After years of work and pandemic delays, the long awaited Green Roof got its ribbon-cutting on Monday. The project was spearheaded by City Council Member Ben Kallos who kicked in public money from Participatory Budgeting. State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright enthusiastically joined in.
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
Opening the Green Roof and STEM Learning Hub
Here are comments offered by Seawright at the event:
Good morning PS/IS 217!
As a member of the Assembly Education Committee, proud public school parent and former PTA activist, I was pleased to award PS/IS 217 on Roosevelt Island with $500,000 for the creation of a Green Roof and construction of a STEM learning Hub.
I commend Principal Mandana Beckman…
…Assistant Principal Allen..
… PTA Co-Presidents – Eirik Davey-Gislason & Kate Orozco
We are so proud of the commitment 217 has made to school improvement on five fronts to fulfill its mission including Community Service, Educational Resources, School Community, School Culture, and importantly…Sustainability!!
We hope that this project is bringing you closer to the goal of sustainability with the resource of a green roof and STEM technology. Our students deserve a safe place to learn and play.
Major sponsor for the Green Roof initiative is outgoing City Council Member Ben Kallos. Although the Roosevelt Island Daily, among others like the Roosevelt Island Historical Society, pitched in support critical to winning the funds, Kallos and the school did not recognize their efforts with an invitation.
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A Different Kind of Bet
For years, Roosevelt Island did not behave like a system constrained by limits. Internally, the budget was often treated less as a boundary and more as a reservoir to be used.
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