Students and teachers across the Mid-Ohio Valley are hard at work once again this school year.

And that means once again WTAP is rewarding exceptional teachers in our area.

The first winner of the Jan Dils Golden Apple award this year is Mrs. Ashley Wiltsey.

Mrs. Wiltsey teaches third grade at Neale Elementary School in Vienna.

She was nominated for going above and beyond to help out a student last year when she taught at Emerson elementary.

Mrs. Wiltsey's parents surprised her at the ceremony yesterday and she says they're her inspiration for teaching.

Mrs. Ashley Wiltsey, says: "My parents are both educators. My dad has been a principal and is now an assistant principal. My mother was a teacher her whole entire career. So I went into teaching to follow in the footsteps of my parents. The goal is to continue to do the best I can do and be the best I can be for my students because they deserve it."