WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES DECEMBER 14, 2017 19
Two Queens teachers recognized for outstanding work
BY SUZANNE MONTEVERDI
SMONTEVERDI@RIDGEWOODTIMES.COM
@SMONT76
Educators at schools in Corona
and Ridgewood were among
a handful of New York City
teachers who received an award for
bringing excitement and ingenuity
into the classroom.
On Dec. 4, the Fund for the City
of New York awarded Erica Guzmán
of Corona’s Civic Leadership
Academy and Krishna Mahabir
of Ridgewood’s Grover Cleveland
High School the Sloan Award for
Excellence in Teaching Science and
Mathematics.
The award recognizes New York
City educators who exceed expectations,
advance student success and
achieve superb academic results.
A total of seven public high school
teachers were chosen to receive the
award this year after an extensive
application and interview process.
Guzmán, a Queens resident
and teacher of 13 years, said she
always tries to keep her students
on her toes.
“I always try to plan activities
where the kids feel like they’re having
fun,” Guzmán said. “I also like to
give them options in their learning.
And, when applicable, I try to bring
in some real-world applications.”
The AP calculus AB, algebra 2
and pre-calculus teacher — who
is also a Math for America Master
Teacher — said the school’s diversity
and individualized approach
make it an outstanding place for a
student to grow.
“Students get a very personalized
experience,” she said. “Every student
is treated as an individual and
offered so many options.”
Original ly from Guyana,
Mahabir has taught at Grover
Cleveland HS for 18 years. His mission
has been to foster an interest
in science studies in the school’s
large population of newly arrived
immigrants.
With Mahabir at the helm, students
at the school have consistently
dominated the NYS Science
Olympiad and the City Regional
Bridge Building Competition.
“The competition gave me a sense
that I belonged,” one student said.
“‘Maha’ taught me how I could
take on scary challenges with
confidence.”
Hyungmin Park, a Korean immigrant
and Queens resident, was
also given the award for his work
at New Explorations into Science,
Technology and Math (NEST+m) in
Manhattan.
Along with the award, each teacher
was given a prize of $5,000 and
each school was awarded $2,500 to
strengthen their school’s science or
mathematics department.
“This year’s winners bring excitement,
rigor, innovation and
commitment into their classrooms,”
said Mary McCormick, president of
the Fund for the City of New York.
“Their students develop confidence
and a life-long love of science and
mathematics. These teachers are
the first to arrive in the morning
and the last to leave at night to
help their students achieve success.
They are revered and beloved.”
Winners were chosen by an independent
panel of distinguished
scientists, mathematicians and
educators. Learn more about the
award and evaluation process by
visiting this www.fcny.org/fcny/
core/sae.
The award is a collaboration
between the Fund for the City of
New York and the Alfred P. Sloan
Foundation.
Photos courtesy of the Fund for the City of New York
Queens teachers Krishna Mahabir (left) and Erica Guzmán
Christ the King trains
future forensic scientists
Ms. SanGiovanni’s Forensics
class at Christ
the King High School
learned how to detect and collect
fingerprints for forensic research.
In Christ the King’s Forensic
Science class, students learn
about collecting and analyzing
various types of evidence as well
as better understand the important
role science plays in today’s
investigations.
Photo courtesy of Christ the King High School
Congratulations!
Dr. Marilou Guzman and Sal
Joseph Crifasi of Glendale
were married on Sept. 30 at
the Full Moon Resort in the Catskills.
The bride, a resident pediatrician at
NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn
Methodist Hospital, is the daughter
of Mariluz and Manuel Guzman of
Central Islip. The groom, a real estate
broker in Queens and Brooklyn,
is the son of Catherine and Salvatore
Crifasi of Malverne, NY.
