Woods Road Teacher Wins NYSUT Community Service Award
A Woods Road teacher, Mr. Thomas Shingler, has received the NYSUT Community Service Award for his unselfish work with children and their causes primarily through his leadership in the Boy Scouts for over 12 years. Mr. Shingler has volunteered countless hours on Boy Scout projects, one of which was work at a convalescent home in West Islip where he could be seen helping to install a fence to enclose a safe area for Alzheimer’s patients, constructing flower boxes for wheelchair bound patients, and building a rock garden as a peaceful haven for patients to visit.
Mr. Shingler is the embodiment of impeccable character, integrity, and dedication as he has placed the needs of his troop before his own and encouraged them to be the best that they could be. He has forged a link between the Scouts and Woods Road Elementary School as he teamed up with the Site Based Team to have his scouts help to beautify the school courtyard.
Mr. Shingler has also been the co-producer of the school’s “Holiday Debacle” which raises funds for less fortunate members of the school community. He can always be found at PTA functions in the evenings, dressing as Santa for the Holiday Fair, or reading at Pajama Reading Night. Steven Golub, the Woods Road Principal, aptly described Thomas when he said, “He has neither ego to stroke nor personal gains to fuel as he genuinely wants to help others in their causes and in the causes he shares with them.”
