One Brooklyn
BROOKLYN, NY, November 8, 2017: Last Thursday, Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams joined school principals, superintendents, teachers, students, and parents in unveiling a historic investment of more than $55 million in Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18) funds from Brooklyn Borough Hall to advance STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) education across more than 150 schools in the borough; the figure represents more than half of his capital budget and a doubling of his STEAM-focused educational spending from last year. He made the announcement at Hickman Playground beside Junior High School 78 Roy H. Mann in Bergen Beach; the school will receive $150,000 for the One Brooklyn Engineering Pipeline, an initiative founded by Borough President Adams to train the borough’s future engineers through schools connected in their curriculum and programming, from an early age leading up to college. Funding was granted to schools ranging from pre-kindergarten to higher education, including public, charter, and private institutions. Borough President Adams highlighted the impact that these capital grants will have across schools in every corner of Brooklyn.
“A noted educator once said, ‘don’t tell me where your priorities are…show me where you spend your money and I’ll tell you what they are,’” said Borough President Adams. “As I unveil more than $55 million for STEAM education — the largest allocation of my FY18 capital budget — I am prioritizing the development of the next generation of young leaders in Brooklyn. This is about keeping Brooklyn’s kids at the forefront of technological change, innovation, and preparing them for challenges to come. Through the expansion of continuing projects such as the One Brooklyn Engineering Pipeline and Growing Brooklyn’s Future, we’re investing in the future of Brooklyn’s capacity to compete in the innovation economy.”
The One Brooklyn Engineering Pipeline, which was initiated by Borough President Adams in 2015, has now been expanded to multiple areas of the borough. In addition to the South Brooklyn Engineering Pipeline, which was announced in 2016, there are now pipelines established in Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst, Bergen Beach, Marine Park, Midwood, and Sunset Park, as well as the Digital Girls Engineering Pipeline, which consists of schools across the borough. Additional pipelines that have been funded by Borough President Adams, which are currently in formation, are sited in Bushwick, Canarsie, East Flatbush, and Park Slope.
More than 40 neighborhoods across Brooklyn received an allocation this year, including Bay Ridge, where Borough President Adams allocated $200,000 for a multipurpose room upgrade, auditorium and gym at PS 229 Dyker School, $1 million for a synthetic field and track renovation at Fort Hamilton High School, $348,000 for mobile STEM labs at PS 170 The Ralph A. Fabrizio School, $150,000 for the One Brooklyn Engineering Pipeline at PS 185 Walter Kassenbrock, and $275,000 for technology upgrades at PS/IS 104 The Fort Hamilton School.
Nineteen schools in Bedford-Stuyvesant received funding in this allocation including $300,000 for smart desks at Bedford Academy High School, $50,000 for a STEM robotics lab at Brighter Choice Community School, $130,000 for STEM labs at Brooklyn Emerging Leaders Academy Charter School, $250,000 for technology upgrades at Eagle Academy for Young Men II, $1.5 million for a STEM lab and green roof project at Gotham Professional Arts Academy, $610,000 for the Madiba Lab of Innovation at Madiba Prep Middle School, $133,000 for a STEM lab at Mott Hall IV, $125,000 for a STEM lab and fabrication lab at Nelson Mandela High School for Social Justice, $150,000 for One Brooklyn Engineering Pipeline infrastructure at Park Place Community Middle School, $300,000 for a robotics lab at PS 21 Crispus Attucks Elementary School, $375,000 for the Full STEAM Ahead project at PS 23 Carter G. Woodson, $150,000 for One Brooklyn Engineering Pipeline infrastructure at PS 3 The Bedford Village, $50,000 for a STEM cart at PS 308 Clara Cardwell, $220,000 for mobile STEM Labs at PS 309 The George E. Wibecan Preparatory Academy, $350,000 for a sensory room at PS 368, $300,000 for the PS 5 STEAM Academy at PS 5 Dr. Ronald E. McNair Elementary School, $150,000 for STEAM infrastructure at PS 59 William Floyd, $280,000 for a STEM Lab at PS/IS 137 The Rachel Jean Mitchell School, and $250,000 for a virtual STEM lab and library at PS/IS 155 Nicholas Herkimer.
