around the uft
For one of their own
Oct 29, 2009 1:55 PM
PS/MS 278, Manhattan, walkathon
“We really come together as a community for this cause,” says Klein (far right). Walking with him and the kids are teachers Jaime Dragoon (at banner) and Ed Peskie (rear).
More than 550 people in Manhattan’s PS/MS 278 school community held their very own march against breast cancer on Oct. 8. Students, staff, administrators and parents turned out for their annual walkathon at nearby Baker Athletic Field for reasons dear to their heart, according to Chapter Leader Robert Klein. PS/MS 278, which opened in 2004, also goes by another name: The Paula Hedbavny School. At the time it was to the staff’s best knowledge the only school named after a New York City teacher. Hedbavny was a beloved special education teacher who lost a 14-year battle with breast cancer in 2003. “Our principal petitioned to name the school after her,” said Klein, who was a colleague of Hedbavny’s. They honor her further by the walkathon, which raises funds for cancer research at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York-Presbyterian. Principal Maureen Guido said that another reason for holding the walk is to encourage children to be sensitive to the needs of others. “Even though we’re a Title I school, it’s important for us to have children think about others who are not so fortunate,” Guido said. “What better way to do that than with a heathy walk?” And walk they did, K-5 kids in the morning and the older kids in the afternoon, all proudly wearing their white-and-blue T-shirts, thanks to the sponsorship of Con Edison.
A portrait of Hedbavny hangs in the hallway of the school named after her.
Accompanying kids on the guitar is teacher Elana Stiel-Obstfeld. With her are colleagues (from left) teacher Evelyn DeLa Cruz, Guido and teachers Katherine Ha and Arianna D’Agostino.
