Harvard Club of Long Island honors Herricks, Sewanhaka teachers

Noah Manskar

Henry Huang and Rachel Pantorno are Ivy League material, according to their former students.

The Herricks High School math teacher and Sewanhaka High School world history teacher are among the 14 Long Island teachers on the Harvard Club of Long Island’s “Distinguished Teacher of 2016” list.

Nominated by former students who currently attend Harvard College and selected by a Harvard Club committee, Long Island’s Distinguished Teachers are honored because they “transform lives,” Distinguished Teacher Selection Committee Chair Judith Esterquest said in a statement.

“I don’t think I’m doing anything different from other teachers here, and I’m honored and happy that I was able to inspire at least one kid,” Huang said.

Herricks High School alumnus and current Harvard junior Benjamin Pleat nominated Huang, a Williston Park resident and 11-year Herricks math teacher who has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a master’s degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara.

Huang offered Pleat help as a ninth-grader struggling with a probability problem, Pleat said in a news release. The teacher came to be “one of the most influential people I have ever met,” he said.

Since visiting Herricks as a graduate, Pleat said in a statement, he’s noticed Huang’s ability to blend “real life example and rich theory” helps all kinds of students appreciate math.

“Not only has Mr. Huang helped me aspire further to reach my full potential, but also he has shown me that hard work, critical thinking and a little ingenuity go a long way in math — and in life,” Pleat said in a statement.

Geetha Murthy, Herricks’ director of mathematics, said in a statement Huang’s love for the subject and dedication to his students make him a standout teacher.

“He is that rare teacher who truly understands his content area and who also truly understands the art of teaching it,” Herricks school Superintendent Fino Celano said in a statement. “Any student who is lucky enough to sit in his class would agree.”

Pantorno has taught in Sewanhaka schools for 11 years and holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Adelphi University and a master’s in secondary education from Molloy College.

She is an “eccentric and demanding” teacher who engages students and gives them a “taste of college-level studies,” said Shahrukh Khan, the Sewanhaka alumnus and Harvard junior who nominated her.

While Pantorno’s assignments were sometimes “tedious, annoying and hard,” Kahn said in a statement, they made students stronger and better prepared.

“She also fostered an interest in history that stays strong today, with many of my classmates (and I) going on to major in international relations, economics and political science,” Khan said in a statement.

Sewanhaka district Superintendent Ralph Ferrie called Pantorno “a shining example of what makes a great teacher.”

“Rachel is absolutely deserving of this honor,” Sewanhaka High School principal Debra Lidowsky said in a statement. “She is an outstanding teacher who is passionate about her subject and is dedicated to her students’ success.”

The Harvard Club of Long Island will honor Huang and Pantorno April 10 at its annual University Relations Luncheon, along with teachers from the Half Hollow Hills, Hicksville, Manhasset, Massapequa, Oceanside, Sayville, Syosset and Valley Stream public school districts, and the private St. Anthony’s High School, The Stony Brook School and the Waldorf School.

Three teachers will also be named Harvard Club fellows and receive funding to travel to Harvard’s campus in Cambridge, Mass., and pursue their educational interests, Esterquest said.

Harvard political economy professor Benjamin M. Friedman will give a talk at the luncheon titled “Prospects for the U.S. Economy and U.S. Economic Policy.”

The limited-seating luncheon is open to the public. Admission costs $50.

Share this Article