“On behalf of the entire Dr. Ronald E. McNair Elementary School community, we would like to take this opportunity to thank Borough President Adams for his vision and commitment to the success of educating our students,” said Lena Gates, principal at PS 5 Dr. Ronald E. McNair Elementary School.
“To a man who exemplifies our mantra of faith, hope, courage and leadership, we extend our gratitude to Borough President Adams for his support in our mission to provide a twenty-first century, quality education for all of our students,” said Leslie Frazier, principal at PS 21 Crispus Attucks Elementary School.
In Bensonhurst, Borough President Adams funded $1 million for a play yard renovation project benefitting IS 96 Seth Low and Success Academy Bensonhurst, $200,000 for a STEM Lab at JHS 227 Edward B. Shallow, $200,000 for classroom technology integration at PS 112 Lefferts Park, $200,000 for technology upgrades at PS 186 Dr. Irving A. Gladstone, and $100,000 for STEM infrastructure upgrades at PS 247 The New York City College Elementary School.
“We are incredibly grateful for Borough President Adams’ generous support, including his allocation of $1 million to build a new state-of-the-art play facility for our children,” said Jonathan Dant, principal at Success Academy Bensonhurst. “Together, Success Academy Bensonhurst and IS 96 Seth Low have been able to create a joyful community for the students and families we serve.”
Borough President Adams allotted Boerum Hill’s PS 369 Coy L. Cox School a $500,000 grant for a technology lab and Brooklyn Heights’ PS 8 Robert Fulton a $166,000 award for technology upgrades. In Borough Park, he granted $200,000 for updating classroom technology at PS 164 Caesar Rodney, $115,000 for technology upgrades at PS 231, and $125,000 for a STEM lab at West Brooklyn Community High School.
“Our school community thanks Borough President Adams for the capital funding that will be spent on technology upgrades,” said Tama Bruder, technology support specialist at PS 231. “With this funding, we’ll be able to continue educating our students with special needs”.
Borough President Adams’ FY18 capital budget included six schools in Brownsville, including $700,000 for a STEM lab for science at Brooklyn Collegiate High School, $2,075,000 for an urban rooftop garden and mobile science lab at Brownsville Collaborative Middle School, $510,000 for STEM labs and laptop carts at IS 392, $400,000 for a STEM lab at PS 165 Ida Posner Elementary School, $1 million for a STEM lab and technology upgrades and PS/IS 284 The Gregory Jocko Jackson School of Sports, Arts and Technology, as well as $150,000 for laptop carts at Riverdale Avenue Community School.
“Receiving the capital funding for STEM labs is an invaluable asset to our school community,” said Ingrid Joseph, principal at IS 392. “It will help our school cultivate a twenty-first century environment that will prepare students for college and careers. We thank Borough President Adams for supporting our vision of preparing students to make the shift from being digital consumers to becoming entrepreneurs, modern thinkers, and producers.”
“The Brooklyn Collegiate High School community is extremely grateful for the time and effort put forth in securing funds, specifically for our science lab classrooms, which currently include, living environment, earth science, chemistry, forensics, and physics,” said Heather Newman, principal at Brooklyn Collegiate High School. “With the use of the technology provided by Borough President Adams, our Brooklyn Collegiate scholars will have strong foundations to build careers that meet the needs of their local communities and beyond.”
FY18 capital grants from Borough President Adams to schools in Bushwick included $1 million for a science lab at the Academy for Environmental Leadership, $75,000 for STEM and special education technology infrastructure at EBC High School for Public Service Bushwick, $500,000 for STEM infrastructure at JHS 162 The Willoughby School, $50,000 for STEM and science labs at the Math, Engineering, and Science Academy High School, and $150,000 for One Brooklyn Engineering Pipeline infrastructure at PS 274 Kosciusko.
“We are delighted to be one of the capital funding recipients for FY18,” said Traci L. Douglas, director of culture and external affairs at Math, Engineering, and Science Academy High School. “We are in our fifth year of operation, and we look forward to spending our allocation on redesigning two of our classrooms into a STEM lab and general science lab. We are confident that the physical changes to the rooms, additional equipment and new technologies will further enhance our existing programming.”
