FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM MAY 13, 2021 • BUZZ • THE QUEENS COURIER 35
Whitestone educator honored for commitment
to students during Teacher Appreciation Week
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
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 aft erschool
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 two-and-a-half years, Basaldua
has off ered 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 aft er-school programs.
During the beginning of the pandemic,
according to Basaldua, it took some time
to realize what was happening and to fi gure
out their next move.
“New York Edge was on top of it off ering
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 diff erent 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
fi ft h-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
off ering 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 nonprofi t 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 specifi cally and paid attention
to that form of expression and I wanted to
be a part of it.”
Rachael Gazdick, CEO of New York
Edge, congratulated Basaldua and the
entire team for going above and beyond
over this past year to ensure students
across New York City continued to have
access to the support, resources and guidance
they needed to succeed.
“We thank Patrick and McDonald’s for
recognizing Megan for her outstanding
work in the community, and for supporting
New York Edge’s mission to provide
students with enriching aft er-school and
summer programs that will help them
realize and achieve their full potential,”
Gazdick said.
Miller described Basaldua as a “truly
outstanding educator” with New York
Edge.
“In celebration of Teacher Appreciation
Week, it was important for us to show our
appreciation for everything she continues
to do to support these students, especially
during this challenging year,” Miller said.
“Educators play such a vital role in building
local communities, and McDonald’s
is grateful to all teachers across the New
York Metro region for their hard work,
positivity and commitment.”
As he acknowledged the work New York
Edge does to support youth in Queens
and across the city, Vallone said he was
proud to join the special program honoring
Basaldua for the remarkable impact
she’s had on her students.
“I’d like to thank Patrick Miller and
McDonald’s for shining an important
spotlight on our city’s teachers, who
devote themselves to educating youth
and empowering them to achieve their
dreams,” Vallone said.
New York Edge provides thousands of students
from more than 100 schools in grades
K-12 across the fi ve boroughs with engaging
programs designed to enhance their learning,
enable them to grow academically and
personally, and help them develop the passion
and perseverance to meet their goals.
From robotics classes, to leadership programs,
to chess club, fencing, step club and
beyond, New York Edge’s groundbreaking
initiatives are customized to integrate the
school day curriculum and lead to improved
academic performance at every level.
buzz
Courtesy of New York Edge
From left to right, Councilman Paul Vallone, P.S. 193 educator Megan Basaldua and McDonald’s Owner/Operator Patrick Miller.
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