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By Merle Exit

TimesLedger Newspapers

Flushing Town Hall has a celebration planned to honor jazz legend Jimmy Heath’s Queens Jazz Orchestra.

On June 29 at 8 p.m., the air will be filled with music to celebrate the orchestra’s 10th anniversary. all performed by jazz heroes. Since 2008, FTH’s Queens Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of NEA Jazz Master Dr. Jimmy Heath, has performed for thousands of jazz lovers. The 10th anniversary concert will be a journey through Heath’s life.

Heath, a Corona resident, has long been recognized as a both a brilliant instrumentalist and a magnificent composer and arranger. After having just concluded 11 years as a professor of music at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College, Heath, 91, maintains an extensive performance schedule. Aside from performing with his band, he conducts workshops and clinics throughout the United States, Europe, and Canada.

“I was one of the people who started the big band at FTH,” Heath said.

He recorded his first album, “Little Man, Big Band,” when he first put the band together. His other recorded albums include, “Turn Up the Heath” and “Togetherness.”

“New York is the jazz capital of the world,” Heath said. “Jazz played in Harlem before moving to the Village. Many members of the present band have been playing with me for all of the 10 years.

Heath said he was “raised up with the big bands such as Glen Miller, Tommy Dorsey and Duke Ellington,” and had a big band in Philadelphia before moving to New York.

In 1986, he began teaching composition and arrangement for saxophone music at Queens College.

Heath brought his band to perform at the Louis Armstrong House Museum when it was named as a landmark in 1988. He has been performing with his big band each year at Flushing Town Hall and plays once a year with the jazz masters. Health said that he considers jazz to be “America’s classical music.”

“We are thrilled to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Flushing Town Hall’s Queens Jazz Orchestra by honoring National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Jimmy Heath, who has led the orchestra since its inception,” said Ellen Kodadek, the executive and artistic director at Flushing Town Hall. “Like so many of his peers from Queens, Dr. Heath has made countless contributions to jazz, and we are so grateful that he continues to share his gifts and passion with us.”

Jazz Big Band consists of Jimmy Heath (music director, leader, tenor saxophone), Antonio Hart (alto and soprano saxophone), Sharel Cassidy (alto and soprano saxophone), Bobby LaVell (tenor saxophone), Sam Dillon, (tenor saxophone), Gary Smulyan (baritone saxophone), John Mosca (trombone), Steve Davis (trombone), Jason Jackson (trombone), Douglas Purviance (bass trombone), Frank Greene (trumpet), Nathan Eklund (trumpet), Mike Rodriguez (trumpet), Freddie Hendrix (trumpet), Michael Weiss (piano), Mike Karn (bass), and Willie Jones III (drums).

Flushing Town Hall’s theatre — located at 137-35 Northern Boulevard — will be rearranged, removing the row seats and substituting tables and chairs for a more cabaret setting.

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By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-Jamaica) is facing two very different challengers in the June 26 Democratic Primary for the 5th Congressional District, which comprises parts of both of Queens and Nassau County.

Meeks is a 20-year incumbent in the district, where he is up against technologist Mizan Choudhury and Carl Achille, a detective and Iraqi war veteran.

His top campaign goals are to fight for health care, push through reforms for gun control and tackle immigration in the Trump era.

“I work seven days a week, from morning to night, to fight for my constituency in the 5th Congressional District,” said Meeks, who represents a wide swath of southeast Queens, including St. Albans, South Ozone Park and Rosesdale up to Jamaica Estates.

Meeks wants to save protections that were provided in the Affordable Care Act, which prohibited insurers from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, assured maternity and newborn care and guarded policy holders from being dropped by their providers when they were sick.

“To the detriment of Americans benefitting from the Affordable Care Act’s protections, the GOP and this administration have practiced sabotage and repeal,” said Meeks. “We cannot go backwards. We shouldn’t return to a time when needing medical help too often left families bankrupt.”

With the prevalence of shootings at schools in America, Meeks wants to tighten federal laws on guns.

“My priorities are closing the gun show loophole and implementing universal background checks, reinstating the Federal Assault Weapons Ban, and stopping the flow of guns into New York from less restrictive states,” said Meeks. “It is my hope that with a Democratic Congress, we will be able to finally push through these overdue reforms. I have also introduced legislation, the Investor Choice Against Gun Proliferation Act, to require public companies to disclose their relationship with the gun industry.”

