County on Thursday, November 20, 2025. The teachers who won the highly honored distinction include: Matt De La Cruz, Alta Brown Elementary School; Megan Ford, Jennie Barker Elementary School; and Debbie Tidwell, Holcomb and Wiley Elementary Schools. The teachers were recognized at a banquet held at the Clarion Inn in Garden City.
Each Crystal Apple Teacher received an engraved crystal apple, a $1,000 cash award, an iPad, a lapel pin, along with a framed certificate.
Danica Kitch, Georgia Matthews Elementary School; Kelly Myatt, Garden City Achieve; and Laura Walsh, Charles O. Stones Intermediate Center; were the three finalists and each received a cash award of $250 along with a framed certificate.
This was the 30th year of the Crystal Apple Recognition Program that has been honoring outstanding teachers in Finney County for their efforts in teaching children. The program is organized by the Community Awareness and Recognition (C.A.R.E.) Committee, which is a Garden City Area Chamber of Commerce task force and representatives of the business community.