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Academic High School Awards 2023

Outstanding high school educators, school-related professionals and union activists who support their school communities, students and union in the work they do every day were honored in the union’s annual awards ceremony at UFT headquarters.

Three women sit at a stage and take a selfie

French teacher Efthemia Johanides (left), from Susan E. Wagner HS on Staten Island, takes a selfie with Outstanding Activist honoree Alison Kaminsky (middle), the chapter leader at Susan E. Wagner, and Carol Asuencio, a para representative at the school.

Erica Berger
A man raises his hands at the podium and a women next to him smiles.

Outstanding Union Activist Karl Bruckner, the chapter leader at the School for Excellence on the Morris Campus in the Bronx, holds up his Outstanding Union Activist award after receiving it from UFT Vice President for Academic High Schools Janella Hinds.

Erica Berger
A woman and her husband pose for a photo

UFT delegate Mariana Hunter-Ellin from the HS for Public Service in Brooklyn celebrates her Outstanding Union Activist award with her husband.

Erica Berger
A group of attendees at a table clap in honor of an award winner

Donna Coppola (second from right), a union representative from the UFT’s Staten Island borough office, and educators from Susan Wagner HS clap for Alison Kaminsky, their colleague, when she receives her award.

Erica Berger
A group of people take a selfie on stage

Hinds (left) takes a selfie with Excellence in Education winners Charmonique Lambert (second from left) from Eagle Academy for Young Men on Staten Island; Fiorella Maria Rivera from Bayside HS in Queens; Anna Leung from Brooklyn Preparatory HS; Lisa-Erika James from Talent Unlimited HS in Manhattan; and Marvin Carbajal from Bushwick School for Social Justice in Brooklyn.

Erica Berger
A group of honorees pose for a photo
Hinds (left) stands with Community Champion honorees Elizabeth Tapia (second from left), a school counselor at Union Square Academy for Health Sciences in Manhattan; Jessica O’Connell, a school counselor at Susan E. Wagner HS, and her daughter; and Nellie Turken, a paraprofessional at the Manhattan Academy for Arts and Language.
Erica Berger
A group of members on stage hold up a banner for their school

UFT members from Union Square Academy for Health Services hold up the Team High School award they won for excellence through collaboration and promoting a positive school culture.

Erica Berger
A woman shows off her flowers that she received after winning an award.
Librarian Christina Gavin, the chapter leader at Jeffrey M. Rapport HS in the Bronx, shows off the flowers that came with her Outstanding Union Activist award.
Erica Berger
A woman and her son smile for a photo while sitting at a table

Bronx Theater HS teacher Benedette Loparo, whose school received a Team High School award, attends the celebration with her son.

Erica Berger
A group takes a photo together on the steps

A group of award-winners gathers before the event for a photo with Hinds (front, in pink dress) and UFT President Michael Mulgrew (back row, left).

Erica Berger
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Three women sit at a stage and take a selfie

French teacher Efthemia Johanides (left), from Susan E. Wagner HS on Staten Island, takes a selfie with Outstanding Activist honoree Alison Kaminsky (middle), the chapter leader at Susan E. Wagner, and Carol Asuencio, a para representative at the school.

Erica Berger
A man raises his hands at the podium and a women next to him smiles.

Outstanding Union Activist Karl Bruckner, the chapter leader at the School for Excellence on the Morris Campus in the Bronx, holds up his Outstanding Union Activist award after receiving it from UFT Vice President for Academic High Schools Janella Hinds.

Erica Berger
A woman and her husband pose for a photo

UFT delegate Mariana Hunter-Ellin from the HS for Public Service in Brooklyn celebrates her Outstanding Union Activist award with her husband.

Erica Berger
A group of attendees at a table clap in honor of an award winner

Donna Coppola (second from right), a union representative from the UFT’s Staten Island borough office, and educators from Susan Wagner HS clap for Alison Kaminsky, their colleague, when she receives her award.

Erica Berger
A group of people take a selfie on stage

Hinds (left) takes a selfie with Excellence in Education winners Charmonique Lambert (second from left) from Eagle Academy for Young Men on Staten Island; Fiorella Maria Rivera from Bayside HS in Queens; Anna Leung from Brooklyn Preparatory HS; Lisa-Erika James from Talent Unlimited HS in Manhattan; and Marvin Carbajal from Bushwick School for Social Justice in Brooklyn.

Erica Berger
A group of honorees pose for a photo
Hinds (left) stands with Community Champion honorees Elizabeth Tapia (second from left), a school counselor at Union Square Academy for Health Sciences in Manhattan; Jessica O’Connell, a school counselor at Susan E. Wagner HS, and her daughter; and Nellie Turken, a paraprofessional at the Manhattan Academy for Arts and Language.
Erica Berger
A group of members on stage hold up a banner for their school

UFT members from Union Square Academy for Health Services hold up the Team High School award they won for excellence through collaboration and promoting a positive school culture.

Erica Berger
A woman shows off her flowers that she received after winning an award.
Librarian Christina Gavin, the chapter leader at Jeffrey M. Rapport HS in the Bronx, shows off the flowers that came with her Outstanding Union Activist award.
Erica Berger
A woman and her son smile for a photo while sitting at a table

Bronx Theater HS teacher Benedette Loparo, whose school received a Team High School award, attends the celebration with her son.

Erica Berger
A group takes a photo together on the steps

A group of award-winners gathers before the event for a photo with Hinds (front, in pink dress) and UFT President Michael Mulgrew (back row, left).

Erica Berger