There is nothing middling about the essential role that middle school educators play in inspiring and motivating students during a transformative stage of life, UFT Vice President for Middle Schools Richard Mantell said as he welcomed members to the UFT’s inaugural Middle School Awards Night on May 15.

“We hop on the adolescent roller coaster willingly, and we’re there for all the highs, lows, twists and turns, even when it feels like we’re riding blindfolded,” Mantell told the approximately 200 members and guests who gathered at UFT headquarters.

He said middle school educators are also mentors, counselors, parent figures, advisers and, on a good day, friends in a student’s life, and they juggle these roles constantly.

Twenty-five UFT members were honored for promoting student and community engagement, school culture, learning environment and personalized support, among other categories.

In lieu of speeches, honorees had the opportunity to record a video about their work that was showcased during the event. Each table was festooned with a centerpiece made up of laminated photos of award winners and buttons with the honorees’ photos, all of which guided guests to their seating.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew said that middle school educators deserve to be celebrated “because those grades are the hardest to teach and we have the data to prove it.”

Experts and think tanks frequently blame teachers for drops in standardized test scores in middle school, Mulgrew noted, but that rush to judgement reflects a fundamental lack of understanding of the challenges of teaching adolescents.

Amelia Rajkumar-Singh, who teaches algebra at MS 137 in Queens, received a School Culture Award for contributing to a welcoming, supportive and inclusive school environment. She has been at the school for 20 years and recently became a teacher leader. She said members and students go to her for her institutional knowledge, organizational skills and willingness to help, such as organizing the annual 8th-grade trip. “I get things done,” she said.

Chapter Leader Vincent Corletta said Rajkumar-Singh is the “mother” of the school and knows everything. “She’s amazing,” he said. “She eats, sleeps and breathes her craft, and it shows.”

Science teacher Jason Batus, the chapter leader at IS 239 in Brooklyn, received a Long-Term Student Impact Award for helping to shape students’ futures and providing ongoing encouragement and guidance after they leave his classroom.

Batus started the school’s Social Awareness Club years ago to guide students who want to make positive changes concerning animal rights, human rights and the environment. In one campaign, the students wrote letters to the president of South Africa decrying illegal rhinoceros poaching. Each year, students also run a spring food drive and collect new coats for the UFT Middle School Division’s annual Thanksgiving Coat Drive.

Batus said he brings his sense of humor to the classroom and makes sure students know that he is there and won’t pass judgment if they need him. He has been to former students’ weddings, celebrated the births of their children and kept in touch with families.

“It’s a special school, but I think it all comes down to making authentic connections,” he said.

Chapter Leader Dalainy Amador, who has taught at MS 45 in the Bronx for 25 years, received a Personalized Support Award for fostering student success by offering tailored support. She teaches English language arts to English language learners.

“I’ve become pretty good over the years at meeting their needs and making things special for them, giving them a task and personalizing what they need,” she said.

Math teacher Rashedah Henriques of the Middle School of Media, Law and Fine Arts in Brooklyn received a Student Engagement Award. In her acceptance video, Henriques explained how she develops engaging lessons and incorporates diverse perspectives in her classroom. Many students, she said, get intimidated by numbers, fractions and decimals and automatically say they are not good at math. One of her keys to success is having them recite daily affirmations about being successful at math and beyond.

“They have no limits in life,” she said, “and once you reinforce confidence in the work or just confidence in themselves, you start to see a student blossom in their own way.”