In the News

Students Get New Supplies Thanks to Pol
Wednesday, August 22, 2012

For the third year in a row, hundreds of Queens children will crack open a new box of crayons and a fresh notebook at the start of this school year, thanks to a school supply drive sponsored by Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer.

Over the past two years, nearly 10,000 items have been collected and distributed to children in need throughout western Queens. This year’s drive will benefit children from I.S. 125 in Woodside and P.S. 166 in Long Island City.

“It’s going to help families not have to make tough choices that no parent should ever have to make,” said Van Bramer. “When a family is struggling to pay rent and pay bills, they might not purchase the new book bag or buy all the loose-leaf binders and all the stuff they know their kids need. They simply can’t do it. We don’t want any kid to fall further behind simply because they don’t have enough money.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rallies Against Bloomberg Budget Cuts Continue

Monday, 14 May 2012 09:40

Rallies expressing opposition against Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s Executive Budget proposals, including plans to close 172 Out-of-School Time (OST) after-school programs and eliminate significant numbers of early childhood program slots are continuing to take place in communities across the city. Tonight at Riis Settlement Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement House will be joining with Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer to host its own Emergency Town Hall Meeting this evening. Two of Riis’ OST programs are on the chopping block. Tonight’s event is scheduled from 6:30-8:00 at Riis’ headquarters in the Queensbridge Houses at 10-25 41st Avenue in Long Island City. City funding supports Riis Settlement after-school programs in the Queensbridge Houses and at PS 166. If funding is not restored 217 elementary school children will lose their afterschool programming, says the group which is also fighting to maintain slots for 150 adults enrolled in its English classes.

Volume XXVII, Number 5578

Monday, Mar 12, 2012

School Kids Participate In The Green Points Challenge

Last fall, MillionTreesNYC, in partnership with Recyclebank launched the Green Points Challenge for NYC public schools.

Recyclebank rewards people for taking everyday green actions with points that can be redeemed for discounts and deals from local and national businesses. The Green Points Challenge is an online recognition and rewards program designed to encourage and incentivize New York City students to learn about the benefits of trees and actively participate in the MTNYC initiative.

The program is split into two semesters, the fall and spring. Registered classrooms can earn points by taking programs with MillionTreesNYC partners and doing a variety of MTNYC online activities such as requesting a tree or taking the tree quiz. The four classrooms with the most points at the end of the semester win amazing prizes.

The first prize winner, Christine W. of P.S. 166 in Queens, won an afternoon of games with the New York Knicks’ Groove Truck. The first graders went outside on February 9 for a hoops competition led by two Knicks’ Groove Truck staff. The truck played music and teachers joined in on the fun. The second prize classroom, also from P.S. 166 in Queens won admission to the Big Apple Circus which they claimed in early January. The third prize winner, Beth P.’s afterschool group from I.S. 123 in the Bronx won a day at the Alley Pond Adventure Course which they will take advantage of later this spring.
http://www.nycgovparks.org/news/daily-plant?id=22621