Borough President Adams allotted funding for four schools in Canarsie, including $150,000 each to PS 272 Curtis Estabrook and PS 276 Louis Marshall for One Brooklyn Engineering Pipeline infrastructure, $200,000 to the Science and Medicine Middle School for a hospital teaching lab, and $60,000 to Victory Collegiate High School for STEM infrastructure. Carroll Gardens schools receiving FY18 allocations included Cobble Hill School of American Studies, which secured $205,000 for STEM and literacy labs, Digital Arts and Cinema Technology High School, which gained $100,000 for digital arts technology infrastructure, and PS 146 The Brooklyn New School, which took in $500,000 to develop its green roof. In Clinton Hill, Borough President Adams allotted $530,000 for technology upgrades and STEAM labs at Benjamin Banneker Academy for Community Development, $100,000 for a STEM initiative at Community Partnership Charter School, and $2 million for a hydroponic greenhouse at the Urban Assembly Unison School. Coney Island schools received funding in this fiscal cycle included Liberation Diploma Academy, which was allotted $1 million for a gym upgrade, and PS 100 The Coney Island School, which netted $450,000 for One Brooklyn Engineering Pipeline infrastructure.
FY18 grants from Borough President Adams went out to ten institutions in Crown Heights, including $45,000 for a computer lab at Acorn Community High School, $200,000 for laptop carts and technology upgrades at the Brooklyn Academy of Science and the Environment, $385,000 for mobile STEM labs at Pathways in Technology Early College High School, $150,000 for a STEM lab at PS 12 Dr. Jacqueline Peek-Davis School, $400,000 for a playground renovation benefitting PS 161 The Crown and Success Academy Crown Heights, $550,000 for One Brooklyn Engineering Pipeline infrastructure at PS 161 The Crown, $2,150,000 for a library upgrade and STEM science lab at PS 191 Paul Robeson, $250,000 for STEM infrastructure at PS 375 Jackie Robinson School, $100,000 for a science room and technology upgrade at PS 705 Brooklyn Arts and Science Elementary School, and $1 million for a differently-abled lab at Medgar Evers College.
Six Cypress Hills schools received a budget allocation from Borough President Adams; the list of grants included $250,000 for a schoolwide technology upgrade at Aspirations Diploma Plus High School, $300,000 for a STEM lab at IS 171 Abraham Lincoln, $445,000 for STEM infrastructure at Multicultural High School, $300,000 for STEAM infrastructure at PS 108 The Sal Abbracciamento School, $500,000 for computer labs at PS 65, and $400,000 for security cameras at PS 7 Abraham Lincoln.
“We would like to thank Borough President Adams for his generous funding allocation for technology upgrades at our school,” said Sherma Fleming, principal at Aspirations Diploma Plus High School. “This support will help our staff and students to integrate technology into their day-to-day classroom experience.”
“On behalf of the school community, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Borough President Adams for his understanding that it is a collective responsibility to prepare our children for college and a future career,” said Constance Hahn, principal at PS 108 The Sal Abbracciamento School. “The staff, students and their families would like to give a shout-out to Borough President Adams for the investment, and we thank him for his support in educating Brooklyn’s future leaders.”
Borough President Adams granted Downtown Brooklyn’s Science Skills Center High School $100,000 for a library upgrade, while the Dock Street School in nearby DUMBO was allotted $160,000 for a mobile pre-K STEM lab. Three schools in Dyker Heights also benefitted from his FY18 capital budget; his allocations included $400,000 for technology upgrades at IS 187 The Christa McAuliffe School, $250,000 for modernization of a band room at IS 201 Dyker Heights Intermediate School, and $200,000 for a STEM maker lab at PS 176 The Ovington School.
Borough President Adams made substantial allocations to 13 East Flatbush schools, including $100,000 for upgrading STEM labs as well as providing classroom smart boards to the Middle School of Marketing and Legal Studies, $272,000 for STEAM labs and a media center at New Heights Middle School, $500,000 for mobile STEM labs at PS 268 Emma Lazarus, $250,000 for technology and auditorium upgrades at PS 91 The Albany Avenue School, $300,000 for a computer project at the School for Human Rights, as well as $150,000 each for One Brooklyn Engineering Pipeline infrastructure to PS 135 The Sheldon A. Brookner School, PS 208 Elsa Ebeling, PS 233 Langston Hughes, PS 235 Janice Marie Knight School, PS 244 Richard R. Green, PS 397 Foster-Laurie, and PS 770 New American Academy.