Immigration is one of the top three priorities for both Choudhury and Meeks.

Choudhury is a Bengali immigrant who came to the United States in 1997. He works as a technology manager for Northwell Health, a collection of health-care facilities, is a community activist who lives in Bellerose, one of the neighborhoods a few miles outside of the district and is a business owner.

The U.S. Constitution only requires congressional candidates to be at least 25-years-old, and to have been a U.S. citizen and a resident of the state you represent for seven years.

Choudhury wants to legalize Dreamers, undocumented young people brought to this country illegally as children.

“I plan support Dreamers,” said Choudhury. “We need to introduce legislation to curtail the power of the executive administration.”

Meeks also wants to fight for Dreamers and has joined an amicus brief to oppose the legal status question proposed in the 2020 census.

Outside of their shared goal of advocating for immigrants, Choudhury believes that Meeks is out of touch with his constituents and that the other main issues that should be focused on in southeast Queens, the Rockaway Peninsula and the Nassau County towns that border Queens are jobs and affordable housing.

“My opponent, current Congressman Gregory Meeks, has been in office for 20 years but has not done much,” said Choudhury. “His office never returns phone calls and does not provide constituency services.”

Achille is the son of Haitian immigrants and lives in Elmont. He also believes Meeks is detached from his constituents and the main problems facing the district are the lack of quality jobs and affordable housing.

“Millenials are some of the highest educated individuals in history and it is real difficult for them to find jobs after college,” said Achille. “They can’t afford a simple place to live and that is unfair to us as people who live in this district.”

Choudhury has 18 years of experience working as an information specialist for Fortune 500 companies like Verizon, and is the owner of the Mirch restaurant in Jamaica.

The national unemployment rate is 3.8 percent, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, but in Meeks’ district it is nearly 8.2 percent said Choudhury. The Census also depicts the unemployment rate for the area at 8.2 percent.

“I propose a tech-hub with a vocational training institute to create 1,000-plus jobs and focus on our youths and their future for economic and social prosperity and mobility,” said Choudhury, who wants the tech incubator to be in Jamaica.

Achille believes that redeveloping the Hempstead Avenue corridor from Jamaica Avenue in Queens to Franklin Square in Nassau County is necessary to for the area’s economy.

“We want the businesses to fit,” said Achille. “We want the type of businesses that are there to be something that draw people in and make them want to come live in the district and make it flourish,” added the former vice president of the Elmont Chamber of Commerce.

Choudhury wants more affordable housing and rental units to be built in the district, more senior centers for the elderly, more access to loans for working families, and he wants to close the HUD budget gap.

Achille wants to see affordable housing built in Queens and Nassau County.

“I would love to see housing in Far Rockaway — Far Rockaway is a gem,” said Achille. “There are parts of Far Rockaway that are dilapidated and run down that could use an economic boost.”

Achille also wants an increase investment for transportation in the district and to reduce pollution and noise pollution from John F. Kennedy Airport.

Meeks maintains that he is the best candidate in this three-way race.

“My tenure in Congress has given me a substantial voice in Washington, D.C., to argue for the things that matter for my district, our state, and the United States of America,” said Meeks.

Choudhury believes his ideas to help the 5th Congressional District will help him win.

“Carl Achille is relatively a novice at politics, a police officer and war veteran. He has not laid out his vision for CD 5 and does not have the plan to turn CD 5 around,” said Choudhury.

Achille, 34, has has lived in the district since he was three days old and has family is spread out through it, and he said his familiarity with both the Queens and Nassau County sides will give him the edge in this race.

“I am no stranger to this district,” said Achille “I’m not some outsider trying to see an opportunity and take it…I’ve lived here longer than any of the candidates and it makes me the most acquainted with it.”

Reach reporter Naeisha Rose by e-mail at nrose@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4573.

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By Carlotta Mohamed

TimesLedger Newspapers

Queens Borough President Melinda Katz and City Councilman Peter Koo (D-Flushing) recognized Maria A. Grasso for her commitment to Queens and the Flushing community at the Queens Botanical Garden’s Rose Gala last week at 43-50 Main St. in Flushing.

