NYSUT President Andy Pallotta (center) receives the Charles Cogen Award from American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and UFT President Michael Mulgrew.

More than 1,700 UFT members, many of them coming after participating in the morning’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks throughout the city, fill the Hilton’s ballroom for the UFT’s premier fall event, Teacher Union Day.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, invited as part of the union’s ongoing effort to expose members to all of the 2020 presidential candidates, promises that, if elected, he will “provide you with the support you need and the respect you deserve.”

MaryJo Ginese, the UFT vice president for special education, and Zbigniew (Ziggy) Chodor, the Sidney Harris Award winner.

Vincent Gaglione, a former Bronx borough representative and Retired Teachers Chapter treasurer, gets ready to address the crowd after being introduced by UFT President Michael Mulgrew as the Jules Kolodny Award recipient.

Sean L. Blanks sings the National Anthem.

Albert Lee Smallheiser Award winners (from third left) Christopher Louis Verdone, Troy Sill, Nicole Puglia, Victoria Primiano, Jamie Polzin, Hernoune Nicolas, Katherine Kurjakovic, Michael Herron, Latrice Curry and Bradley Alter, with UFT President Michael Mulgrew (left), AFT President Randi Weingarten (second from left) and UFT Secretary LeRoy Barr (right).

Jill Biden, a lifelong educator and the wife of former Vice President Joe Biden, called teaching a “profoundly optimistic” profession. “Teachers,” she said, “change the world.”

Marsh/Raimo awardees (seated, from left) Lorine Romero, George Caulfield, Lorraine Ferrannini and (standing, from left) Vanecia Wilson and Joseph Natale with RTC Chair Tom Murphy.

Backer/Scheintaub Award recipients Raphael Tomkin (center) and Dermot Smyth (right) with UFT Assistant Secretary Michael Sill.

Peter O’Donnell, a teacher and editor of the Chapter Leader Update, celebrates 10 years as a chapter leader at the HS for Law, Advocacy and Community Justice in Manhattan with his mom, Kathleen O’Donnell (right), and Bernadette Weeks, the executive editor of the Chapter Leader Update.

Above and Beyond Award honorees from PS 177 in Brooklyn came together to support a student (seated, right) who was awaiting a kidney transplant.

UFT members from PS/IS 116 in Jamaica, Queens, who received the Above and Beyond Award for helping students transform the girls bathroom in the school into a place of beauty and empowerment, are joined by Borough Representative Amy Arundell (back row, second from right) and District Representative Rana Quamina (standing, right).

Above and Beyond Award honoree Patricia Lockhart (seated, left) of PS 57 on Staten Island, who uses soap box racing to teach STEM students about engineering and teamwork, with Borough Representative Analia Gerard (second row, left), District 31 Representative Sean Rotkowitz (second row, fifth from left) and her co-workers.

Borough Representative Mary Atkinson (right) with members from Above and Beyond Award honoree PS 153 in the Bronx, where the school’s Pink Ambassadors program has raised more than $70,000 for breast cancer research and teaches students about giving back. The members are (from left) teacher Juliet Gillespie, Chapter Leader Anell Veras and teacher Lisa Williams.

Above and Beyond Award winner PS 154 in Manhattan, where a mentorship program supports young men of color throughout their school careers, with Borough Representative Dwayne Clark (back, left) and District 5 Representative Zina Burton-Myrick (back row, center).

Vice President for Career and Technical Education High Schools Sterling Roberson (second from left) poses with Success Via Apprenticeship Award winners.

Anne Goldman (left), the UFT vice president for non-DOE members, with Audrey Chasen Award winners Patrick Straw and Joselyn Rosa.

Trachtenberg Award winners from high schools with (standing, from right) Vice President for Career and Technical Education High Schools Sterling Roberson and Vice President for Academic High Schools Janella Hinds.

Trachtenberg Award honorees from District 75 and District 79 Schools.

Trachtenberg Award winners from middle schools with Vice President for Middle Schools Richard Mantell (third from right).

Trachtenberg Award recipients from elementary schools with Vice President for Elementary Schools Karen Alford (standing, second from left).

Members from District 14 in Brooklyn, with District 14 Representative Ira Munet (standing, second from left), enjoy the festivities.