Dear Parents and Families, | | |
Happy Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month! NYSED's Office of Cultural Education is proud to commemorate AAPI Heritage Month with a series of free public programs celebrating the rich history, enduring legacy, and extraordinary contributions of AAPI communities in New York State. These events honor the rich and resilient journey of AAPI individuals and communities, recognizing not only the challenges they’ve overcome but also their remarkable achievements, vibrant cultures, and enduring contributions that continue to shape and enrich our state.
Join us in exploring the upcoming AAPI programs from the New York State Museum, New York State Library, and New York Archives Magazine. We invite you to participate in these enriching programs and celebrate the vibrant AAPI heritage with us!
In this edition of the family newsletter, I would like to share important updates on the following topics:
- Lost Revolutionary War Ship Unearthed at Ground Zero Kicks Off America's 250th Anniversary Celebration at the New York State Museum
- My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) Fellows and Major MBK Community Network Milestone
- New Erie Canal Panel Exhibition
- Subscribe to the Office of Cultural Education Newsletter
- New York State Math and Science Teaching Incentive Program
- Statewide Mathematics Tournament Regional Winners
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Lost Revolutionary War Ship Unearthed at Ground Zero Kicks Off America's 250th Anniversary Celebration at the New York State Museum
In July 2010, while excavating at the site of the World Trade Center, archaeologists discovered the remains of an 18th-century wooden ship. This Revolutionary War-era gunboat lay hidden for over two centuries beneath the Hudson River shoreline. Believed to have been built near Philadelphia in the 1770s and possibly seized by the British during the war, the vessel offers a rare glimpse into early American maritime history.
The public is invited to watch New York State Museum staff and Texas A&M University specialists reconstruct the vessel in real time. Beginning Wednesday, May 14, visitors can watch the process during regular museum hours, Tuesday through Sunday, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. — an extraordinary experience you don’t want to miss.
Once complete, the ship will become the showstopping centerpiece of the Museum’s commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary, kicking off New York’s contribution to the nationwide celebration.
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State Education Department Announces Eighth Class of My Brother’s Keeper Fellows and Major MBK Community Network Milestone
At its annual My Brother's Keeper (MBK) symposium this month, the State Education Department inducted the eighth class of New York State MBK Fellows—the largest ever class of boys and young men of color who are leaders in their schools and communities—and announced that the MBK Community Network has now grown to 50 member communities.
The My Brother’s Keeper initiative, a statewide initiative aimed at addressing opportunity gaps, helps boys and young men of color—and all students—realize their full potential.
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Full Steam Ahead: New Erie Canal Panel Exhibition Brings New York State Museum Resources Directly to Schools and Cultural Institutions
The State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education is making history more accessible than ever! Its world-class team of researchers is honoring the 200th anniversary of one of the largest and most remarkable public works projects in American history by bringing the Erie Canal’s legacy directly to New York State schools and other cultural institutions.
“Enterprising Waters: New York’s Erie Canal” is an eight-panel exhibition carefully curated by the New York State Museum to bring the astonishing story of the canal to life, celebrating its visionary inception, ambitious construction, and bicentennial commemoration.
Anyone interested in displaying “Enterprising Waters: New York’s Erie Canal” is asked to e-mail the New York State Museum at nysmhistory@nysed.gov.
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Subscribe to the Office of Cultural Education Newsletter!
The Office of Cultural Education (OCE) proudly supports P-12 teaching and learning across New York State through a variety of programs, services, and resources. This includes expanded learning opportunities, professional development, and online resources -- for both educators and learners! OCE publishes a quarterly newsletter for educators that highlights classroom-ready materials, events, and more.
Sign up here for the OCE Education Newsletter and view the Spring 2025 issue.
Cultural education refers to organized programs or learning experiences rooted in the arts & humanities, natural sciences, and history & heritage. This connects well with P-12 content areas, including, but not limited to, arts, science, and social studies. Cultural education forms an important part of a broad and balanced curriculum, and students should be provided with an engaging variety of cultural experiences throughout their time at school. Cultural education helps us understand and appreciate the world around us. It cultivates a sense of wonder and belonging, and it is a vital component of a well-rounded education.
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New York State Math and Science Teaching Incentive Program Now Open
The New York State Math and Science Teaching Incentive Program provides scholarships for eligible students who commit to pursuing careers as secondary math or science teachers in New York State.
To receive the scholarship, applicants must:
- Be enrolled full-time in an approved program at a SUNY or CUNY campus, leading to a math or science teaching career.
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Meet citizenship/NYS residency requirements, or qualify under the NYS DREAM Act.
- Maintain good academic standing with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above.
- Commit to teaching math or science in a NYS secondary school (grades 7-12) full-time for five years.
The annual award is equal to the cost of in-state tuition at SUNY or actual tuition, whichever is less ($7,070 for the 2024-25 academic year). Awards may be received for up to four years of full-time undergraduate study and one year of graduate study.
How to apply:
The application deadline is May 13, 2025. To learn more, apply, or request an appointment to talk with a staff member, please visit the Higher Education Services Corporation’s NYS Math and Science Teaching Incentive Program website.