Proceeds from the event help sustain Queens Botanical Garden’s colorful flowers, innovative programs, and environmental education workshops for the 35,000-plus schoolchildren and almost 225,000 people served by the garden last year, according to QBG.

Guests at the June 14 Rose Gala were joined by Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, state Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Fresh Meadows) and the city Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner Tom FinkelPearl.

Grasso joined Flushing Bank in 2006 as the chief operating officer and was elected corporate secretary in 2007. She has been in the banking business for 30 years, beginning her career with Chase Manhattan. Prior to joining Flushing Bank, she held the title of senior vice president and division head of the Bank of New York for Long Island and Queens, overseeing an organization that served the personal and small business banking needs of customers throughout 102 branches.

Grasso is currently a member of the National Board of the American Kidney Fund, president of the Hofstra University Zarb Business School Alumni Association, a former chairwoman of United Way of Long Island’s board of directors, and a former chairwoman of the Retail Banking Division Committee for the New York Bankers Association.

She is also a part of charitable organizations that have benefited from her leadership and support. Grasso has volunteered for the March of Dimes, Long Island Care, Bias Help of Long Island, Women’s Fund of Long Island, the American Cancer Society, and Long Island Association for AIDS Care and Long Island Network of Community Services.

Grasso obtained a bachelor’s degree in finance from Hofstra University and an MBA in marketing from Adelphi University.

Reach reporter Carlotta Mohamed by e-mail at cmohamed@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4526.

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By Carlotta Mohamed

TimesLedger Newspapers

Marty Markowitz, the vice president of borough promotion and engagement at NYC & Co., kicked off the first day of the Flushing World Fair last Friday at the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel — located at 135-20 39th Ave.

The three-day expo from June 15-17 referenced the iconic 1964 World’s Fair through the prism of today’s contemporary global village of Flushing, featuring presentations by experts in tourism, international cuisine, social media, walking tours, business workshops, and the first Passport to Flushing, with special discounts provided by some of the area’s best local restaurants, cultural venues, and retailers.

“New York City has astonishing landmarks and attractions, unique and overwhelming energy and Flushing is a big part of it,” Markowitz, the former Brooklyn borough president, said. “I’m thrilled to experience the inaugural Passport to Flushing food and culture crawl. Let’s just say I love to eat — and combine that with culture — and it’s a win-win.”

City Councilman Peter Koo (D-Flushing) said the Flushing World Fair is a great opportunity for people from all over New York and beyond to discover the real Flushing.

“Whether you’re looking to try new and exotic foods or hoping to discover New York’s untold histories, our community has something for everyone,” Koo said.

The expo was organized by the Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce and Asian Americans for Equality as part of the three-year district marketing campaign called Flushing Fantastic. The expo celebrated the end of the first year of Flushing Fantastic, which is funded by the New York City Department of Small Business Services Neighborhood 360° Program, according to John Choe, executive director of the Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce. It was expected to draw more than 500 visitors.

“Flushing businesses offer an incredibly rich and diverse mix of culture from around the globe in one convenient location,” said Crystal Feng, program manager at Asian Americans for Equality. “We want to share this jewel of the city with the rest of the world and give local businesses the support they need to tell their engaging stories.”

Rob McKay, director of public relations for the Queens Tourism Council, led a diverse forum discussion on the future of Queens with speakers from area businesses. Throughout the day, they conducted workshops on tourism and social media for small businesses and entrepreneurs seeking to tap into the growing market for authentic experiences and unique products and services — ranging from Taiwanese tea tastings to delicious South Indian dosas served up at the Ganesh Temple in Flushing, the fourth largest commercial district in New York.

Helen You, chef and owner of Dumpling Galaxy — located at 42-35 Main St. in Flushing — started her business 10 years ago when she opened a small shop with one assistant making dumplings.

“When we started, we did better with responses from customers and expanded four years ago into a restaurant,” You said. “Flushing has a lot to offer, and if you want to open a business, you have to work hard.”

The weekend’s programming also featured several walking tours of Flushing, including an exploration of historic sites led by Jack Eichenbaum, the Queens Borough historian, and a tour of the neighborhood’s diverse and delicious cuisine led by Joe DiStefano, a Queens-based food writer and author of “111 Places in Queens That You Must Not Miss.”

