"There is an extraordinary teacher here who has embraced my autistic son. She has gone out of her way to see the greatness and potential in him. She praises him for even the simplest of accomplishments and a parent of an autistic child knows what a blessing this is."

"She has not only helped my son, she has showed me how to love him for his greatness - not his failures."

Congratulations to Mrs. McKibbon - the recipient of the golden apple award.

There were big tears in her eyes as all of Linda McKibbon's little admirers applauded for her. She's been teaching here at good shepherd preschool for 14 years and loved every minute of it.

"They're all special... each one of them has a story and you have to remember that" says Linda McKibbon.

5-year-old Jackson Eaken's mom wrote the nominating letter.. she says her son is a different child today because of Linda.

"here he is talking, going to school, loving school, making friends, so it's made, you know, just a huge impact on my life, too." says Jodie Eaken, mother of Jackson.

"He's very sensory... he doesn't like to hold people's hands or to be touched - be held. so I do it even more because I know he needs to get used to that and the day he reached over and grabbed my hand to walk down the hall was the greatest moment I had this year," says Linda McKibbon.