The…
By Kathianne Boniello
One by one their names were called. In front of some 500 proud parents and friends last week at School District 26’s annual awards night, hundreds of students walked across the stage at Benjamin Cardozo High School to accept their certificates.
The event showcased the successes of nearly 300 northeast Queens students in a variety of contests.
Board members presented the awards in the Cardozo auditorium last Thursday. District 26 Superintendent Claire McIntee and Deputy Superintendents Anita Saunders and Stan Weber announced the winning students’ names.
McIntee told the audience the awards night was important because “you learn what’s going on in every school.”
Nearly every school in the district was represented, and the awards were in competitions ranging from the city Science Olympiad to the National Geography Bee.
McIntee said the event “celebrates the achievements of students from the borough-wide level and beyond. You can see the joy in their faces.”
Board member Yen Shia Chou said, “It’s one of the happiest nights of the year.”
Incha Kim, another SB 26 member, said that “they recognize each other’s work and achievements. It’s wonderful.”
“We need this, once a year to remind us what it’s all about — children; parents and children together,” said board president Sharon Maurer.
Among the students recognized, 10 placed highly in national contests, 20 won statewide awards, about 40 placed highly in borough-wide contests and nearly 80 were recognized on a citywide level.
School District 26 covers Bayside, Little Neck, Douglaston, Oakland Gardens, Glen Oaks, and parts of Hollis Hills, Auburndale, Bellerose and Flushing,
Reach reporter Kathianne Boniello by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 146.
