Teachers: A special breed of heroes
Published: May 7, 2007
Five Staten Island teachers were honored yesterday for their dedication and passion for the profession during the second annual Excellence In Education Awards ceremony at Staten Island Academy, Todt Hill.
“You are a special breed of heroes,” said James Dawson, keynote speaker and head of school at the Professional Children’s School in Manhattan. “You provide the tools to build the future.”
Dawson, who grew up in Great Kills, compared the importance of a good teacher in a student’s life to the importance of a lighthouse for a boat.
“You are the lighthouse at the edge of the sea of the future,” said Dawson.
Honoree Barbara Prideaux, a 26-year veteran special education teacher at Curtis High School, was so taken aback by the award, she initially mistook the notification by Staten Island Academy as a salespitch.
“I thought he was a salesman,” said Ms. Prideaux, of the representative from Staten Island Academy who left her a message at home asking her to call him back. “I thought he wanted to me to send my kids to summer camp or something. He had to track me down at my school.”
It was a similar shock for George Padula, a biology and environmental science teacher at Tottenville High School.
“There are so many teachers I know who are so good at what they do every day, that I thought it was just nice that they nominated me,” said Padula, who started teaching seven years ago, after his wife suggested he get into the profession.
It’s been a “whirlwind” of a time for PS 25 special education teacher Dorothy Guerriero, since she was named one of the honorees.
“I’m very honored,” said Ms. Guerriero, who grew up on the Island. “In my lifetime I have received many accolades for athletics, but this is the one I’m the most proud of.”
Constance De Francesco, a teacher at the Richard H. Hungerford School, said it was nice to recognized for doing something she loves, adding that she has to thank the numerous paraprofessionals who have worked in her classrooms over the years.
“A good paraprofessional is priceless,” said Ms. De Francesco.
The coordinator of Susan E. Wagner High School’s Institute for International Leadership, George S. Anthony, couldn’t stop smiling after receiving his award yesterday.
“Teachers are the bows and the students are the arrows,” said Anthony. “We shoot them on a path.”
Each of the five honorees received a $1,500 honorarium, provided by corporate sponsors the Staten Island Advance, Island Ford, SI Bank & Trust, Victory State Bank and the Staten Island Heart Imaging.
Quoting Aristotle, Diane Hulse, head of school at Staten Island Academy, said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit.”
“If Aristotle were among us today, he would be happy to know in Staten Island excellence in education is not an act, but a habit,” she said.
Honorable mentions were awarded to Angela Gianino of PS 5, Jack Minogue, of the Staten Island Employment Education Consortium, and Paul Presti, of New Dorp High School.
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