GET THE LATEST NEWS EVERY DAY AT QNS.COM
Your Neighborhood — Your News®
ALSO COVERING AUBURNDALE, COLLEGE POINT, DOUGLASTON, GLEN OAKS, FLORAL PARK
• LITTLE NECK LEDGER
• WHITESTONE TIMES
May 14-May 20, 2021
WHITESTONE EDUCATOR HONORED
FOR COMMITMENT TO STUDENTS
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
In celebration of Teacher
Appreciation Week, a local
McDonald’s owner honored a
Whitestone educator for New
York Edge — the city’s largest
provider of after-school
programming — for her unwavering
commitment to
her students and their families,
particularly amid the
challenges presented by the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Megan Basaldua, who
teaches visual arts and literacy
at P.S. 193, and her students
were surprised on Wednesday,
May 5, with McDonald’s meals
from owner/operator Patrick
Miller and Councilman Paul
Vallone who joined in the
celebration.
“It was such a big surprise.
I was really so appreciative,”
Basaldua said. “It made my
kids’ days just because it can
get a little monotonous with
school lunch. It was great to
see the joy they held of course,
and seeing Mr. Patrick Miller
coming as a small business
owner from McDonald’s and
Councilman Paul Vallone, it
was a huge treat. I don’t see
them much but I know what
they do for the community,
and it means a lot to me.”
As an activity specialist
with New York Edge for twoand
a-half years, Basaldua
From left to right, Councilman Paul Vallone, P.S. 193 educator Megan Basaldua, and McDonald’s Owner/
Operator Patrick Miller. Courtesy of New York Edge
has offered invaluable support
and guidance to her elementary
school students at P.S. 193
this past year, inspiring them
to remain engaged and motivated
through the organization’s
after-school programs.
During the beginning of
the pandemic, according to
Basaldua, it took some time to
realize what was happening
and to figure out their next
move.
“New York Edge was on top
of it offering professional development
courses and training
that would assist me in
becoming a better educator,”
Basaldua said.
As New York City’s entire
public school system shut
down amid the pandemic and
educators were instructed to
transition to remote learning,
Basaldua said it fueled her
ambitions to learn different
methods in teaching her students
in order for them to express
themselves virtually.
“You don’t have all of the
supplies and space and parents
may deal with some
cleanup and just learning how
to relay all of that information
to them and me,” Basaldua
said. “It’s hard for me to imagine
what all of these kindergarten
through fifth-graders
are going through — when
they’re home and see me on
a screen. I give them the support
that they need through
visual arts.”
As in-person learning has
resumed, Basaldua said they
are able to do many more
things to make the classroom
a special environment for the
students, such as offering help
with homework, providing
support and acting like the
mentors that they want to be,
she said.
“I’ve been fortunate
enough to work with children
my whole life. I have always
been a part of a nonprofit organization
or community organization,
and majored in arts
personally,” Basaldua said.
“It’s great to teach kids what
I know and am passionate
about. I knew that New York
Edge taught arts specifically
and paid attention to that form
of expression and I wanted to
be a part of it.”
Read more on QNS.com.
Vol. 87 No. 20 32 total pages
Sign up to watch debates online at www.PoliticsNY.com/Debates
/QNS.COM
/QNS.com
/Debates
