Unyielding drive
She’ll take any route to help
BRONX JUNIOR High School 123 social worker Margaret Prisinzano goes the extra miles for her students. Literally. Prisinzano drove to Virginia this spring to pick up donated gowns and formal wear so the kids could dress to the nines at their eighthgrade graduation and prom.
The passionate public servant also runs financial-literacy workshops for underprivileged families, provides therapy for homeless kids and helps their parents learn English.
For her exceptional efforts to help out the underserved students and families at her school, Prisinzano is nominated for a Hometown Heroes in Education award.
The dedicated school worker said she’s committed to the 386 young people of JHS 123.
“I love the students and families. They have welcomed me to be a part of their world and community,” said Prisinzano.
“If there’s an opportunity for me to go above and beyond — then that’s what I’m going to do,” she added.
The students at JHS 123 hail from the Soundview section of the Bronx, and many face daunting challenges. Nearly one in three students at the school is homeless, more than a quarter of them are learning English, and they all qualify for free lunches because their families’ incomes fall within the federal poverty guidelines.
Like any kids, the students of JHS 123 want to get dressed up for graduation and the prom. But many of their families lack the resources for basics, let alone fancy clothes.
Prisinzano jumped to action, issuing a public call for donated formalwear and dresses on Facebook in May.
“I put the ask out into the world and received a phenomenal response,” she said. “The outpouring of love was really amazing.” The teacher drove all over the city collecting donated clothes and even made the five-hour drive to her hometown of Vienna, Va., to pick up a particularly big batch of donations.
In all, she collected 400 dresses and 200 suits. When graduation and prom rolled around, the kids looked amazing.
“I wanted them to look and feel they had the opportunity to shine,” Prisinzano said. “Donors came through, and the kids rocked. They looked phenomenal.”