feature stories
Citizen/soldier makes his mark in classroom and, soon, in Iraq
Apr 10, 2008 4:06 PM
Tony Plata with his kids Traina and Diego.
Tony Plata, 5th-grade teacher and data specialist at PS 46 in the Bronx, leads a double life: He’s also a captain in the New York National Guard with more than 130 soldiers under his command. But if anyone can handle the complexities of juggling reading and math tests with surviving in a combat zone, it’s Plata. After all, he’s the guy who in June 2007 was a total non-swimmer but less than two months later overcame the obstacles and aced a triathlon, which includes a 2.5-mile bike race, a 6.1-mile sprint, and a nonstop swim of a full mile.
Plata is interviewed after the farewell ceremony by NY1.
Plata is now headed for that combat zone. He and his troops shipped out recently to Texas for training and will be deployed to Iraq in May. Their mission will be to purify water, provide fuel and deliver supplies.
Plata got a big send-off on March 9 when 500 well-wishers, including Congressman Vito Fossella, State Sen. Martin Golden and a large contingent of Plata’s PS 46 colleagues, attended a farewell ceremony for his company at Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn.
Growing up in the then-unforgiving streets of Bedford Park near where he teaches, Plata’s strength of character was forged early in life when he witnessed peers become casualties to the gangs and other chaos of inner-city life.
PS 46 teachers wish Plata well at the send-off ceremony.
“Those experiences helped build my character and sense of obligation to my community,” Plata said.
He notes that his military training has come in handy in the classroom. “It’s taught me that I can accomplish anything with hard work and dedication and so can my students,” he said. “I only want the best for them and therefore I will not accept anything less than 100 percent. I model the behavior and attitude I expect of them: no yelling and no disrespect. Both careers have taught me patience and understanding.”
Plata was 28 when he felt called to military service. He rose quickly through the ranks. After basic training he distinguished himself in Officer Candidate School, was commissioned as a second lieutenant, became a platoon leader, a quartermaster officer, executive officer and ultimately company commander within a few years. During that time he also earned two graduate degrees in education and administration from Lehman College and City College, respectively. He already had an undergraduate degree in business administration from Pace University, but he soon found out that employment as a retail store department manager did not suit him.
He was enticed by education.
A committed athlete — Plata was the star quarterback on his high school football team and played defensive back in college — his first teaching job was in a private school where he was the after-school director and basketball coach. But from the moment he came on board at PS 46 in 2000, he felt at home.
The school’s principal, Iris Lim, calls Plata “a great mentor for children, a natural leader and a perfect role model.”
Everyone at PS 46 hopes Plata’s ability to overcome the obstacles will bring him back safely from Iraq to his classroom.
