Panama City - This week's Golden Apple Award winner is a kindergarten teacher at Deane Bozeman School in northern Bay County. Mary Taylor has been teaching kindergarten for 18 years. She says she can't imagine doing anything else.

In Mary Taylor's classroom every child is treated like a treasure. "I love the little ones and I cannot imagine being anywhere else," said Mrs. Taylor. Her colleagues call her the "quintessential" kindergarten teacher.

Hours of preparation go into her lessons, like the one she teaches on early America. It's complete with paper "buffalo skins" and special picture symbols. It's activities like this one that give her kindergartners a solid foundation for first grade and beyond. She says all the work is worth it. "My grandmother was a teacher and she inspired me. I hope I bring that same inspiration to my classroom. I feel like kindergarten is my calling," said Mrs. Taylor.

Congratulations to Mrs. Taylor, this week's Golden Apple award winning teacher. "Do you think your teacher deserves this award? "Yes," said student John Thomas Stockton. How come? Because she is a great teacher," he said.