With little fanfare, but great passion, Andrew Cardone, the newest Immaculate Conception School board member, had over one hundred 4th – 8th graders spellbound as the honors award assembly guest speaker, Friday, November 21st.

Using Sr. Patrice’s theme, inspired by the school’s mascot the bald eagle, “flying high and achieving more”, Cardone drew parallels between the students’ impending adulthood with that of a fledging eagle leaving its nest. He made the point that when he started his career, he always would raise his hand. He told the students, “I knew that if I worked hard, I would be rewarded. As a result, whenever there was a project on the weekend or a last minute crisis that meant staying late – I raised my hand”.
 
With a stirring description of his own grandfather’s journey to America from Italy and with just $15 in his pocket, Cardone explained how his family’s journey also had parallels to their own: he went to a small Catholic elementary school, a public high school and a state college in New York. As he described it, even though his grandfather came from very little; he emphasized three key things: “the importance of education, religion and a belief in America – the idea that in America anyone can achieve great things if they work hard”. Cardone explained that the community of learners at ICS represent America’s future, and that if they are proactive and raise their hands when opportunities present themselves, there is no limit to what they can achieve. When Cardone asked, “raise your hands if you have dreams, if you want to fly high and achieve more.” Without hesitation, all hands shot into the air. With their dreams, hard work and honors awards on display it was a powerful afternoon for all in attendance.

We welcome all our school board members and schools’ friends to get as involved as they like. If you want to volunteer or become a school board member, please contact Cee Greene at cecilia.greene@www.pnyc.local.com or call 646-794-3349. There’s no limit to the ways you can be involved.