Alumni Awards

Awards Ceremony

Learn more about the lives and careers of our award-winning alumni

Each spring, the Bank Street College Alumni Association (BSCAA) presents its annual Alumni Awards to celebrate excellence in our alumni community. The 2024 honorees include Hal Melnick, GSE ’74; Eleanor Quallo; Maryah Greene, GSE ’20; Luisa Celado, GSE ’22; Lisa Ginet, GSE ’87; and Asya Johnson, GSE ’12.

Read more about our honorees below. To register to join us at our upcoming BSCAA Awards Ceremony & Reception on Saturday, May 18 at 5:30 PM, follow the button below.

Register to Attend the Ceremony

Hal Melnick, GSE ’74 (Distinguished Service Award)

Dr. Hal Melnick is a faculty emeritus of the Leadership in Mathematics Education Program at Bank Street Graduate School of Education, where he taught for 43 years and co-developed the graduate program for tenured math teachers and coaches. Dr. Melnick began his career as an elementary school teacher in New York City public schools, where he studied and taught constructivist-based Madison Project Math Laboratory courses for teachers across the city. Today, he enjoys retirement. He is also co-author of a National Science Foundation professional development project using video case studies of inclusive, equity-based teaching practices in math classes (K-5) called Math for All. Dr. Melnick holds a PhD in Mathematics Education from the Union Institute and a master’s degree from Bank Street Graduate School of Education.

Hal Melnick

Eleanor Quallo (Ida Karp Award)

Eleanor Quallo, a seasoned leader within New York City Public Schools’ (NYCPS) Division of Early Childhood Care and Education, has devoted over three decades to Parent Governance and the New York City-Wide Head Start Policy Council. She is a former Delegate Agency Policy committee member who is deeply rooted in Head Start as a parent. Eleanor’s extensive experience in family engagement, community partnerships, parent leadership and development, and Head Start initiatives has positioned her as a prominent figure in various parent-family and community leadership endeavors. Before her tenure with NYCPS, Eleanor served in diverse roles at the Administration for Children Services, where she honed her expertise and remained updated on Head Start mandates, standards, and monitoring procedures. Eleanor’s dedication to fostering parent leadership, advancing Head Start governance, and enhancing community engagement transcends her professional responsibilities, as she actively participates in community outreach programs to educate the public on the significance of granting parents and caregivers decision-making rights and fostering genuine partnerships with school leaders.

Eleanor Quallo

Maryah E. Greene, GSE ’20 (Recent Graduate Award)

Maryah Greene established her position as New York’s go-to plant stylist following appearances and features in the New York Times and Vogue, on Good Morning America, and more. What started as an Instagram account full of plant tips and tricks has blossomed into a full-blown business. As Maryah shifted from studying education at Bank Street Graduate School of Education to cultivating green spaces through her plant design firm, Greene Piece, she understood that the same relationships and methods she developed in the classroom could shape her introduction of houseplant care and education to new and experienced plant parents alike. Much like her plants, Maryah knows what it’s like to start from seed and has no intention of stopping anytime soon.

Maryah E. Greene

Luisa Celado, GSE ’22 (Recent Graduate Award)

Luisa Celado is the block teacher at Learning Through Play (D7) and has been teaching for more than 20 years in the Bronx, a time that has helped her sweeten her passion for early childhood education. She is a strong believer that every child has the potential to learn and grow. Luisa is dedicated to helping children reach their full potential by creating a safe and inclusive learning environment where they feel supported, valued, and respected. She is delighted to influence and inspire other educators to discover the power of block play. Luisa is a proud daughter, wife, mother, sister, aunt, friend, and colleague who is always willing to help and support.

Luisa Celado

Lisa Ginet, GSE ’87 (Recognition Award)

Lisa Ginet has spent four decades as an educator in various roles: classroom teacher, child care provider, parent educator, home visitor, teacher developer, and college faculty. Lisa has worked in diverse settings, including child care homes and centers, elementary and middle schools, community colleges and private universities, and non-profit organizations. In all of her roles, Lisa has worked to engage children in active and meaningful learning, support families as their children’s first and closest teacher, and involve educators in reflective and practical dialogue to help improve their teaching and caregiving. In 2024, after 15 years at the Erikson Institute as the director of program design and operations for both the Early Math Collaborative and the Department of Professional Learning, Lisa has moved into a new stage of life with a focus on grandparenting, substitute teaching, and advocacy.

Lisa Ginet

Dr. Asya Johnson, GSE ’12 (Recognition Award)

Dr. Asya Johnson is a principal of Longwood Preparatory Academy (LPA) in the South Bronx and has implemented culturally responsive pedagogical practices in her school since 2018, contributing to the school’s removal from New York State’s persistently struggling schools list. In her research, “A Case Study: Exploring the Self-Efficacy of Untenured Teachers Enrolled in Non-Traditional Teacher Education Programs in Title I, Low-Achieving, Urban Schools,” she explored the lack of culturally responsive training in non-traditional teaching programs, which strengthened her work as a school leader. Previously, Dr. Johnson was principal at a charter school in Harlem and director of special education programs for the New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) District 79. She is a member of New York City’s Diversity Advisory Group as well as a contributor to Rutgers University’s Samuel Dewitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice; St. John’s University’s Institute for Critical Race and Ethnic Studies; and the African American Policy Forum’s CRT Summer School. She currently serves as a member of the NYCPS chancellor’s Principal Advisory Board and is one of Chancellor Banks’ master principals for the 2023-24 school year. She holds a doctorate in Education Management and Leadership from Drexel University, an EdM in Educational Leadership for Change from Bank Street Graduate School of Education, an MEd in Special Education from Holy Family University, and a BA in English from Delaware State University, an HBCU.

Asya Johnson