April 9, 2012
© 2012 Republican-American
Educators Dr. Tagrid Mikaiel and Alena Cybart-Persenaire won the prestigious Margaret M. Generali literacy grant for their work teaching high school journalists, and Cybart- Persenaire has been invited back to Columbia University to share their practice with educators and students nationwide.
Mikaiel, a guidance counselor, and Cybart-Persenaire, the English Department chair who teaches English and journalism at Kennedy High School, sought the grant to promote journalism with the added benefit of “using literacy to combat bullying,” according to their grant proposal.
“The students will write articles and editorials for their school newspaper educating the student body regarding this increasingly widespread and potentially dangerous epidemic affecting society,” Cybart-Persenaire wrote.
The grant totals $1,500 and will be used for printing costs plus instructional materials. It was established to support the philosophy that beloved Greater Waterbury educator Margaret “Maggie” Generali lived, believed and shared. That philosophy holds that all students have the ability to learn and all teachers have the ability to be exemplary educators, according to the Generali Foundation committee and board, headed by Generali’s husband and Holy Cross High School guidance counselor Ed Generali.
“We are honored and thrilled to receive this grant, especially in memory of Maggie Generali, who devoted her career to students with the belief that every child can learn,” said Cybart-Persenaire, who was invited back to Columbia University to present two conference sessions to educators from across the country regarding high school journalism. “Maggie’s legacy continues to benefit students in the Greater Waterbury community as well as Connecticut by supporting projects such as journalism, which we then share with other students and teachers through national venues like Columbia University.”
The objective of the Generali foundation, which has awarded more than $100,000 to outstanding literacy projects within the last decade, is to provide opportunities for educators to extend their own professional development and therefore improve or expand their teaching; and to provide support for educators to implement innovative and enriching projects in their school or classroom.
Through the foundation process, educators will be able to apply for these opportunities of professional development and implementation of exemplary instructional practices. A board will select the recipient of the foundation’s support based on its worthiness to improve instruction and to enhance student achievement.
Visit the Foundation website at www.maggiegenerali.com for information or to apply for next year’s grant.