Friday, March 26, 2004.

NYSUT First Vice President Antonia Cortese

The union's quiet heroes, who accomplish miracles every day in the course of doing their jobs, were celebrated Friday in a moving address by NYSUT First Vice President Antonia Cortese.

Speaking to delegates and the thousands of members they represent, Cortese declared: "You give hope to a struggling student. You give compassion to an ailing grandmother. You give light to new thoughts and ideas.You truly are New York's heroes."

She illuminated her theme with individual examples of NYSUT's quiet heroes, such as NYU lab technician Michele De Paola. De Paola, whose health was damaged by overexposure to formaldehyde in an NYU lab, is now working with the union to safeguard other workers' health.

Cortese also told the story of East Greenbush teacher Michael Bennett and assistant principal John Sawchuk (pictured), whose heroism stopped an armed student from what could have been a Columbine-like massacre.

In the hushed assembly hall, Cortese shared a letter from a grateful mother, who wrote: "I'd like Michael Bennett and John Sawchuk to know that there is a powerful ripple effect because of their swift actions in bringing down this gunman .... a ripple that will be felt for generations, validated by every success each one of these Columbia students accomplishes. It will be felt by all parents who could hold their children that night."

Then Cortese introduced the two educators, who were greeted with tears, cheers and a prolonged ovation from the crowd as Cortese presented them with NYSUT Life Line awards.

In her address, Cortese also spoke of the "quiet heroes" whose dedication has helped students across New York state achieve at unprecedented levels, accomplishments recognized in NYSUT's new report, "Explosion of Excellence." Excellence, Cortese said, comes in many forms. "Our BOCES is the best in the country," she said. "College enrollment is up and so are graduation rates." Citing the academic strengths of CUNY and SUNY, Cortese noted that "more low income and minority children are going to college," with New York sending 82 percent of its high school graduates on to college - 17 points higher than the national average.

More students are taking AP courses, she noted, and New York students "absolutely dominate" the Intel science awards.

Cortese said NYSUT's job is to provide the help members need to continue this "explosion of excellence."

Over the last year, "NYSUT had to overcome threats to our paras and teaching assistants when No Child Left Behind threatened their jobs with unreasonable requirements," Cortese said. "We saved jobs and we kept teaching assistants where they belong: in the classroom, helping students."

She recounted NYSUT's efforts on behalf of social studies teachers who were facing an onerous federal mandate to meet four separate subject requirements. "We got that changed," Cortese said.

She reported that a test prep course for teaching assistants, developed by the NYSUT Education and Learning Trust, has already been completed by more than 1,000 NYSUT members.

Thanks to NYSUT's advocacy on behalf of physics teachers, Cortese reported, "the Regents and commissioner listened, and NYSUT helped make sure that any student willing to do the work could take physics and not face a Regents exam that Albert Einstein would need extra help to pass."

Union activism led to creation of the Math Standards Committee, which is "completely revising New York's math program with a grade-by-grade curriculum," she said.

Cortese shared a message from Sandra Feldman, president of the American Federation of Teachers, who "wanted me (Cortese) to make sure all of you know how proud she is of NYSUT. She knows the struggles you face and she knows the great work you do."