“Borough President Adams has once again proven how much he cares about the students in Brooklyn,” said Nakoley Renville, principal of PS 208 Elsa Ebeling. “I want to thank Borough President Adams for supporting our school to change the trajectory of students’ lives through a generous gift that will enhance technology instruction.”
Eight East New York schools received a substantial boost from Borough President Adams’ FY18 capital budget; allocations included $100,000 for STEM carts at Liberty Avenue Middle School, $250,000 for mobile wireless laptop carts and technology upgrades at MS 452 Frederick Douglass Academy VIII Middle School, $54,000 for smartboards at Performing Arts and Technology High School, $500,000 for technology upgrades at PS 13 Roberto Clemente, $200,000 for electronic classroom libraries at PS 159 Isaac Pitkin, $200,000 for a multi-sensory room for special needs students with autism at PS 53K, $300,000 for technology classrooms at PS 677 East New York Elementary School of Excellence, and $300,000 for a STEAM lab at School of the Future Brooklyn.
“PS 53K is most grateful to Borough President Adams for his recognition and support of our special needs students,” said Heather Leykam, principal at PS 53K. “As a result of his ongoing kindness and generosity, one of our middle school sites has been equipped with state-of-the-art technology that is user-friendly for students with disabilities. This multi-sensory room will provide a safe and comforting environment for our students with autism, designed with equipment and materials necessary for them to enjoy sensory experiences for therapy, learning, and relaxation.”
In East Williamsburg, Borough President Adams awarded $250,000 for a mobile STEM lab at PS 196 Ten Eyck School and $1.5 million for an athletic field renovation at the Grand Street campus.
“We would like to thank Borough President Adams for providing our students with the mobile science labs and virtual reality equipment that will facilitate expanded 21st century educational opportunities for our entire school,” said Janine Colon, principal at PS 196 Ten Eyck School.
Flatbush is home to six schools that received a capital grant from Borough President Adams in FY18, including $315,000 for mobile STEM labs at the Academy for College Preparation and Career Exploration, $665,000 for historic building weatherization at the Erasmus Hall campus, $200,000 for the Walt Whitman STEAM lab at MS 246 Walt Whitman, $700,000 for technology hardware and infrastructure upgrades at PS 217 Colonel David Marcus School, $75,000 for STEM carts and laptops at PS K315, and $100,000 for a schoolyard upgrade benefitting PS 152 School of Science and Technology, PS 315 The School of Performing Arts, and Midwood High School.
“Thanks to Borough President Adams, our students will have a new, state-of-the-art computer lab that will enable them to earn Microsoft Office specialist industry certification and nanodegrees in digital marketing,” said Joan Mosely, principal at Academy for College Preparation and Career Exploration. “This will prepare them for outstanding post-secondary opportunities.”
Flatlands’ PS 119 Amersfort received a $385,000 allocation for One Brooklyn Engineering Pipeline infrastructure, and Fort Greene’s Brooklyn Technical High School garnered a $750,000 capital award for a forensic science STEM lab. In addition, Borough President Adams gave Gerritsen Beach’s PS 277 The Gerritsen Beach School $150,000 for One Brooklyn Engineering Pipeline infrastructure and Gowanus’ PS 32 The Samuel Mills Sprole School $85,000 for a computer lab. Gravesend had seven schools with budget allocations in his FY18 budget; Expeditionary Learning School for Community Leaders received $50,000 for a tech upgrade for collaborative learning, John Dewey High School earned $300,000 for STEAM infrastructure, Kingsborough Early College School took in $250,000 for technology upgrades, Life Academy High School for Film and Music obtained $200,000 for a healthy life gardening hub, PS 101 The Verrazano School accepted $250,000 for the creation of a STEM lab, PS 177 The Marlboro School got $300,000 for One Brooklyn Engineering Pipeline infrastructure, and PS/IS 686 Brooklyn School of Inquiry gathered $2.5 million to further develop their campus STEM lab and green roof.
“John Dewey High School would like to thank Borough President Adams for funding our STEM lab,” said Jamila Henry, peer collaborative teacher at John Dewey High School. “We are excited to have the opportunity to bring to life an environment that will develop our students’ skills in coding and engineering.
