Students and faculty at the George Washington Carver High School located at the Springfield Gardens Educational Campus had a special guest Tuesday when Councilman Donovan Richards announced his funding for southeast Queens and Rockaway schools.
Richards spoke of the 29 schools in his district that received discretionary funding and capital grants his office allocated to improve technology available to students in the classroom and provide upgrades that will enhance resources. Since Fiscal Year 2019, more than $7.2 million was allocated to schools in Laurelton, Rosedale and Springfield Gardens. In Rockaway more than $14 million was allocated.
Included in the total allocation, $10 million was secured for schools in his district through the Downtown Far Rockaway rezoning negotiations in 2017.
“Since I became a Council member, the easiest and most gratifying decision I make every year is to provide funding to local schools for technology and capital upgrades that will help ensure that students across Council District 31 have every advantage to compete with the best and brightest across the city,” Richards said.
Major beneficiaries include P.S. 195 in Rosedale which received $1.3 million for playground renovations, sound system upgrades and improved gym lighting. M.S. 355/356 in Springfield Gardens received $1.2 million for a music studio and auditorium upgrades, and P.S. 132 in Rosedale received $1 million for kitchen upgrades.
The schools in the Rockaways that received the most funding includes Village Academy in Far Rockaway with $2.9 million for greenhouse and tech updates, the Far Rockaway Educational Campus which received $2.6 million for a wood and robotics shop as well as a complete library upgrade, Beach Channel High School with $2.5 million for a weight room, cafeteria and air conditioning, and P.S. 183 in Rockaway Beach got $1.65 million for tech and park upgrades.
“The schools in southeast Queens and the Rockaways have suffered from inequitable resources for decades, so one of the most valuable ways I can spend my discretionary funding is to provide these students with the resources that every child in New York City deserves,” Richards said. “The number one way to ensure our students are on a path to success is to provide them with the necessary and diverse tools that will give them every opportunity to succeed.”
