Colleen Zierk Wins 2026 Golden Apple Award

The Associate Director of College Counseling was recognized for her impact on St. Anne’s-Belfield students, families, and colleagues alike.

Each year, the Golden Apple Award honors some of the most outstanding teachers from public and private schools in Charlottesville and Albemarle County. 2025-26 awardees were recognized at a ceremony on April 29 in Lane Auditorium at the County Office Building. In addition, every Golden Apple recipient also earns a grant of $500, which can be used for classroom materials.

A passionate and deeply committed educator who balances high expectations with unwavering compassion, Colleen Zierk elevates students not only toward achievement, but confidence and purpose.

I look at my colleagues in College Counseling and it could have been any one of them. They all pour themselves so deeply into students every day. I’m grateful to represent the team. — Colleen Zierk

In her many roles — associate director of College Counseling, teacher, advisor, faculty liaison to the Prefect Council, AP test coordinator, Governor’s Academy coordinator, and mentor for Independent Studies and Capstone projects — Mrs. Zierk elevates students not only toward achievement, but confidence and purpose.

The consummate warm demander, Mrs. Zierk’s office in the College Counseling suite is a revolving door of students who come to her for advice, guidance, or simply a break during the school day. It’s not unusual for students to bring her their complaints and hesitations knowing — and perhaps because — she will gently nudge them to take action.

“Part of me thinks students come to you because they want to be talked into things,” says Mrs. Zierk. “They don’t come to me if they think I’m just going to accept what they’re saying. They know I’m probably going to push them a little bit, and I’m happy to serve that role.” 

As a college counselor, Mrs. Zierk guides students and families through one of adolescence’s most consequential journeys with clarity and resolve. Parents and guardians express gratitude for her patience and encouragement at critical moments, and students describe her as a steady, reassuring presence who can transform anxiety into confidence. One parent shared that her message to seniors about navigating early admissions decisions “brought me to tears,” praising both its wisdom and its tone. Mrs. Zierk does not simply manage applications; she helps students grow into principled young adults prepared to celebrate others’ successes alongside their own.

For Mrs. Zierk, however, the Golden Apple is more than an individual acknowledgment of her efforts, but rather a reflection of the College Counseling team as a whole. “I look at my colleagues in College Counseling and it could have been any one of them. They all pour themselves so deeply into students every day. I’m grateful to represent the team.”

Whether on the volleyball court, in her student Advisory group, or in her office, Colleen Zierk challenges students to meet high standards while ensuring they feel fully supported.