In the music industry, there are the Grammys. The movie industry has the Oscars, and television boasts the Emmys. But on Saturday, May 16, all eyes were on PS 5 in Brooklyn’s beloved Bedford-Stuyvesant community. That is where the students, teachers, faculty, staff, and parents of Ronald A. McNair Public School #5 joined forces for the annual, student-led STEMMY Awards.
Hosted by Dr. Robert M. Waterman, Pastor of Antioch Baptist Church, alongside Dr. Melissa Chester and Waliek Crandall—with dynamic student co-hosts Adeleke & Joseph Kayode—the evening kicked off with inspiring words from student poet Aminatah Diallo. This was quickly followed by an electric, high-energy performance by the student dance ensemble, Gye Nyame Dancers.
Attending students, parents, faculty, and guests were later treated to a special appearance by R&B singer Jimmy Cozier. In addition to presenting awards, Cozier thrilled the crowd with a performance of his hit single, “She’s All I Got.” Looking out at the crowd, Cozier shared, “Being in the room full of bright, gifted students fills me with hope. I want to thank the educators for their deep investment in these children, and the parents for sharing their brilliants.”
Educational honorees included Early Childhood Coordinator Diandra Verwayne; Brandon Baskin of Vivid Imagination; Lenika Vance, Executive Director for the NYC Department of Education District 16; Anne Marie Malcolm, Supervisory Support Program Intervenor for NYC Public Schools; Mitzie Agard, Brooklyn Director for Brooklyn North; and Dr. Jada John, Executive Director of the Big Apple Leadership Academy for the Arts.
After a soul-stirring performance by PS 5 musical protégé Skylar Sagon, the students, faculty, and staff presented the Honorable Annette Robinson with a special community award. “I am deeply grateful to PS 5 for this honor,” Ms. Robinson shared. “We are standing at a critical crossroads in this country. Now more than ever, we need everyone to step up, unite, and silence the voices of division.”
Additional community awards were presented to Lori Stephens, Founder and Executive Director of GOOD for Girls, Inc.; Garland Core, Jr., Trustee of Janes United Methodist Church; Rev. Cheryl Verne Williams, CEO & Creator of Platinum Angel Group Entertainment; and Melissa Plowden Norman, Community Resource Advocate and Friends of Saratoga Park Team Lead. PS 5 also acknowledged NAACP Youth President Nile Anderson. The 17-year-old Brooklyn native thanked the school for celebrating her journey.
The ceremony culminated with an arousing performance by the PS 5 United Steppers. Students were recognized and honored across a variety of categories, including Academic Excellence and Most Improved Academic Excellence. Budding innovators participating in the Aviation, Brooklyn Boatworks, Music, and Drones programs were also celebrated for their achievements.
The STEMMY Awards is a student-produced ceremony celebrating community and educational excellence. The “S” and “T” in STEMMY stands for State Test, while “EMMY” represents Excellence. The program honors and acknowledges community stakeholders who have continuously contributed to the success of students’ education while embracing the school’s philosophy of providing all children a quality education in a safe and secure environment.
PS 5 operates on a New York State Common Core standard-based curriculum. This allows teachers to expose students to a rich, diverse, and culturally responsive approach to learning. Every classroom teacher follows the philosophy of creating a student-centered environment where students engage in high-level instructional conversations and teacher modeling that empowers them to tackle complex academic challenges.