Celebrating (from left to right) with UFT Staten Island Special Representative Donna Coppola are Staten Island teachers Filomena Maratea of IS 7 for the Personalized Support Award, Benjamin Gilbert of IS 51 for the Long-Term Student Award and Christina Calabrese of IS 7 for the Coaching Award.

UFT Vice President for Middle Schools Richard Mantell welcomes the more than 200 attendees to the Middle Schools Awards.

Mantell (center) honors Community Engagement Award winners (left to right) paraprofessional John Kamps of IS 5 in Elmhurst, Queens, teachers Karen Hershkowitz of JHS 227 in Bensonhurt, Brooklyn, and Kyle Goodridge of  IS 217 in Longwood, the Bronx, and Chapter Leader Kristin Golat-Defendis of IS 51 in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Teacher Jiehua Xuan acknowledges her supporters from IS 220 in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, as she stands to accept her School Culture Award.

Reflecting three generations of UFT members are Learning Environment Award-winning teacher Jean Pedri (center) of IS 61 in Corona, Queens, flanked by her daughter Shannon Kelly, a per diem substitute teacher at IS 61, and her mother, Margaret Bena, a school librarian at IS 145 in Flushing, Queens, and a UFT member since 1961.

Teacher Lamoy Bryan (center) of Riverdale Avenue MS in Brownsville, Brooklyn, shows off her Lifelong Learner Award, along with family and colleagues.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew greets middle school educators and their families, saying: “Whatever it takes, middle school educators figure it out.”

Collaboration Award winner Spenser Scherling of IS 136 in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park celebrates with colleagues and family.