Reach reporter Carlotta Mohamed by e-mail at cmohamed@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4526.

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By Merle Exit

TimesLedger Newspapers

There’s a new café on Metropolitan Avenue in Forest Hills with a French name of Poesie, where the style of cooking is not about the cream sauces. Instead, owner Alexandra Rodionova, an entrepreneur from Russia, is offering “healthy food.” The small bistro with both indoor and outdoor seating has an atmosphere that encourages relaxation. Bistro tables and chairs line the outside along with two Adirondack lounge chairs facing the street.

Alexandra earned her degree as a Specialist of Restaurant Business in Russia and was managing a similar place like this café, which led to her to dreaming of having her own here in the United States. Her dream became reality in March of 2017 as Poesie Cafe, an affordable place with great coffee-based drinks, delicious desserts and fresh squeezed juices. Rodionova later decided to incorporate a full breakfast menu, including poached eggs, omelets, oatmeal and Greek yogurt with fresh fruits and berries; along with some lunch items, like salads and healthy French sandwiches called tartines.

She and her husband have mixed their Russian and Indian cultures into cooking, experimenting with flavors. “It is difficult to stick to a specific type of cuisine,” said Rodionova. “We just cook what we like, what is tasty and definitely healthy. That is the main criteria. Unfortunately, many food industries are concentrated on serving cheap and often unhealthy food with the purpose of getting maximum profit. We try to think about a healthy and beneficial side of nutrition and provide it with an affordable price.”

Rodionova saw a food industry moving forward where customers are health conscious and value quality food. She talked about a special style of cooking known as Sous Vide, a French method of slow-cooking on a low temperature, storing the food in an air tightened vacuumed bag with spices and oil/butter into a water bath, which is similar to steaming, but different because of its elevation in rich flavor.

“Sous Vide is very popular in Europe,” said Rodionova. “Many Michelen star restaurants are using this method in their culinary. It was invented in 1970, probably as a modern way of cooking food slowly in its own juice like our grandmothers would cook food underground or in the clay ovens where the meal would stay hours or days at the low heat temperature. Nowadays it’s extremely popular for people who take care of their health.” Rodionova said that this method of cooking helps to save all the vitamins and opens the brightest sides of flavor. “It is impossible to over or undercook because of the newest software that controls temperature and timing of cooking. Your steak, for instance, comes out exactly medium rare or medium well. Its healthy, it’s safe and it’s delicious.”

Rodionova said that customers love their fresh juices and protein shakes due to the area being concentrated with different gyms, dance/yoga studios and various sport centers. “In the morning, fresh croissants and Danishes from the famous ‘Balthazar’ are desirable favorites.”

Herbal teas are offered via a French press placed at your table including a tea that features the taste of berries imported from Russia. “In eastern Europe this tree is very common. My grandma used to ask me to go to our yard and collect some berries. The berries would grow with sharp needles in between and would always poke my fingers. They are tiny and very juicy, however with a big seed which makes the actual berry impossible to enjoy. These berries can be frozen and lately used for drinks, teas and juices as immune system boosters, as well as a remedy for arthritis, diabetes, eczema, high blood pressure and many more.” She said that their guests enjoy this freshly brewed tea not only as a healthy item on the menu but also a hearty drink for both cold and hot weather.

Rodionova has made further use of the restaurant for activities and entertainment. “We are having kids art classes during June and planning to continue with some kids programs for the rest of the summer. Parents feel very appreciative that we doing something like this for the community. Early age kids (1-7 years old) learn about art and do art themselves. And a lot of parents get pleasantly surprised how their kids act and perform during art classes. So it’s a big plus for everybody.”

In addition, Poesie Café has planned some entertainment for adults to include live music, paint workshops, essential oil workshops and book presentations.

Poesie Café is located at 102-10 Metropolitan Ave. in Forest Hills.

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By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

A series of free informational “Know Your Rights” workshops and confidential legal clinics for immigrants were announced last week and scheduled to run from June 25 to June 29 in five of the most diverse neighborhoods in Queens, delivering advice from Borough President Melinda Katz’s Immigration Task Force.

