The FLAG Award For Teaching Excellence Awards $25,000 To NYC Public School Teacher Lou Lahana And A $95,000 Grant To His School, PS/MS 188, The Island School

NEW YORK, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The FLAG Award for Teaching Excellence (FATE) announces Dr. Lou Lahana as the winner of its inaugural prize, which includes a $25,000 unrestricted cash prize as well as an additional $95,000 to be used for an arts-based initiative at Dr. Lahana's  school, PS/MS 188, The Island School.

Dr. Lahana, whose career in education began more than two decades ago with Teach for America, has taught at PS/MS 188 since 2001. Dr. Lahana envisions his middle school classroom as a "makerspace," wherein students utilize research skills and a variety of technological tools to raise awareness of social issues and work toward practical solutions. Dr. Lahana's pedagogical approach is based on his philosophy that powerful learning outcomes result from making projects driven by social action. 

FATE Founders Glenn and Amanda Fuhrman commented, "Dr. Lahana empowers his students to tackle real world issues in creative and meaningful ways. He is exactly the kind of teacher we hoped to find and celebrate with this award, and we could not be happier for Dr. Lahana and his family, his students, and PS/MS 188."

This year's FLAG Award Finalists are: 

• Desiree Borrero, East Side Community School
• Christine Drago, PS 20 Anna Silver School
• Soleil Sabalja, Lower East Side Preparatory High School
• Nakia S. Smith, The Urban Assembly School for the Performing Arts

Each will receive $10,000 and their schools will receive a $2,000 grant to be used for arts-based initiatives designed by each finalist. "I cannot tell you how proud I am of this incredible group of teachers. I am continually impressed by the multitude of outstanding teachers in the NY Public School System," commented NY State Board of Regents Chancellor and FATE jury member Dr. Betty A. Rosa.

Winners were selected by an independent jury of distinguished individuals from the fields of education, philanthropy, and community leadership including Dr. Laura Forese (Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, New York Presbyterian Hospital), Wes Moore (CEO Robin Hood Foundation), Dr. Betty A. Rosa (Chancellor of the NY State Board of Regents), Alhassan Susso (2019 New York State Teacher of the Year) and Wendy Woon (The Edward John Noble Foundation Deputy Director for Education at The Museum of Modern Art).

"So many of these teachers are making a huge impact not only on their students, but on their school and community as well," said Wes Moore. "It is so important to celebrate outstanding teachers and it was an honor to be part of this process."

This year's FLAG Award Semi-Finalists are: 

• David Edelman, Union Square Academy for Health Sciences
• Chris Jennings, PS/IS 187 Hudson Cliffs
• Nick Kozak, Manhattan Hunter Science High School
• Jane Kang Lawrence, Manhattan International High School
• Marie F. Leblanc, The James Baldwin School
• Lev Benjamin Moscow, The Beacon School
• Daiana Muñoz, Park East High School
• Shakira Provasoli, PS 333 Manhattan School for Children
• Robert L. Sandler, Stuyvesant High School
• Nathan Charles Snyder, NYC iSchool
• Scott Storm, Harvest Collegiate High School
• Taína Montalvo Teller, PS 75 The Emily Dickinson School
• Laginné G. Walker, City College Academy of the Arts
• Gary Wellbrock, PS 347 The American Sign Language & English Lower School
• Krista Wozniak, PS/MS 129 John H. Finley School
• Anita Yu, MS 114 East Side Middle School
• Julie A. Zenobi, New Design High School

In addition, FATE is awarding $500 to each of the 17 semifinalists and $500 to each semifinalists' school.  "The caliber of these candidates represents what is best in education. They inspire me to want to do more as a teacher in my own classroom," said Alhassan Susso.

The FLAG Award for Teaching Excellence
The FLAG Award for Teaching Excellence was created by Glenn and Amanda Fuhrman and is funded by the FLAG Foundation for Excellence in Education and by The Fuhrman Family Foundation. It is administered by co-presidents Risa Daniels and Laura Twersky. 

The inaugural award for the 2019–20 school year was open for teachers of grades K-12 in Manhattan-based public schools, and the prize will expand to other New York City boroughs and US cities in future years. 

Contact and Further Information

• Information in more detail on all aspects of the award can be found on the website: https://flagaward.org/
• General Questions about the Award: https://flagaward.org/contact or email [email protected]

SOURCE FLAG Foundation for Excellence in Education

Related Links

https://flagaward.org/