Schools win multi-media award at conference

During the first ever Celebration of Teaching and Learning, more than 10,000 people gathered to discuss important issues facing New York’s education community while also recognizing some schools for their work with multi-media, including two Queens schools.
Channel Thirteen and WLIW21 were behind the two-day conference that took place on March 24 and 25 at the UnConvention Center at 12th Avenue and West 55th Street. It kicked off with founding sponsor JP Morgan Chase honoring 10 schools for their use of multi-media technology in the classroom, awarding each winner with $1,000.
“As our award recipients made clear, multi-media is really a revolutionary teaching tool,” said Kimberly B. Davis, president of the JP Morgan Chase Foundation.
PS 108 in South Ozone Park won for their entry of a Web Quest called “Me? Live with Lions?” that was designed by three fourth grade students. Shereeda Baksh, Rehanna Chandan, and Michelle Lopez worked on the project last year, beginning it in October and completing it the following May.
Although Baksh, who was at the ceremony with the other two students, said she was surprised they won, their teacher was not.
“I just knew it was fantastic,” said Adrienne Wiland, the school’s computer teacher. “I just knew that the kids had done such a great job.”
Townsend Harris High School, located in Flushing, was also one of the 10 schools to be awarded $1,000. Their winning project was student Alexandra Stergiou’s short video “Pandora’s Box.” The project was described by judges as being “riveting” and “beautifully executed.”
During the event, teachers, administrators and many others attended workshops that discussed important educational issues. Some of the topics addressed were the challenges caused by bi-lingual education, the ramifications of “No Child Left Behind” and how to close the achievement gap that exists among students.
Many notable people took part in the event, including UFT President Randi Weingarten, New York State Education Commissioner Richard P. Mills, journalist Tom Brokaw, author and former teacher Frank McCourt and actor Richard Dreyfuss.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg also was present for Friday’s opening ceremonies, taking the opportunity to discuss the positive turnabout New York City public schools have experienced. He said that his administration won’t stop until it has created “the best urban public school system in the nation.”
“Giving our children the first rate education that they need and deserve is really perhaps the greatest challenge of our time,” Bloomberg said. “Cities and nations simply can’t grow and thrive unless their communities nurture creativity and the thirst for knowledge and success.”
Event organizers were extremely happy with the first Celebration of Teaching and Learning and hope to see it become an annual event.
“This is just the very beginning of it,” William Baker, a co-chair of the event, said during the opening ceremonies. “We’re hoping to continue doing it and really doing something special.”