PS 21 Honors Public
Schools & Their Graduates
By Liza Young
New
York City’s public
schools nurture and enlighten students on a daily basis, fostering the educational,
cultural as well as moral development of children. Public Schools for the 21st
Century (PS 21), a non-profit organization, was founded based on its keen recognition
of the fundamental role public schools play in our society and for the continued
support and promotion of New York City’s public schools. As Valerie Rockefeller,
Honorary Chair of PS 21 pointed out, “Public schools are the backbone
of our communities, our economy and our democracies.”
One of the latest
endeavors of PS 21 includes honoring some of the outstanding graduates of
New York City’s
public schools, individuals who excelled in fields ranging from sports to civil
rights activism to the winning of the Nobel Peace Prize. As a tribute to these
achievers, PS 21 put together an Honor Roll photo exhibit which was held at
McGraw Hill, with Harold McGraw III, CEO, generously lending the use of the
spacious James McGraw Hall. Among
the honorees were Mets player Joe Franco, Nobel Prize winner Joshua Lederberg,
actress Cynthia Nixon, Barnard President Judith Shapiro and Civil Rights Leader
Roy Innis.
Honored guests
gave glowing praise to the public school system and credited their success
to it. President Shapiro, expressed pride in being a graduate of the public
school system, citing that graduates go on to accomplish instrumental roles
in society. Jamie Colby, a Fox news reporter, says that her “public
school education was responsible for what she has accomplished today.” She
pointed out that education in the public school system encompassed respect,
culture and kindness.
PS 21, in its endeavor to make
sure that public schools receive continued support as well as the recognition
and praise that they deserve, is clearly an essential organization in our society.#
