Yansick McGovern Susan

Susan McGovern Yansick of Bethpage High School named Harvard Club of Long Island, "Distinguished Teacher of 2009." Susan is one of ten teachers to receive this award - from across the 120 plus school districts on Long Island. She received her award at the Harvard Club's University Relations Lunch on March 14, 2009. As explained by Dr. Judith Esterquest, a board member of the Long Island Club, "These awards were created to recognize teachers who have transformed the lives of our Long Island Students. Teachers like Susan Yansick, expending countless hours and extraordinary energy, day after day, year after year, they shape our country's future, and they do so one student at a time." She was nominated for this award by Patrick Quinn, her student and recent graduate of Bethpage High School who is now a junior at Harvard College.

Mrs. Yansick teaches AP Literature, Creative Writing, and SCALE (a college credit course given in conjunction with LIU C.W. Post Canpus) and began her teaching career in 1971, will be retiring this June (2009) after spending 24 years at Bethpage. Besides teaching almost every English course offered at Bethpage High School, she is an active mentor to new teachers in the district, hosts student teachers and observers. Outside of class, she works with students who need extra help to succeed in NYS ELA Regents; organizes poetry readings, and with students who display outstanding talent in writing, she shares her considerable success as a published author.

Information from the Bethpage Tribune - March 20-26, 2009