Long Island University to Honor Outstanding Teachers
Two distinguished Nassau and Suffolk County teachers will be honored
this May with the Long Island University Secondary School Teacher of the
Year Award.
Mark Graham (Nassau County), an art teacher at Paul D. Schreiber High
School in Port Washington, and Theresa Carr (Suffolk County), a mathematics
teacher at Riverhead High School, will be honored. "Both teachers
have enjoyed successful careers and are exemplary educators," said
Michael Arons, Vice President for Academic Affairs at Long Island University.
Mark Graham of Port Washington will receive his award on Sunday, May
10 at graduation exercises at Long Island University's C.W. Post Campus
in Brookville. Theresa Carr of Remsenburg will be honored on Sunday, May
17 at Long Island University's Southampton College commencement ceremonies.
Mark Graham
Since joining the Paul D. Schreiber High School in 1990, Graham has
refashioned the school's art courses to make them more appealing and accessible
to a wider range of students. These changes have led to a significant
increase in the number of pupils enrolling in art classes and the number
choosing to take more than the school requirement of one credit. He has
also advised Port Washington school district officials on art education
programs that other school systems have found to be successful.
Upon entering the high school in Port Washington, visitors are delighted
by the volume and vibrancy of the student artwork that is boldly displayed
and celebrated. The credit for this sensory treat belongs almost entirely
to Graham. A doctoral candidate at Columbia University Teachers College,
where he earned a master of arts degree in education, Graham is forever
surrounded by his students. Many go to his classroom during unassigned
time to continue work on projects or for a word of encouragement.
A professional illustrator of 14 children's books, Graham serves as
an art consultant to the Nassau County Museum of Art in East Hills. His
work has been exhibited at museums in Japan and Italy as well as the United
States.
Theresa Carr
Theresa Carr has been teaching mathematics for the past 19 years. Since
1987 she has been with the Riverhead School District where she is involved
in teaching all levels of high school mathematics ranging from ninth grade
remedial classes to AP calculus. She has gained the wide respect of her
students and peers for her impeccable professionalism, knowledge of her
subject, outstanding success rate, and willingness to go above and beyond
for the sake of her students.
Carr wrote curriculum for new course offerings, chaired a committee
to handle student attendance appeals, and served on the School Improvement
Model committee, a project designed to improve district standards and align
them with state and national standards. "As a teacher I believe that
we have a responsibility to set high standards for our students,"
Carr said. "I believe that it should be the goal of each teacher to
help one's students to arrive at the understanding that learning is a lifelong
process...We need to create in each classroom an environment which promotes
the academic success of our students." Carr earned her bachelor's
degree in mathematics and her master's degree in education from St. John's
University. She is a member of the Suffolk County Mathematics Teachers
Association and is a Westhampton Cub Scouts Pack Den leader.
Long Island University instituted the Secondary School Teacher of the
Year Award in 1991. The award is presented annually to two outstanding
secondary school teachers, one from Nassau County and one from Suffolk
County. Teachers are nominated for Long Island University's Teacher of
the Year Award by their school superintendents. Their applications and
letters of nomination are then reviewed by a committee of faculty members
from C.W. Post's School of Education. At commencement ceremonies, both
Mark Graham and Theresa Carr will be presented with a check for $500 for
themselves and another check for $1,000 for their school district. Long
Island University offers one of the widest ranges of teacher-training,
counseling and administration programs in the region.
For more information call the C.W. Post Public
Relations Office at (516) 299-2333 or e-mail cwpostpr@aurora.liunet.edu
or send mail to: Long Island University, C.W. Post Campus, 720 Northern
Blvd., Brookville, New York 11548-1300.