Katz’s office recommends making an appointment for the workshops and clinics, but walk-ins are welcome to receive private consultation from immigration lawyers, experts, and advocates on the rights of immigrants under the law, too.

“Our country’s increasingly dehumanizing immigration laws and procedures are tearing families apart, even in a sanctuary city like New York,” Katz said. “ Broad raids and sweeps of immigration enforcement, even of those without a criminal record, have successfully spread fear and imposed a chilling effect on everyday activities and responsibilities.”

The weeklong series, which is the first of its kind, is scheduled to take place in Jackson Heights (June 25), Jamaica (June 26), Flushing (June 27), Elmhurst (June 28) and Sunnyside (June 29), according to Katz’s office.

“In partnership with a host of organizations and colleagues in local government, we are pleased to hold the first — but certainly not the last — Know Your Rights Week for Immigrants, designed to connect our various communities to committed legal experts, advocates and other resources,” Katz said.

The Legal Aid Society will be at the Jackson Heights Library — located at 35-51 81 St. — and will have services on-site interpreting information for individuals facing deportation proceedings in English, French, Spanish and more languages from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., according to the Know Your Rights Community Calendar.

“In these times, it’s crucial that immigrant New Yorkers have easy access to comprehensive legal services to seek a broad range of relief,” said Leena Khandwala, an immigration attorney at The Legal Aid Society.

The second event will be at Queens Legal Services — located at 89-00 Sutphin Blvd. in Jamaica — from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will include a clinic on naturalization issues in English, Korean, Spanish and other languages, according to the calendar.

The MinKwon Center for Community Action — located on the third floor at 136-19 41 Ave. in Flushing — will cover topics June 27 related to the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Information will be in English, Chinese (Mandarin), Japanese, Korean and Spanish.

The centerpiece of the weeklong event will be held June 28 at Queens Center Mall — located at 90-15 Queens Blvd. in Elmhurst — and will feature 30 organizations with resources in English, Bengali, Chinese (Mandarin), Croatian, Korean, Russian, Spanish, and Tagalog on the second floor of the Macy’s store from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and on the third floor of the store from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. It will connect individuals to legal experts, non-profits, government agencies, and local businesses that serve the immigrant community.

This resource fair will also include issues related to housing and employment for immigrants, according to Katz’s office.

The last event will be held by Catholic Migration Services June 29 in Room 203 at 47-01 Queens Blvd. in Sunnyside and will include one-on-one sessions for those facing deportation or seeking asylum in English and other languages, according to the calendar.

City Councilman Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) is one of the many elected officials throughout Queens who is supportive of the weeklong event.

“Katz’s Know Your Rights workshops will empower immigrant families,” Dromm said. “My district is home to one of the largest and most diverse immigrant communities in the state. I am pleased that the borough president is making every effort to protect our immigrants from harassment, discrimination and violence.”

Reach reporter Naeisha Rose by e-mail at nrose@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4573.

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By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

The Woodside Library will be receiving a multimillion-dollar renovation with funding allocated by the City Council in its recently passed 2019 budget. The branch, located at 54-22 Skillman Ave., has not undergone any significant capital renovation in more than 20 years.

“Libraries change lives,” City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) said. “The $6.5 million for a completely renovated Woodside Library is a big deal for the children, seniors and everyday Woodsiders who use this essentially important community resource. Every Woodside resident deserves to have a modern, state-of-the-art library. This funding, with the help of Congressman Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights) and Council Speaker Corey Johnson, is a game changer for the people who use this every day.”

Crowley, who grew up in Woodside and still owns a home in the neighborhood, called the funding an “enormous” investment in the community.

“Our city’s libraries are vital to enriching our communities, but many of our branches do not receive the funding they need to help our children and students grow,” Crowley said. “The millions of dollars in funding we are announcing today will help ensure the Queens library continues to instill compassion, wisdom, and open-mindedness in our children for years to come. This is one of the most important investments we can make for our community.”

The funding is part of the nearly $100 million that will be allocated to fund libraries throughout the city that was allocated in the 2019 budget and it is the largest allocation of funding for a single community library in the city in this year’s budget.

“Council member Van Bramer and Congressman Crowley have made an excellent investment not only in this branch and our customers, but in the entire community, and we are grateful for their continued steadfast support,” Queens Library President and CEO Dennis Walcott. “We look forward to working with our government partners to deliver an inspiring space where the public can learn, discover and grow.”

Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4538.

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By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-Brooklyn) introduced a bill last week with U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand that would create a panel reminiscent of the one assembled in the wake of the attacks on the World Trade Center on Sept.11, 2001 to review the death toll and federal response in Puerto Rico after Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017.

The bill would create a commission charged with examining the federal government’s preparedness and response to the tragedy that has been estimated to kill over 4,000 in Puerto Rico, according to her office.

Puerto Rican-born Velázquez, who represents parts of Queens, including Maspeth, Woodside, and Ridgewood, which has the largest Puerto Rican population in the borough, according to City Data, was not pleased with the federal government for underreporting the death toll as 64.

“We now know from a number of studies and media reports that the death toll in Puerto Rico is likely staggeringly higher than the official count,” said. Velázquez. “Our legislation would look at how the Trump administration’s feeble response to this disaster was shaped by the artificially low death toll, the inadequacy of the steps taken by the federal government in advance of the hurricanes and, equally important, what went wrong with the federal response in the weeks after the storms made landfall.”

A week before the panel was announced on June 14, Velázquez introduced the COUNT Victims Act, which would authorize $2 million for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to contract with the National Academy of Medicine to conduct a study on how to accurately and efficiently assess mortality after a natural disaster.

An inaccurate death toll count could lead to less federal aid and a lighter response to a natural disaster, according to Velázquez.

The bill was introduced in both chambers of Congress and Gillibrand pledged to stand by the Puerto Rican citizens.

“Hurricanes Irma and Maria were two of the worst disasters our country has ever experienced and they devastated Puerto Rico, yet the federal government failed in its response to these historic storms,” said Gillibrand. “Congress needs to investigate the government’s response and recovery efforts during and after last year’s hurricanes.”

Under the bill, the National Commission of the Federal Response to Natural Disasters in Puerto Rico Act, the commission would consider a broad array of factors that impacted the disaster response, including the death toll accuracy and methodology, the federal preparedness guidelines issued ahead of the 2017 hurricane season, the vulnerability of Puerto Rico’s economic situation, the adequacy of the island’s telecommunications and the capacity of the federal government to quickly mobilize and respond to disasters and emergencies in the commonwealth country, according to Velázquez’s office.

The commission would be tasked with examining any potential disparities in the federal response to Puerto Rico compared to mainland states in America, according to Velázquez’s office, which cited reports that depict a slower and less effective response vs. places like Texas. Her office cited an instance nine days after Hurricane Maria where only 1.6 million meals were delivered to the island compared to 5.1 million to Texas after Hurricane Harvey.

“Thousands of our fellow American citizens perished in this catastrophe. We need an independent, nonpartisan panel to fully investigate and bring all the facts to light,” said Velázquez.

Reach reporter Naeisha Rose by e-mail at nrose@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4573.

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By Jay Sobhraj

TimesLedger Newspapers

As city and state leaders prepare to take up the challenge of evaluating and possibly changing the admissions process for New York City’s specialized high schools, it is essential they consider the great strides already being made from the ground up to expand access to these excellent institutions.

There is no question that parents, community leaders, education officials and local leaders ought to be searching for creative and effective ways to bring more children into pipeline that feeds these schools.

As has been noted frequently in recent weeks, black and Latino students make up roughly 10 percent of the student body at schools like Stuyvesant, Bronx Science and Brooklyn Tech, even as they comprise about 70 percent of the general New York City public school population.

Rather than exacerbate divisions or impose quotas, what we ought to be focused on is providing better opportunities for all students.

Many critics of the current system point to the fact that more well-to-do families pay thousands of dollars per year on test prep classes that give students the upper hand in passing the Specialized High School Admittance Test, the key to entrance for these schools.

This is indeed a problem. Here in Queens, the effects have been clear: Bright and capable students whose families struggled economically have historically been at a disadvantage, unable to benefit from classes geared specifically to help them pass the test.

Ten years ago, the Jay and Sylvia Sobhraj Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of families in Jamaica and across the borough, partnered with the America Sevashram Sangha temple to create a free prep class open to any student who wanted to take the SHSAT.

