May 23, 2022 (Albany) – NYS PTA is thrilled to announce the inaugural unit-level winner of the newly created NYS PTA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion award.
This award serves as a means to honor NYS PTA Units, Councils or Regions that demonstrate a leadership commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through recruitment, training and retention efforts including multicultural, gender-diverse and special needs appropriate programming or events, inclusive outreach activities, or other initiatives.
This year’s unit-level winner is
Searingtown Elementary School PTA from Nassau Region
Searingtown Elementary School PTA brought to their school a variety of books from an array of different cultures through their monthly SearReads program and further hosted a culturally diverse bookfair for National Book Reading month. They also invited two diverse children’s authors for a virtual visit and greatly supported DEI initiatives in their school and community.
“Searingtown Elementary School PTA is truly thankful to be recognized by the NYS PTA with the 2021-2022 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion award,” said co-presidents Seemeen Pathan and Elizabeth Dinda. “Our PTA would like to thank the following people who helped us along the way: Namiko Suga, Sonia Dixon, Colleen Giordano, and our school principal Diana DeGiorgio. We also would like to thank the families and our Herricks community for their support. We look to continue our DEI efforts for many more years.”
“Congratulations to Searingtown Elementary School PTA for being NYS PTA’s very first unit-level winner of this new and significant award,” offered NYS PTA President, Dana Platin. “Diversity, equity, and inclusion are principles that are essential to the pursuit of NYS PTA’s mission to be a powerful voice for all children. I am so excited that we are able to honor our hardworking volunteers for their tireless dedication to promoting these values.”