Williamsburg
Put your hands together for the students at El Puente Leadership Center at Williams Plaza for participating in the first ever WE Day, the world’s largest youth empowerment event.
When the students learned that the nearest homeless shelter is more than an hour away from those most in need, they were inspired to take action, and through WE Schools’ WE Won’t Rest Campaign, they created and implemented a plan to ensure homeless people have access to daily necessities.
The giving students created more than 50 bracelets to sell to local community members in order to raise funds. After raising $100 they needed for supplies, they put together care packages containing items such as toothpaste and a toothbrush, socks, shampoo, and many other small luxuries that often are overlooked. Together, they distributed the care packages at parks, bus shelters, and at the Brooklyn Public Library, where they would be easily accessible to those in need.
WE Day is part of WE — an organization that brings people together and gives them the tools to change the world. WE was founded more than 20 years ago by the humanitarian, activist, and social entrepreneur brothers Craig and Marc Kielburger.
El Puente Leadership Center at Williams Plaza [211 S. Fourth St. at Roebling Street in Williamsburg, (718) 387–0404].
East Flatbush
We’re NO. 1
Three cheers to the Brookdale Hospital and Medical Center for achieving the prestigious Medical Trauma Center verification from the American College of Surgeons.
The achievement recognizes Brookdale’s dedication to providing optimal care for injured patients. The verification is an indication of best practices across the organization.
Verified centers must meet the essential criteria that ensure trauma care capability and institutional performance, as outlined by the American College of Surgeons. Brookdale Hospital is one of only two hospitals in Brooklyn to receive verification by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma to date.
“The ACS’s verification of our trauma center is an indication of Brookdale’s dedication to providing quality and comprehensive care,” said Mark E. Toney, president and chief executive officer of Brookdale Hospital. “Brookdale being a trauma center is critical to saving many lives in our community,” he concluded.
“Brookdale Hospital is a vital resource to Southeast Brooklyn,” said state Sen. Roxanne Persaud (D–Canarsie). “I commend the leadership and staff for their dedication to the healthcare needs of an often underserved community. Brookdale’s compassion under pressure allows the hospital to save more lives and help their neighbors prosper.”
Brookdale Hospital and Medical Center [1 Brookdale Pl. at Linden Boulevard in East Flatbush, (718) 240–5000].
Gravesend
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto
Get out the bubbly and salute the students at John Dewey High School that participated in this year’s Robotics competition.
The Megalodons competed against 36 teams that hailed from as far away as Turkey and as close as Connecticut to not only win the competition, but also receive the Innovation in Control Award.
The students had six weeks to design, build, and program a robot that is capable of launching balls representing fuel into a simulated boiler eight feet high, grabbing and delivering gear-shaped game pieces to human players, and climbing a rope at the end of the game. In order to meet the challenge, these sharp members of Team 333 stayed after school until 8:30 pm on most weekdays, and then put in more hours on both Saturdays and Sundays. They received engineering and computer programming mentorship from volunteers from Columbia University and Bloomberg LP.
Standing O says, “Congratulations.”
John Dewey High School [50 Avenue X and Stillwell Avenue in Gravesend, (718) 373–6400].
