Borough Wide
Standing O sends out congratulations to borough son Ilya Mekhtiyev. Our pal Ilya was promoted to store manager of the East 49th Street branch at TD Bank, America’s most convenient bank, in that borough across the river. He will be responsible for new business development, consumer and business lending, managing personnel and overseeing the day-to-day operations serving customers throughout Manhattan.
The money man has more than seven years of retail banking experience, having joined TD Bank in 2007 as a part-time teller in the Wall St. location and later serving as a teller, customer service representative and store supervisor before his most recent position as assistant store manager at 49th and Second Avenue. He is also a member of Generation Next.
This guy is Brooklyn through and through, having graduated Brooklyn College in 2008, and Edward R. Murrow High School in 2004.
Standing O wishes Ilya a long and profitable career.
TD Bank [919 Second Ave. at E. 49th Street in Manhattan (212) 593–8071]
Brooklyn Heights
No more violence
With a passionate, informative, and emotional talk about domestic violence, Kaelyn Quinn took home first place and $500 at the annual Delaney Speech Contest held at St. Francis College on April 14.
Each contestant is required to make a three to four minute extemporaneous speech on the topic of their choice.
This year’s contestants also included Shantel Risher (second place) speaking on natural hair as a social movement in the African-American community, and Dion Costelloe (third place) who spoke about climate change.
The event is organized by St. Francis Communication Arts Professor Timothy Dugan and was judged by Communication Arts Professors.
Professor Dugan explained the creation of the Delaney Speech contest, “While the contest is named after
[Francis] Delaney, we no longer try to cure students of their accents. Instead our focus is on turning our students into solid communicators, both orally and through the written word.”
Standing O knows all about the written word and offers congratulations to Kaelyn.
St. Francis College [180 Remsen St. between Court and Clinton streets in Brooklyn Heights, (718) 522–2300]
Borough Wide
Woo hoo!
Five stars and lots of books to the Clinton Hill, New Lots, and Windsor Terrace branches of the Brooklyn Public Library. They are among the 10 finalists competing in the annual “New York City Neighborhood Library initiative,” which is co-sponsored by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and the Charles H. Revson Foundation.
In May, five of the finalists will receive $20,000 each — the largest cash prize awarded directly to branch libraries in the nation.
The Windsor Terrace Library was chosen for being a center for social cohesion in a changing neighborhood. Many of the 282 people who nominated the library wrote about how important it is in the community. It also serves as the library for PS 130 across the street, and four other schools in the area.
The New Lots Library received 42 percent of its 148 nominations from students, and was cited as a safe haven for everyone, but especially for youth. The library is a unique and indispensable resource providing services ranging from books to the Internet to homework help to a kids’ karate class.
The Clinton Hill Library has 14 schools and colleges within walking distance and provides children from pre-K through college (Pratt Institute or St. Joseph’s College) with educational assistance.
Teacher Heath, who lives near the Windsor Terrace Library, explained: “I treasure this branch. My two nieces learned to read with their children’s programming, and taught my mom to write her memoir. She also brings me the books I read on my way to work each day. Windsor Terrace Library has enriched three generations of my family on a weekly basis.”
The New Lots Library was selected for its availability to residents, according to local resident Takora. “I live in a very impoverished neighborhood,” she said. “Every day is a struggle for everyone but because of this place, we have access to the Internet and books and classes. This library helps people in our community better themselves and become a contributing part of society. Without this branch giving us the tools to do so, a lot of us would have no other way to get help or find things available to us.”
Standing O sends good wishes to all the libraries.
