Last week,  Community leaders, and stakeholders, joined faculty, staff, students, family, and friends tto commemorate the grand opening of the first full-service Science Technology Engineering and Mathematic school in District 19. Serving the East New York/Cypress Hill communities, D19 S.T.E.M.

Academies comprises Public Schools 4 and 938, and Middle School 935. The new location will be able to provide incoming students with a well-rounded, rigorous, inquiry-based education that is rooted in S.T.E.M. The STEM Academies will not only serve students attending the three academies but will provide surrounding schools access to advanced technological resources and tools. “Having this school in this community gives neighboring schools an opportunity  to come over and share the resources,” said School District 19 Acting Superintendent Dr. Tamra Collins, PhD. Although Borough President Eric Adams was unavailable to attend, he sent citations honoring Middle School 935 Founding Principal Jermaine Lewis; Public School 938 Founding Principal Dr. Tenieka Benn PhD; Public School 4 Principal Rabecca Schropfer; and Acting District 19 Superintendent Dr. Tamra Collins. NYC Councilwoman Darma V. Diaz joined President of Freelancer’s Union Rafael Espinal, in presenting the honors. As the former city councilman for district 37, Espinal was instrumental in championing the school’s vision and funding its reality. 
In celebration of the monumental occasion and in recognition of the official opening of M.S. 935, school officials hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony. In attendance were, from left to right, in photo:  

District 19 S.T.E.M. Academies is a five-story, fully air-conditioned, accessible building for students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. The facility includes four pre-kindergarten classrooms, three kindergarten classrooms, twenty-five standard classrooms, three community special education classrooms and two reading/speech resource rooms. There is also a rooftop greenhouse. 

-Keith L. Forest