Borough President James Oddo will be reviving the Patrick F. Daly Memorial Award for outstanding borough educators.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Borough President James Oddo has announced that he is reviving the Patrick F. Daly Memorial Award for outstanding borough educators.
The award is given to those in the education field who exemplify the values of the late principal Patrick Daly, who was gunned down in Red Hook, Brooklyn, while enroute to a student's home, 25 years ago this year.
"The Daly family approached me and asked to bring back the award and I'm happy to do that," Oddo said.
"This award gives us as Staten Islanders an opportunity to honor Mr. Daly, his legacy and sacrifice, as well as recognize outstanding educators in our community."
Daly, who lived on Rose Avenue, New Dorp, was fatally shot Dec. 17, 1993, outside the Red Hook Houses, in what police said at the time was the crossfire of a gunfight between rival drug gangs.
Daly was known for taking the unusual step of walking children home if they were sick, in trouble or targets of bullies, and had been searching for an errant student who had left school suddenly.
The first Daly Award was presented in 1993 by then-Borough President Guy Molinari, to the late educator Arnie Magenheim, who died last year. In subsequent years the award was presented to a who's who of educators, including: Lawrence Ambrosinio, then principal of PS 57, Clifton, and the late Sister M. Raimonde Bartus, the beloved assistant principal at St. Joseph Hill Academy, Arrochar.
The Daly Award was suspended several years ago, in the aftermath of 9/11.
"As we approach the 25th Anniversary of my father's death, we are honored and most appreciative to Borough President James Oddo for re-instituting the Patrick F. Daly Award. This award will ensure my father's dedication and sacrifice will be remembered and the work of a new generation of dedicated educators will be recognized," said Patrick Daly, son of the fallen educator.
Those eligible for the Daly award are principals, assistant principals, teachers, and guidance counselors who live or work on the Island within public, parochial or private schools with children grades pre-K through 12th grade. Those retired from their fields and those who have been nominated in previous years are also eligible.
Nominations may be submitted by colleagues, superiors, students, parents or other members of the community.
The nomination form is available on www.statenislandusa.com/dalyaward
Nominations will be accepted until July 1.