Thursday, October 1, 2026
The Lynbrook Council of PTAs held its 2026 Founders’ Day celebration on Feb. 2, honoring 25 PTA members and school social workers who have made a difference in students’ lives and the community.
Each February since the 1950s, the PTA recognizes the legacy of its founders and the ongoing mission to support students, families and public education by honoring educators, staff, volunteers, and community leaders who support children.
This year’s 25 honorees serve on the PTAs of several Lynbrook schools, the PTA council and the Lynbrook Special Education PTA, and include nine members of the Lynbrook Public Schools social work department who received the New York State PTA Community Service Award. The purpose of handing out the awards is to inspire other departments and members of the community to push for inclusivity.
Allison Byrne, Lynbrook council’s first vice president, was in charge of planning the Founders’ Day celebration at Lynbrook High School, spearheading the group effort that included roughly 300 people.
This marked Byrne’s second year organizing Founders’ Day, and in an email, she described it as “a pleasure to do, especially getting to know more about the lives of our honorees.”
“Our community is strengthened every day by the dedication and generosity of these individuals,” Byrne wrote, specifically singling out two of its honorees, Alison Cordes and Pat Alonge, who have been pillars in the community for many years.
Byrne described Founders’ Day as a chance to honor those who exemplify PTA values through their service, an important lesson for students, teaching them to have respect and gratitude for community dedication.
Council co-presidents Emily Coyne and Sharmin Hakim also helped coordinate the event.
“All our efforts are to make our kids feel safe and happy, and that they have things to look forward to, connecting the home and school in a meaningful way,” Coyne said. “These people have gone above and beyond, and we want to publicize our gratitude to them.”
In their speeches, all the honorees noted the inclusivity that links the district’s schools, even though they have their individual personalities, with the common link being to help students succeed.
Hakim expressed hope that others would become involved with the PTA, and that Founders’ Day would inspire them to see which of the many opportunities offered by the PTA would fit into their schedule.
“Any amount of time someone wants to give to the community, we welcome it,” Coyne said.
The honorees tend to be people who are not usually in the limelight, according to Byrne.
“It is a night honoring those whose contributions often happen behind the scenes, yet have a lasting impact on the lives of our students and families,” Byrne wrote.
The social work department is a prime example of this, as the entire department was honored with the NYS PTA Community Service Award, marking the first time a group has received a Founders’ Day award.
“The social workers do so much, and parents don’t always hear about the work they do behind the scenes, so this was our way of celebrating the whole department collectively,” Hakim said.
Natacha Boyce, director of school counseling and social work, presented the nine honorees with the award, which symbolizes the connection between the work the PTA does with the school district in supporting and serving its students and families.
“The role of social work is to build a connection between home and school, beyond the school day,” Boyce said. “Our job never ends. They show up when families are experiencing loss and sudden hardships, working beyond the requirement because it helps build that connection with home and school.”
Boyce added there’s a particularly strong connection between the PTA and school leadership, working together to ensure students and families get the support they need, both in and out of school.
Each of the nine honorees has served as a social worker in the school district for between five and 20 years, and the recognition reflects their compassion and dedication to each student and family that they interact with, Boyce said.
“Social workers are a safe space for students and families,” she said. “The work that these women do is confidential, intentionally unseen. The quote ‘Not all heroes wear capes’ is exactly what they are.”
She added that the recognition is especially meaningful because the community nominated them, people directly affected by the social workers’ contributions.
“I presented this award as their director, as someone who sees the work they do every single day,” Boyce said. “Their voices may not always be heard, but their compassion is always felt.”
