The Staten Island
Historical Society
Hosts 10th Annual
Literacy Leadership
Luncheon
Broadway World
3/16/10
The Staten Island
Historical Society
will be hosting its
10th Annual Literacy
Leadership Luncheon
on Tuesday, March
16th. The Staten
Island Reading
Association will be
honored at this
year's Luncheon for
promoting literacy
throughout the local
community. Nina
Long, the
president-elect of
the Staten Island
Reading Association,
will be accepting
the honor on the
Association's
behalf. "We are
honoring the Staten
Island Reading
Association for its
dedication to the
teachers and
students of Staten
Island," said
Caroline Ferreri,
co-chair of the
event. "Year after
year, the
Association
continues to inspire
and encourage the
love and
appreciation of
reading."
FDNY Commissioner
Salvatore Cassano
will also be
recognized by the
Staten Island
Historical Society
for his efforts to
provide fire safety
literature in
multiple languages
to New York's
diverse communities.
The Staten Island
native and current
Huguenot resident
was appointed by
Mayor Michael
Bloomberg as New
York City's 32nd
Fire Commissioner,
effective January
1st. "Salvatore
Cassano has spent
over 40 years of his
life saving people,
so supporting fire
safety programs in
multiple languages
is no surprise,"
said the Society's
Treasurer and
Honorary Battalion
Chief Robert Coghlan.
"My friend
Commissioner Cassano
puts the safety of
his force and the
safety of the public
before anything
else, even when the
city and the
department are
feeling the pressure
of a tough budget
and an economy that
continues to
struggle every day.
We are honored that
the Commissioner can
take some time from
his busy schedule to
share this moment
with people who
respect him
immensely."
"The Staten Island
Historical Society
is thrilled to
recognize leaders
who use creativity
and innovation to
promote literacy,"
said Ed Wiseman, the
Society's Executive
Director. "They
demonstrate how
literacy leads to
understanding and
understanding to
success."
This year's guest
speaker will be
Jordan Sonnenblick,
author of seven
books for children
and young adults,
including Drums,
Girls & Dangerous
Pie and Zen and the
Art of Faking It.
Sonnenblick met a
creative writing
teacher at
Stuyvesant High
School who
completely changed
his life. According
to event co-chair
Andrew Wilson,
"Jordan Sonnenblick
grew up on Staten
Island and studied
with Frank McCourt
(the Pulitzer
Prize-winning author
of Angela's Ashes).
Jordan's books have
been named to the
American Library
Association's Teens'
Top Ten list, among
numerous other
honors. We are very
fortunate to have
such a noted author
as our keynote
speaker."
There will also be a
special appearance
by William T. Davis
(1862-1945), the
preeminent Staten
Island naturalist
and historian who
will be brought to
life again by Joseph
Smith.
This year's Literacy
Leadership Luncheon
will be held at the
Excelsior Grand
(2380 Hylan
Boulevard, Staten
Island, NY 10306).
Admission to the
event is $65 per
person. Pre-paid
reservations are
required, so please
RSVP to 718.351.1611
(ext. 244) by
Monday, March 8th.
About the Co-Chairs
Caroline M. Ferreri
is serving as
co-chair of the
Literacy Leadership
Luncheon for the
fourth year in a
row. Mrs. Ferreri is
noted for her work
as a volunteer for a
diverse group of
community
organizations,
including the Alice
Austen House Museum,
the Snug Harbor
Cultural Center,
Wagner College's Da
Vinci Society, St.
John Villa Academy,
and Our Lady Queen
of Peace Church. She
has been involved
with the Staten
Island Historical
Society since 2006,
and was awarded the
Society's Douglas D.
Donald Award for
Development in 2007.
Andrew Wilson is
also serving as
co-chair of this
year's Literacy
Leadership Luncheon.
Mr. Wilson has
worked for the New
York Public Library
for over 20 years,
and has been the
Library's Digital
Producer and Youth
Web Editorial
Coordinator since
2004. He is the
President of the
Board of Directors
of COAHSI and is the
Technology Committee
Co-Chairperson for
the 350th
Anniversary of
Staten Island
Celebration. Mr.
Wilson is on the
editorial committee
of The Staten Island
Historian and is a
member of the
Directors' Council
of the Staten Island
Historical Society.
For additional
information about
the Staten Island
Reading Association:
https://www.sireading.org/Home_Page.html
For additional
information about
Commissioner
Salvatore Cassano:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/general/commissioner/32/biography.shtml
For additional
information about
Jordan Sonnenblick:
http://www.jordansonnenblick.com/
