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This being the 10th anniversary year of the Blackboard Awards, it seems only fitting to recall the involvement of the awards’ patron saint, the legendary teacher and author Frank McCourt. You may remember that McCourt was the career high school English teacher who, in retirement, wrote the mega-bestselling memoir about his childhood in Ireland, Angela’s Ashes. He then followed that up with an account of years as a New York City public school teacher, called Teacher Man.
McCourt emceed all the Blackboard Award ceremonies until his death in 2009, and I have no doubt his words and wisdom still echo in the minds of many the educators—teachers and principals alike—who were there during those ceremonies. They certainly do in me. McCourt’s message was that only a teacher really knows what it’s like to stand in front of classroom full of kids and get them to learn something. He bristled about how the teaching profession was besieged by so-called experts telling teachers what to do, when many of the experts themselves were never teachers. Mostly, though, he expressed a lot of camaraderie, respect and dark-humored sympathy for his fellow educators.
Only Frank could say it like Frank, but we try to carry his message forth in our own way: hoping to express that you, our dedicated and talented local educators, are deeply appreciated by many around you, your colleagues, students and parents. Chances are it was one of them who put in the nomination for you or your school.
Originally founded by the leaders of Manhattan Media, Tom Allon and Richard Burns, the Blackboard Awards are dedicated to honoring excellence in local education wherever it exists—public, private, charter or parochial school. It humbles us to learn about the good work you do, and that, in turn, impassions us to get out the word.
Speaking for all my colleagues at Manhattan Media, I have two final words for you: Thank you.
—Eric Messinger, Editor, New York Family
2012 Blackboard Award Winners
West Side YMCA, Where Teachers and Parents Work Hand-in-Hand
Students Learn to ‘GELL’ at Village School
Nurturing the Whole Child at St. Stephen of Hungary
PS 199 Creates Lifelong Learners
Horace Mann: A Century of Quality Teaching in the Heart of the City
Character Counts at Harlem Village Academies
The Uncommon Way: Improving the Norm for Inner-City Students
Small Step From High School to College
A Blueprint for the Global School of the Future
The World Awaits at Leman School
Emphasis on Whole Child at Battery Park School
Prepping for a Bright Future at Winston Prep
Math and Sciences Under Microscope at High School
All the World’s a Stage at Performing Arts School
Opening the Doors to the Future for Students
Empowering Students and Teachers to Find their Voice