“Words are simply inadequate to express how grateful the PS 177 community is for the generous capital investment that was allocated to our school by Borough President Adams,” said Anne Marine Lettieri Baker, principal at PS 177 The Marlboro School. “These funds will be used to support the creation of a new STEM lab that will service more than 500 third through fifth grade students. Thanks to Borough President Adams’ funding, the students of PS 177 will be the future problem solvers and critical thinkers for our ever-changing society.”
In Kensington, Borough President Adams conferred $314,000 to PS 230 The Doris L. Cohen School for a STEM lab. Additionally, three Manhattan Beach institutions received FY18 capital funding; Kingsborough Community College received $1.5 million toward the reconstruction of its marina, Leon M. Goldstein High School for the Sciences obtained $175,000 for One Brooklyn Engineering Pipeline infrastructure, and PS 195 Manhattan Beach accepted $100,000 for technology upgrades. In Mapleton, PS 121 Nelson A. Rockefeller garnered $200,000 for a greenhouse, PS 48 Mapleton took in $498,000 for technology upgrades, and PS/IS 226 Alfred De B. Mason collected $400,000 for STEM infrastructure. Borough President Adams awarded $310,000 to PS 207 Elizabeth G. Leary for STEM infrastructure and $150,000 to PS 222 Katherine R. Snyder for One Brooklyn Engineering Pipeline infrastructure; both are located in Marine Park. Midwood schools also saw benefits in his FY18 capital budget; IS 240 Andries Hudde received $150,000 for One Brooklyn Engineering Pipeline infrastructure, while PS 197 The Kings Highway Academy received $285,000 for STEAM infrastructure.
“We thank Borough President Adams for this generous investment, as our middle school is in dire need of a STEM lab,” said Mary E. Bosco, principal at PS 207 Elizabeth G. Leary. “The funds that have been allocated will make the dream of a much-needed refurbishment a reality. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
“Thanks to Borough President Adams, PS 197’s vision is going to be a reality,” said Renee Mezhibovsky, pupil accounting secretary at PS 197 The Kings Highway Academy. “Our students will now have a STEM lab in our building with brand-new, state-of-the-art equipment. Our children must learn science, technology, engineering, and mathematics skills to compete on a global stage. Thanks to this funding, we will be able to provide a laboratory where students can conduct experiments and simulations in a controlled environment.”
A $500,000 STEM infrastructure project was funded at Mill Basin’s Hebrew Language Academy through Borough President Adams’ FY18 capital budget, as were initiatives at four schools in Park Slope; MS 51 William Alexander was granted $150,000 for classroom computers, PS 124 Silas B. Dutcher was allotted $150,000 for STEM infrastructure, PS/MS 282 Park Slope was awarded $75,000 for a library and technology center, and the Secondary School for Journalism was presented $250,000 for a STEM lab.
“We want to thank Borough President Adams for the generous capital investment,” said Lenore DiLeo-Berner, principal at MS 51 William Alexander. “A grant to improve our technological capacity of this size will reach everyone in our building and ensure our students have excellent opportunities to train in technical skills for the twenty-first century.”
Summit Academy Charter School in Red Hook received $215,000 for STEAM labs and smart technology infrastructure from Borough President Adams’ FY18 capital budget. Also, he made grants to four schools in Sheepshead Bay, including $202,000 to IS 234 Arthur W. Cunningham for a multimedia studio, $167,000 to Origins High School for a hydroponics lab and urban sustainability center, $150,000 to PS 194 Raoul Wallenberg for One Brooklyn Engineering Pipeline infrastructure, and $280,000 to PS 52 Sheepshead Bay for portable STEM labs.
“Thanks to Borough President Adams’ generous funding allocation, the students at IS 234 will have the opportunity to work in a television and music studio that will allow for live production and media streaming,” said Susan Schaeffer, principal at IS 234 Arthur W. Cunningham. “The new funds will create a space for a more sophisticated real-time newscast. We’re also excited about each classroom having a Smartboard that will project the morning announcements, school news, and events.”
