He has a rock-star-sounding name and during his address to delegates at Friday's afternoon general session, New York State Teacher of the Year Steve Bongiovi received a celebrity reception.
Bongiovi, who has spent 34 years teaching English at Seaford High on Long Island, was introduced by NYSUT Vice President Maria Neira as "an inspiration to everyone in Seaford." A short video on Bongiovi's teaching career and philosophy was shown to RA delegates before Bongiovi took the stage.
"It might not make TV, but it just became my favorite Bongiovi video," he quipped.
Bongiovi praised his fellow teachers, including United Teachers of Seaford President Lori Fritsch and Vice President Dan Hayden, who once was a Bongiovi student and was the person who encouraged him to apply for teacher of the year.
Bongiovi has been an active unionist, serving on the UTS professional development committee, which he says improved his self confidence as a teacher.
Bongiovi was brought to the stage minutes after delegates unanimously approved unification between NYSUT and NEA/NY. Bongiovi said he was touched that the first activity of a unified NYSUT and NEA/NY was to honor a teacher.
Bongiovi called teachers the "800 percent solution," pointing out that studies have shown that teachers have more of an impact on creating successful schools than any other factor, by an 8-to-1 margin.
"Teaching always matters and that means teachers will always matter," Bongiovi said.