Long Island City Partnership celebrates its
40th anniversary with music, food and art
BY MAX PARROTT
The Long Island City Partnership — the neighborhood’s
economic development organization —
hosted a street party last week to celebrate its 40th
anniversary.
Against a Long Island City sunset, food and
drinks were served as local musicians performed
and artists were honored Sept. 26 as approximately
1,500 attendees enjoyed the party.
The event also featured experiences and activations
with a focus on activities where guests could
make something in promotion of the Partnership’s
new “Mix Meet Make” campaign. Guests were given
the instructions and materials to create murals, puzzles,
cookie projects and terrariums.
The Partnership’s LIC Arts Connection program
that is designed to create temporary art installations
in the area. The program connects artists with
volunteers and public and private owners to build
the murals and art projects in public spaces.
Reach reporter Max Parrott by e-mail at mparrott@
schnepsmedia.com or by phone at (718) 260-2507.
The Long Island City Partnership celebrated its 40th anniversary with local musical acts.
Claire Holmes/Long Island City Partnership
Gianaris gives $10K grant for new Mandarin program
BY ANGELICA ACEVEDO
Senator Michael Gianaris
recently announced a $10,000
grant to help support P.S./I.S.
78Q’s Interactive Language
Program, My Chinese Teacher
Program, specifically for
their mandarin program.
Gianaris addressed the
parents and faculty at P.S./
I.S. 78Q’s first PTA meeting
of the school year last week,
according to a press release.
“The world is increasingly
interconnected and
our economy is increasingly
reliant on knowledge of other
cultures and their languages,”
Gianaris said. “This is
an incredible program equipping
students from an early
age to have the skills needed
to thrive.”
The Senate deputy leader
said that New York needs to
“invest in the next generation”
with programs like My
Chinese Teacher.
MCT is a Mandarin language
program that uses
technology to connect students
with a China-based
teaching team. The innovative
program utilizes video
conferencing to connect to
the classroom.
Senator Michael Gianaris announced a $10,000 grant for PS/IS 78Q’s Mandarin language program at
the school’s first PTA meeting of the year. Courtesy of Senator Michael Gianaris
The Chinese instructor
gives a 25-minute lesson via
video conference while other
teachers in the classroom
help with follow-up instructions
such as taking children
through workbooks,
pronunciation videos and
introducing Chinese language
and culture concepts
across the rest of the school
curriculum.
Students also interact
with their Chinese instructors
by sending postcards
and sharing photos through
the school’s learning platform.
P.S./I.S. 78Q’s principal,
Louis Pavone, thanked Senator
Gianaris for the grant in
a statement.
“Our social and economic
future hinges on inter-cultural
communication and
P.S./I.S. 78Q’s unique Chinese
language program is
instrumental in rearing the
next generation of leaders,”
Pavone said. “I thank Senator
Gianaris for his commitment
to help fund this important
program and his ongoing
support of our school community.”
Bree Chambers and Genevieve
Bernier, co-presidents
of the P.S./I.S. 78Q PTA, also
thanked the senator in a joint
statement.
“Exposure to multiple languages
and cultures is important
for our young learners
and Senator Gianaris is
helping us cultivate an environment
at our school where
we are able to offer exciting
and enriching programs like
this to our students,” they
said. “We look forward to his
continued patronage in the
future.”
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