HS Teacher Wins NYSUT Community Service Award
High School art teacher Ms. Veronica Murphy is the recipient of a NYSUT Community Service Award for her work with students helping others. Led by the energetic Ms. Murphy, her art students and Students for a Better World, a high school club which she advises, have been busy all year raising money for Habitat for Humanity and the Breast Cancer Coalition. They raised well over $2,000 for Habitat for Humanity so that they could participate in a Student Build. They also participated at the Jones Beach Breast Cancer Walk in October, volunteered for the United Cerebral Palsy Association, raised over $600 for "Soles for Souls" and donated 100 pairs of shoes, held a Fashion Show that raised another $1,053 for Habitat and a community service scholarship, and held a holiday breakfast for district children. Funded by Newsday's Future Corps, they made pillows and seat belt softeners for breast cancer patients, which were greatly appreciated.
Ms. Murphy is personally very active in Habitat for Humanity and participated in a Women's Build this past summer in Bay Shore where everyone on the site was female, even the foreman. She intends to do that again this summer.
With two teenage sons, one wonders how Ms. Murphy finds the time for all her endeavors, but her boys come along on many of her projects because, as she says, "It is important to get them involved in helping others." She also says, "I'm surprised at how much kids care about people whom they don't even know. They are willing and eager to put in so much time to help others. It is inspiring and I want my boys to be part of that as well." These students may well inspire Ms. Murphy, but she also inspires them with her commitment to community service.