Four teachers who made a difference

Four Queens teachers were honored last week for putting a spark in their classes every day.
Michael Dantona, from I.S. 5 in Elmhurst, Albert Ng, from J.H.S. 216 in Flushing, Vanessa Petit-Phare, from J.H.S. 190 in Forest Hills, and John Walsh, from M.S. 172 in Floral Park, were among 10 NYC educators honored at a reception at the New York Hall of Science.
The award, the Siemens Teacher Initiative handed out by the Siemens Foundation, honors teachers for bringing life into science and math classes.
Jim Whaley, vice president of Siemens, lauded the awardees for their enthusiasm during last week’s ceremony.
“They have a passion for what they’re doing,” he said. “You can feed off their passion.”
For Petit-Phare, the award, despite commendations from colleagues and students, came as a complete surprise.
“I definitely don’t teach to get an award. I just like seeing the joy in the students’ faces when they actually understand the material,” she said. In addition, working as an eighth-grade science teacher for the past six years has allowed her to bring her environmental science and biology background to the classroom.
For their end-of-the-year projects, her students same up with a wide variety of experiments: a test to see how colored lights affect plants, a greenhouse using hydroponics, and even the lifespan of a bubble.
“I’m so proud of my students,” she said.
The principal of J.H.S. 190, Marilyn Grant, said that the school is equally as proud of their teacher.