ALLENDALE, N.J., May 29, 2024 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Doherty Enterprises-owned Applebee’s® Neighborhood Grill & Bar restaurants in New Jersey announced today the winners of their 8th annual “Above and ‘BEE’yond Teacher Essay Contest.” Developed to acknowledge exceptional local educators, the contest encouraged students to write an essay nominating the special teacher who has had the most impact on their educational journey.
Image caption: Above and ‘BEE’yond Teacher Essay Contest 2024 Winners.
After a rigorous judging process, the following eight winners, from schools across the state, were announced:
- Pulitano of Barnegat High School in Ocean County
- Cosaro of Butler High School in Morris County
- Haas of Hillsborough High School in Somerset County
- Sherman of Lincoln Middle School in Passaic County
- Mule of Lyndhurst Middle School in Bergen County
- Nolan of Mount Olive Middle school in Morris County
- Wallace of Nicolaus Copernicus School (Jersey City PS 25) in Hudson County
- Walker of Summerfield Elementary in Monmouth County
Back in January, the Doherty-owned Applebee’s restaurants asked students in local elementary, middle, and high schools to draft and submit essays explaining how their teachers went above and “BEEyond.” A panel of judges selected the top eight essays and awarded those special teachers with a check for $500 to better their classrooms and the opportunity to host an exclusive end-of-year class celebration at their local Doherty-owned Applebee’s restaurant.
“We are thrilled to celebrate the remarkable educators recognized in our eighth annual ‘Above and ‘BEE’yond Teacher Essay Contest’ at our New Jersey Applebee’s locations,” remarked Kevin Coughlin, Director of Operations – New Jersey, Doherty. “Celebrating the unwavering dedication of our local teachers who nurture and inspire our youth is a profound privilege. It is incredibly rewarding to provide a platform for students to express the significant influence their teachers have had on their lives and to shine a light on the community champions who make a difference every day.”
About Applebee’s®
As one of the world’s largest casual dining brands, Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar serves as America’s kitchen table, offering guests a lively dining experience that combines simple, craveable American fare with classic drinks and local drafts. Applebee’s makes it easy for family and friends to connect with one another, whether it’s in a dining room or in the comfort of a living room, Eatin’ Good in the Neighborhood™ is a familiar and affordable escape from the everyday. Applebee’s restaurants are owned and operated by entrepreneurs dedicated to more than serving great food, but also building up the communities that we call home. From raising money for local charities to hosting community fundraisers, Applebee’s is always Doin’ Good in the Neighborhood®.
Applebee’s franchise operations consisted of 1,636 Applebee’s restaurants in the United States, two U.S. territories and 12 countries outside the United States as of March 31, 2024. This number does not include one domestic Applebee’s ghost kitchens (small kitchens with no store-front presence, used to fill off-premise orders) and 11 Applebee’s international ghost kitchens. Applebee’s is franchised by subsidiaries of Dine Brands Global Inc. [NYSE: DIN], which is one of the world’s largest full-service restaurant companies.
About Doherty Enterprises, Inc.
Established in 1985, Doherty Enterprises owns and operates more than 140 restaurants in New Jersey & New York, including six restaurant concepts: Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar, Panera Bread, Chevys Fresh Mex, JINYA Ramen Bar and its own concepts, The Shannon Rose Irish Pub and Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas. In addition, Doherty Enterprises is also a franchisee of Sola Salon Studios with 14 locations in Staten Island and New Jersey.
Doherty Enterprises is ranked 25th in Top 200 Franchisees in the United States by Restaurant Finance Monitor, is recognized as the 80th largest Foodservice revenue company in the United States by Nation’s Restaurant News, the 70th largest privately held business in the New York Metro area by Crain’s Business, and 24th largest privately held company in New Jersey by NJBIZ.
The Doherty vision is to be the “Best Food Service Company in the Communities We Serve” and its mission is to “Wow Every Guest Every Time, Wow our People, Wow Our Communities and Wow Our Suppliers.” Doherty Enterprises has also been lending a helping hand to team members and their immediate families when financially burdened through the WOW a Friend Foundation. To date, the foundation has assisted more than 4,000 people and donated over $5.5 million directly back to those in need. Learn more: https://www.dohertyinc.com/.
News Source: Doherty Enterprises