Borough President Adams also funded four schools in Sunset Park, including PS 503 The School of Discovery and Exploration, which received $150,000 for One Brooklyn Engineering Pipeline infrastructure, PS 516 Sunset Park Avenues Elementary School, which was granted $125,000 for a STEAM lab, and PS 971 The School of Math, Science and Healthy Living, which was awarded $300,000 for its Go Coding and Project Fitness initiative as well as technology upgrades, and Sunset Park High School, which garnered $525,000 for a high-tech library media center.
“Borough President Adams’ generous award will go toward renovating Sunset Park High School’s library,” said Adalena Kavanagh, librarian at Sunset Park High School. “By updating our school library’s infrastructure and technology, we’ll be better able to grow our STEAM and literacy curriculum. The new facility will provide our students and educators with a space conducive to independent and collaborative learning.”
Williamsburg schools received significant investments in Borough President Adams’ FY18 budget, including $100,000 to Beginning with Children Charter School 2 for its STEM initiative, $375,000 to MS 126 John Ericsson for STEM infrastructure, $200,000 to PS 250 George H. Lindsay for a STEM lab, $250,000 to PS 380 John Wayne Elementary School for a STEM lab, and $500,000 to PS 449 The Brooklyn Latin School for smartboards and laptop carts. He presented Brooklyn College Academy in Windsor Terrace with $350,000 for smartboards and laptop carts.
“At MS 126 John Ericsson, we offer students a rich academic experience through a wide range of project-based learning and Advanced Placement courses,” said Maria Ortega, principal at MS 126 John Ericsson. “This funding will help push that forward and ensure our students are ready to compete for the future.”
“We would like to thank Borough President Adams for the generous capital allocation,” said Nicholas Mazzarella, principal at Brooklyn College Academy. “With this financial support, we will be able to upgrade our outdated chemistry lab, and empower our students to heighten their scientific knowledge and practice, thereby opening doors for them to pursue STEM subjects in college and beyond.”
Following remarks by recipients and local elected officials, Borough President Adams presented each of them with an honorary check with the seal of Brooklyn and an oversized check, made out to “One Brooklyn,” for education. He also took part in a 3D-printed car race with students and teachers from IS 78 Roy H. Mann and Kingsborough Community College, who are working together through the One Brooklyn Engineering Pipeline.
“From the formation of the Crown Heights Engineering Pipeline to the creation of STEM labs, we are bridging the achievement gap in Brooklyn and ensuring the next generation of innovators has a competitive edge,” said Council Member Laurie A. Cumbo. “I want to thank Borough President Adams for his continued partnership in creating educational opportunities to excel for scholars of all ages within and beyond the 35th Council District. This critical investment of resources will transform our schools into state-of-the-art technology hubs that will serve as a gateway to college and career readiness.”
“I applaud Borough President Adams for supporting our schools and assisting in bringing science, technology, engineering and mathematics education to our classrooms,” said Council Member Vincent J. Gentile. “I commend him for his support of technology integration tools. In this modern age of learning, it is critically important that we provide the most up-to-date learning equipment so that our youth can be prepared for the high-tech careers of today’s economic environment.”
“It has been a great privilege to work with Borough President Adams to provide capital funding for our schools in the 46th Council District,” said Council Member Alan Maisel. “Borough President Adams is a passionate advocate of quality schools and I’m happy to be able to say that he puts his words into action. I look forward to continued partnership in the future.”
“It is absolutely essential that our schools have the resources and technologies necessary to best prepare our students for today’s fast-paced, competitive education system,” said Council Member Jumaane D. Williams. “Supporting STEAM education is a crucial component of preparing our children for their futures, and I thank Borough President Adams for recognizing and prioritizing this need in his budget.”
“On behalf of all the students in Community School District (CSD) 14, I applaud and thank Borough President Adams for his unwavering support for education, STEM innovation programs and labs, and project-based learning that this funding makes possible,” said Alicja Winnicki, superintendent at CSD 14. “STEM labs and resources such as smartboards and mobile laptop carts enhance the twenty-first century teaching and learning experience.”
“At the core of equity and excellence are access and exposure,” said Beverly A. Wilkins, superintendent at CSD 18. “On behalf of CSD 18, I express gratitude to Borough President Adams for his unwavering support for our schools that will ensure an equitable distribution of resources and equal access to quality learning in all schools across the district.”
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