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Statewide Mathematics Tournament Regional Winners
The New York State Education Department is pleased to announce the 2025 Statewide Mathematics Tournament regional contest winners!
The Grade 1 regional winners are from the following schools:
- Mount Morris Elementary School, Mount Morris Central School District
- Homer Brink Elementary, Maine Endwell Central School District
- Glenmont Elementary, Bethlehem Central School District
- Locust School, Garden City Public Schools
- J Fred Sparke Elementary School, Island Trees School District
- W S Mount Elementary School, Three Village Central School District
- New Explorations into Science, Technology, and Math, New York City Public Schools
- P.S. 39 Henry Bristow, New York City Public Schools
- P.S. 144Q Col Jeromus Remsen, New York City Public Schools
The Grade 2 regional winners are from the following schools:
- Pine Brook Elementary, Greece Central School District
- Winslow Elementary School, Rush-Henrietta Central School District
- Cicero Elementary School, North Syracuse Central School District
- Deasy Elementary School, Glen Cove City School District
- Sloatsburg Elementary, Suffern Central School District
- Tuttle Avenue School, Eastport-South Manor Central School District
- P.S. 75 Emily Dickinson, New York City Public Schools
- P.S. 315K The School of Performing Arts, New York City Public Schools
- P.S. 174 William Sidney Mount, New York City Public Schools
The Grade 3 regional winners are from the following schools:
- William Street School, Lancaster Central School District
- East Rochester Elementary School, East Rochester Union Free School District
- Cherry Road Elementary, Westhill Central School District
- Dows Lane Elementary School, Irvington Union Free School District
- New Hyde Park Road School, New Hyde-Garden City Park Union Free School District
- Marion G. Vedder Elementary School, North Babylon Union Free School District
- Storefront Academy Charter School – Harlem, New York City Public Schools
- Cultural Arts Academy Charter School, New York City Public Schools
- P.S. 105 The Blythebourne School, New York City Public Schools
- P.S. 376Q Bayside Hills School of Excellence, New York City Public Schools
The Grade 4 regional winners are from the following schools:
- Winchester-Potters Elementary School, West Seneca Central School District
- Children's School of Rochester No. 15, Rochester City School District
- General Herkimer Elementary, Utica City School District
- Old Mill Road School, North Merrick Union Free School District
- Claremont Elementary, Ossining Union Free School District
- Vanderbilt Elementary School, Half Hollow Hills Central School District
- P.S. 33 Chelsea Prep, New York City Public Schools
- P.S. 397 Foster-Laurie Elementary School, New York City Public Schools
- P.S. 209, New York City Public Schools
- P.S. 173, New York City Public Schools
The Grade 5 regional winners are from the following schools:
- Churchville-Chili Middle School, Churchville-Chili Central School District
- Manor Intermediate School, Honeoye Falls-Lima School District
- Guilderland Elementary School, Guilderland Central School District
- Chancellor Livingston Elementary School, Rhinebeck Central School District
- George A. Jackson Elementary School, Jericho Union Free School District
- R.J.O Intermediate School, Kings Park Central School District
- P.S. 87 William T. Sherman School, New York City Public Schools
- PS/IS 499Q The Queens College School for Math, Science, and Technology, New York City Public Schools
- P.S. 181Q The Brookfield School, New York City Public Schools
The Grade 6 regional winners are from the following schools:
- Hinsdale Central School District
- W. A. Wettel Elementary School, Vernon Verona Sherrill Central School District
- Holy Family School, Syracuse Diocese
- Howell Road Elementary School, Valley Stream 13 School District
- Pearl River Middle School, Pearl River School District
- Great Hollow Middle School, Smithtown Central School District
- P.S./I.S. 206 Joseph F Lamb, New York City Public Schools
- P.S./I.S. 48 William G. Wilcox, New York City Public Schools
The Grade 7 regional winners are from the following schools:
- Saint Stephen School, Diocese of Buffalo Catholic Schools
- Jordan-Elbridge Middle School, Jordan-Elbridge Central School District
- Chittenango Middle School, Chittenango Central School District
- Willets Road School, East Williston School District
- Carle Place Middle/High School, Carle Place Public Schools
- Hampton Bays Middle School, Hampton Bays Public Schools
- Brooklyn Independent Middle School
- M.S. 216 George J. Ryan, New York City Public Schools
The Grade 8 regional winners are from the following schools:
- P.S. 079 Pfc. William J. Grabiarz School of Excellence, Buffalo City Public Schools
- Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf
- Wellwood Middle School, Fayetteville-Manlius School District
- Orville A Todd Middle School, Spackenkill Union Free School District
- Chestnut Ridge Middle School, East Ramapo Central School District
- Beach Street Middle School, West Islip Public Schools
- P.S. 184M Shuang Wen School, New York City Public Schools
- Challenge Charter Middle School
Congratulations and best of luck in the statewide tournament this month!
Sincerely,
Betty A. Rosa Commissioner
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