Local principal gets citywide honor

Philip Weinberg, the principal of the High School of Telecommunication Arts and Technology was one of a handful of city employees presented with the New York Sloan Public Service Award on March 14. The award is given to six city government employees chosen from thousands of candidates who exemplify extraordinary commitment to the public.

In a ceremony at the school, on 67th Street near Fourth Avenue, Weinberg was recognized by Mary McCormick, the president of the Fund for the City of New York; Bishop Joseph Sullivan, chair of Sloan Public Service Awards Selection Panel; and Dana Buchman from the Fund for the City of New York board of directors and received a $10,000 cash prize.

“I’m overwhelmed by this beautiful ceremony, I get a lot of credit for what people do here every day,” noted Weinberg.

The Fund for the City of New York was established by the Ford Foundation in 1968 and established the Sloan Public Service Awards as a part of its civic program in 1985.

Telecom focuses on preparing its students for college, said Assistant Principal Xhenete Shepard, noting,“1,300 students all over, 120 staff members, and he makes time for everyone. It’s because he believes in this school and the people that make this school.”

Weinberg created the framework within the school establishing a demanding academic curriculum to help the students strive towards success. “Extraordinary people produce extraordinary students,” he said.

Each of the honorees was recognized at his or her workplace during the day; in the evening, all of them gathered for a celebration at Cooper Union in Manhattan, where Mayor Michael Bloomberg was the keynote speaker.

“New York City is blessed with a great public workforce and this year’s honorees represent not only the best of government, but the very best of what our City has to offer,” said Bloomberg. “From improving how we respond to emergencies, to preserving the character of our diverse neighborhoods, to educating our children, these six individuals have given an incredible 145 years of service to their fellow New Yorkers. They are part of a deeply talented workforce that has applied innovation, hard work and dedication to help our city thrive.”