Four Staten Island educators were honored this week at Borough Hall in St. George with the Patrick F. Daly Award, the borough's recognition for excellence in teaching and school leadership. Borough President Vito Fossella presented both the 2025 and the 2026 awards at the same ceremony, announced on October 21.

The honorees

  • Lawrence Musanti, principal of Monsignor Farrell High School.
  • Diana McKenna, a third grade teacher at Bridge Preparatory Charter School.
  • Gary Tames, who has served as an administrator for 15 years at Totten Intermediate School, I.S. 34.
  • Brian Stephens, music teacher at P.S. 29.

The list spans public, charter and Catholic schools and runs from a third grade classroom to the head of a high school.

Who Patrick F. Daly was

The award has been given since 1993. It is named for Patrick F. Daly, the principal of P.S. 15 in Red Hook, Brooklyn, who devoted his career to his students. Daly died in 1992 while searching the Red Hook Houses for a missing student. The award was created the following year in his name.

A meal cooked by students

The food at the ceremony was prepared by students in the Culinary Arts Academy at Port Richmond High School, one of the career and technical programs in the borough's public high schools.

Where it happened

The ceremony took place in Staten Island Borough Hall, 10 Richmond Terrace, across from the St. George Ferry Terminal. The borough president's office announces each year's honorees on its news page.

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