The program then expanded to include SAT prep for college-bound high school juniors and seniors as well.

Since its inception in 2008, over 180 SHSAT students received free test prep through the program, the vast majority of them black and Latino. Of those students, an astonishing 40 percent passed the SHSAT. The other 60 percent of participants leveraged this to gain entry to honors programs in their high schools.

Some 600 students took the SAT prep classes we also provide at no cost to them, with many of them winning acceptance to top colleges, including Cornell University, the University of Southern California, Fordham University, NYU, Georgetown University and many others.

By opening the classes to students free of charge, such non-profits and other educational programs can better level the playing field and prove that in New York City, zip code does not have to mean destiny and the impacts of racial segregation can begin to be addressed by proactively recruiting students from all backgrounds to participate.

The Sobhraj Foundation, founded by immigrants from Guyana, also hired top-notch teachers who expanded the classes beyond just test prep to better develop reading and writing skills, which serve students not just in gaining admission to specialized schools but help them thrive once they are there.

As Aristole said: “The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.” Hard work by teachers, parents, students, administrators, and non-profit volunteers has resulted in success across the board.

If the city and state need to look to a model of success moving forward, one can be found here in southeast Queens. By going into the community and offering to equip students with the tools they need, regardless of income or background, we have shown that we can achieve a more equitable educational landscape while maintaining high standards and providing greater access to the best education possible.

Jay Sobhraj is a principal at Zara Realty, a Jamaica, Queens-based management company with more 2.6 million square feet of residential property in Jamaica and the surrounding communities.

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By Steven Goodstein

TimesLedger Newspapers

The Bayside councilman has delivered what he calls a record-breaking budget once again.

City Councilman Paul Vallone (D-Bayside) has secured a new budget totaling $20 million for District 19, after it was announced last week that the City Council passed an $89.2 billion budget for the fiscal year 2019.

More specifically, Vallone was able to allocate $8.2 million out of the $20 million in funding for schools in his district. Each District 19 school will receive at least $50,000, with Bayside High School receiving $1.9 million for its musical performance space, while more than $1 million will go for the implementation of security camera systems at PS 184, PS 209 and World Journalism High School, $750,000 for PS 32’s gymnasium and $400,000 for PS 41’s playground.

Out of the $20 million budget for District 19, $6 million will be used for parks, including $1 million for Bowne Park in Flushing, with nearly $600,000 going towards MacNeil Park in College Point to fund construction of pathways and granite steps which will lead to the shoreline. Another $400,000 will be set aside for the land acquisition of a parcel in Udalls Cove.

Vallone also cited the creation of a brand new community sports complex in Bay Terrace, a plan he will reveal in more details at a later date. For this particular project he, along with Katz and Johnson, partnered with the Samuel Field Y.

The $20 million budget that Vallone secured also resulted in increases for many council initiatives that provide funding for programs and services in District 19. This includes a 33 percent increase in funding for his Support Our Seniors initiative as well as an increase for the Cultural After-School Adventure, a program that provides students with cultural programs.

“Each year we have proudly reached new records and milestones for northeast Queens,” said Vallone. “We have once again invested in the future of our children, schools, parks and libraries. You can’t hide what you’re passionate about – and defending our quality of life and safety while By making sure our children, families, teachers and principals have every resource they need, have always been my top priorities.”

Vallone said he has also secured more than $1 million to support non-profits in Bayside, Little Neck, College Point, Whitestone, Flushing and other areas within his district. These non-profits include the Bayside Village BID, the Bayside Historical Society, the Greater Whitestone Taxpayers Community Center, the Alley Pond Environmental Center and the New York Junior Tennis League, among others.

In Vallone’s first five years as councilman, District 19 has received nearly $85 million in budget funding – a strong showing after many years of being near the bottom of the City Council list in terms of the amount of funds allocated to the northeast Queens district.

Vallone noted that the fireworks at the Independence Day Celebration to be held June 27 at Fort Totten will be “a clear signal to the rest of the city of how far our district has come and of its equally bright future.”

“With this year’s budget victories and allocation of over $20 million to our district, our communities can continue to stand tall knowing that their priorities are finally being met,” Vallone added.

Reach Steven Goodstein by e-mail at sgoodstein@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4566.

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Source: Times Ledger