9 LI Educators Awarded $15K In Grants During Teacher Appreciation Week

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — In celebration of National Teacher Appreciation Week, Teachers Federal Credit Union named the winners of its sixth annual Teacher Appreciation Week Contest, awarding a total of $15,000 in classroom grants to nine Long Island educators selected through public voting.

The annual contest recognizes teachers making meaningful impacts in their schools and communities through leadership, innovation, mentorship and student support.

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The recipients were selected from a nationwide pool of nominations and chosen through public voting. The grants are intended to support classroom learning, creativity and student success while recognizing the educators’ impact on their students and communities.

Nine Long Island teachers were recognized across three grade-level categories.

For grades Pre-K through 5, the winners included Jaimie Miscioscia of Cayuga Elementary School, Daniel Casamassa of Pulaski Street Intermediate School and Judith Goldfarb of Charles A. Mulligan Elementary School.

In the grades 6 through 8 category, winners included Lindsay Guzzo of Samoset Middle School, Susan Porter of Nesaquake Middle School and Jon Stecker of P.J. Gelinas Middle School.

For grades 9 through 12, honorees included Christine Maniscalco of West Islip High School, Rahana Schmalacker of Central Islip High School and Frank Verdone of Hampton Bays High School.

According to the credit union, the grants will help fund classroom initiatives and educational resources designed to enhance student learning experiences.

In the grades Pre-K through 5 category, first place went to Miscioscia of Cayuga Elementary School in Lake Grove. Miscioscia is the co-founder of PS I Love You Day and was recognized for bringing the organization’s focus on kindness, connection and emotional wellness into schools while creating supportive environments for students.

“I believe that social-emotional learning is just as important as academic instruction, especially for students with disabilities, because building self-awareness, emotional regulation, and strong relationships creates the foundation for all meaningful growth and long-term success,” Miscioscia said to the Credit Union.

Second place in the category went to Goldfarb of Charles A. Mulligan Elementary School in Central Islip. Goldfarb is a bilingual fourth-grade teacher who has been praised for supporting multilingual learners and helping remove barriers to student success through community outreach and family engagement.

Casamassa of Pulaski Street Intermediate School in Riverhead earned third place for his work supporting students facing academic and developmental challenges while fostering perseverance, teamwork and confidence in the classroom.

For grades 6 through 8, first place was awarded to Guzzo of Samoset Middle School in Lake Ronkonkoma, a sixth-grade science teacher recognized for her hands-on teaching style and leadership through student government and PTA initiatives.

Stecker of P.J. Gelinas Middle School in Setauket earned second place for inspiring students through STEM education, mentorship and the integration of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence into classroom learning.

Third place went to Porter of Nesaquake Middle School in St. James, who was recognized for creating an empathetic classroom environment centered on confidence-building, individualized growth and inclusion.

In the grades 9 through 12 category, first place was awarded to Maniscalco of West Islip High School in West Islip, a library media specialist with 25 years of experience who has transformed the school library into a collaborative learning hub focused on technology, creativity and AI integration.

“I strive to create for my students the same sense of safety and belonging that an educator once gave me, and to ensure every student knows they matter,” Maniscalco said.

Verdone of Hampton Bays High School in Hampton Bays earned second place for preparing students for future careers through business education, financial literacy and entrepreneurship programs.

Rounding out the category was Schmalacker of Central Islip High School in Central Islip, who was recognized for connecting literature, journalism and creative learning experiences to help students develop confidence and amplify student voices.

“In my classroom, we are both teachers and learners,” Schmalacker said. “We respect each other’s experiences, value diverse perspectives, and recognize that learning shapes who we are.”