Glen Cove Unveils Art Installation and Scholarships

GLEN COVE, NEW YORK (OCTOBER 2022) — Friends of Arts & Music Enrichment Glen Cove Inc., (FAME GC) recently unveiled the “tree of inspiration,” an art exhibit at Glen Cove High School dedicated to former Glen Cove High School teachers who left an everlasting impact on the district.

The exhibit, which adorns the lobby of GCHS, portrays a verdant tree with four of its leaves imprinted with a photo and description of a beloved teacher. Fame GC, a nonprofit launched by district alumni supporting music and arts education, introduced the exhibit and announced four annual scholarships named after the teachers.

“Glen Cove’s alumni in FAME GC created a beautiful tribute recognizing the teachers who shaped their high school years and taught them skills that have impacted their performances in their current careers,” said Superintendent of Schools Maria L. Rianna. “It’s remarkable to hear about the lessons these teachers imparted and the experiences they shared that have stayed with their students throughout their lives and careers.”

The installation is designed to grow and honor additional Glen Cove staff members in the future. This year’s honorees include Sally Zwiebach, a former literature and language arts teacher, Dale Zurbrick, the late music and theater arts teacher, Thom Ruckert, the late founder of Glen Cove Television, and Albert Johnson, the late visual arts teacher.

The scholarships—named the Sally A. Zwiebach Scholarship, Dale Alan Zurbrick Memorial Scholarship, Thom Ruckert Memorial Scholarship, and the Albert V. (“AJ”) Johnson Memorial Scholarship—are $1,000 each and will be awarded to graduating seniors beginning in June 2023.

“By creating this art installation, we want to thank and recognize these very special teachers, while also inspiring the current generation of teachers to realize the amazing impact they have and to inspire their students to embrace the lessons they teach,” said FAME GC President Judith Germano.

Dale Zurbrick had a 26-year career in the district, directing over 50 productions in addition to concerts and special events. His students saw him as a force of nature who never had a dull moment in his classes. In addition to his classroom activities, he often took students to plays in Manhattan and sometimes even brought them backstage for meet and greets with the cast.

Thom Ruckert started the Glen Cove TV studio in 1976 and built it into what many call the heart of the district. The studio was regarded as so prestigious and influential that it eventually became a model to many other schools, including colleges across Long Island.

Albert (“AJ”) Johnson taught for 30 years in Glen Cove as an art education teacher and track and field coach. He created a classroom environment that motivated every student, whether they were experienced artists or new to the subject. One assignment asked students to recreate a famous painting, but start with one small portion, which took the seemingly impossible and broke it down piece by piece.

Sally Zwiebach was a literature and language arts teacher who was remembered for walking students through challenging passages by breaking down the meaning of words and phrases for them. She would take difficult readings and lessons and make them accessible and relatable, her students recalled.

FAME GC is a nonprofit that was founded in 2020 by Glen Cove High School alumni seeking to support music and arts education, specifically in the Glen Cove School District. Valerie Lasser, the creative director of FAME GC, and her husband Michael Lasser designed and constructed the art installation. To learn more about FAME GC and its programs, visit https://www.famegc.org/.

For more information about the Glen Cove City School District, please visit the District’s website at www.glencoveschools.org. Happenings in the District can also be followed on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/glencovecityschooldistrict.