Bronx teen speaks to educators

By Howard Goldin 

More than 10,000 educators from all 50 states and 16 other nations gathered at the NY Hilton in midtown Manhattan to attend the sixth annual Celebration of Teaching and Learning on March 18 and 19. They were educated, inspired, challenged and entertained at a variety of workshops, panel discussions and speeches by experts and their own colleagues who are engaged in innovative educational endeavors. The educational conference was presented by WNET and local PBS television stations, channel 13 and channel 21. 

As in the previous five years, prominent personalities not engaged in formal schooling shared their expertise and perspectives with the educators in the audience at large plenary sessions in the 2,500 seat auditorium on the third floor of the hotel. Dr. Mehmet Oz, whose credentials could fill a book, informed the rapt audience of methods of improving the health of children. The Emmy Award winning television personality, best-selling author, professor of surgery at Columbia University, director of the Cardiovascular Institute and Complementary Medicine Program at NY Presbyterian Hospital (all the same individual) is a renowned public speaker who attracted a standing room crowd to his talk. 

The final plenary session of the conference featured a discussion with Mayor Cory Booker of Newark and Brian Williams, anchor the NBS Nightly News. They focused on inner city education, especially of black males. Booker explained Newark’s plans for the use of the $100 million gift from Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook. 

A plenary session gave teenage students an opportunity to address the teachers and administrators. The panel was moderated by Rehema Ellis, Education Correspondent for NBC News and sponsored by Adobe. The four superior students included an 11^th grader from the Bronx, Ariel Aponte. The young man, like his peers, informed his elders of his feelings toward his family, his school, his teachers his peers and his future. 

Aponte attends The Bronx Guild, an innovative high school located on the site of Adlai Stevenson High School. The co-director of the school, Jeff Palladino, spoke on a panel earlier in the day on an innovative program, Roadtrip Nation, that is used in the school. Palladino explained that the school is programed for the older students to work at an internship for two days and remain in the academic setting for three days each week. This allows the students real work experience while remaining in school. Aponte is currently undertaking his third internship, now at the Botanical Garden. Previously, he worked at Greenfab and the Children’s Art Carnival. Aponte has also completed two advance placement courses that he hopes to use at Cornell. 

Aponte spoke feelingly of his gratitude for his parents, “Self-discipline is the main drive for me. I’m where I am today because of them [parents]. I want to make them proud.” He also gave credit for his achievements to his teacher, Amanda Jacob, “She goes the extra mile all the time.” 

Her experience as a student at Cornell has influenced Aponte’s choice of a future college to attend. At the Bronx Guild, a teacher is responsible for teaching his/her class in all subjects. Thus, the teacher and students form a close bond. Aponte has obviously been impressed and influenced by this experience. He stated, “[Teachers should] establish a relationship and to know our interests and pull it into everything we study.” The youngster explained the importance of teachers listening to students to improve the schools, “We hear from adults all the time. Resources are not enough. You must go to the source [students].” 

Three participants in successful Bronx arts programs were members of three panel discussions during the conference. Ramon Gonzalez, principal of MS 223, the Laboratory School of Finance and Technology in Mott Haven told of his school’s collaboration with the US Department of Education and the Council for Arts Education. The success in educating the children of the school led MS 223 to be the only school in New York State to win a 2010 Intel School of Distinction Award. Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz cited the school as a Bronx success story during his State of the Borough address in February. 

Michelle Turner, a music specialist at PS 36 in District 8 participated on a panel discussing the assessment of music education. Annie Fitzgibbon, founder and executive director of the Harmony Program, explained how the program benefits young, economically disadvantaged children in New York City. The youngsters attend an after-school music education program where they learn to play an instrument as part of an ensemble. They are taught by music students recruited at local colleges. Fitzgibbon said of the program’s aims, loosely based on a program begun in Venezuela 35 years ago by Jose Antonio Abreu, “[Music] has a social mission, music develops life’s skills. The children come first.”  

The children are centered in three locations, the South Bronx, Harlem and Brooklyn. The Bronx children, from several schools practice and play at Casita Maria on Simpspn Street. The third and fourth graders presented a recital for their parents and other guests on Thursday, March 17, the eve of the conference at Casita Maria. 

The conference, as in the previous five years, was of the great benefit to all who attended and more importantly to the children they educate.