On April 10th, Borough President James S. Oddo awarded Monsignor Peter G. Finn with the Maniscalco Award during a ceremony at the St. George Theatre. Prior to the ceremony, a small, private plaque-unveiling took place at Borough Hall, at which Cardinal Timothy Dolan gave a blessing. Monsignor Finn was then be led up Hyatt Street by Farrell High School musicians with an NYPD escort.

At the ceremony at the St. George Theatre, Monsignor Edmund Whalen gave the evening’s invocation and Father Jerome of St. Charles Parish gave the evening's benediction. Blessed Sacrament Youth Choir performed two songs for the audience. 

A reception followed in the Grand Lobby of the St. George Theatre with donated fare from the Canlon's, Denino's Pizzeria, O'Neill's Staten Island, the Staaten, and the Port Richmond High School Culinary Arts Program.

The Albert V. Maniscalco Community Service Award was established in 1986 in honor of the ninth borough president. Maniscalco's tenure from 1955 to 1965 saw the creation of the Greenbelt and the construction of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. The award celebrates the civic-mindedness and tireless energy of individuals or organizations that work to help community members in need and to make Staten Island a better place.

“It is my pleasure and honor to be able to – with the Maniscalco Family – bestow this award on Monsignor Finn,” said Borough President Oddo. “He has been a reliable, comforting presence on Staten Island for so many of us – from Farrell grads to the community at large. He embodies all of the values that this award stands for and I’m thrilled to make him part of such an exclusive club of Staten Islanders.”

Monsignor Peter G. Finn was born and raised on Staten Island. A graduate of St. Peter’s Boys High School, he was ordained in 1965. Monsignor Finn has been the pastor of Blessed Sacrament R.C. Church since 2007.  He was the co-vicar of Staten Island with Monsignor James Dorney. Monsignor Finn was the rector of St. Joseph’s Seminary in Dunwoodie, N.Y., from 2001 to 2007.  Before that, he was the pastor of St. Joseph-St. Thomas R.C. Church.  From 1983 to 1989, Monsignor Finn was the director of the Archdiocese Office of Communications.  He was also the principal of Monsignor Farrell High School, where he had been a faculty member.  Monsignor Finn was the district superintendent of schools on Staten Island.  He received a bachelor of arts from Manhattan College and a master of divinity from St. Joseph’s Seminary. He also holds degrees from Richmond Community College and Columbia University. 

Monsignor Finn has long been an active supporter of the ecumenical activities on Staten Island and the Council of Churches.  He is a member of the Knights of Columbus, Knights of the Holy Sepulchre and the Knights of Malta.  He also serves on a number of boards, including Project Hospitality, the Staten Island Catholic Youth Organization, Carmel Richmond Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, the Seton Foundation, Archdiocese of the Ladies of Charity and the Staten Island Center for Independent Living.

“I feel honored,” said Monsignor Finn. “I knew the late Albert Maniscalo and his family. They stood for service. I am in the company of dedicated Staten Island leaders.”

Around 250 people attended the evening's ceremony. 
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Here are the past winners of the Maniscalco Award:
Richard E. Diamond, John L.F. Sipp, Norma D'Arrigo, Allan Weissglass, Martin Stallone, Roger E. Acker, Reverend Robert I. Gannon, Michael F. Manzulli, Michael J. Petrides, Marie G. Martino, Frank Powers, Susie Hyun Sook Beidel, Brian J. Laline, Reverend Hattie Smith-Davis, and Joseph V. Madory, Lou Caravone, Jose Joe Valentin, Nancy Passeri, retired Borough Commander Anthony Marra, Reverend Terry Troia, Senator John J. Marchi, Wendy Pellegrino, Fred Ariemma, Joanne E. Gerenser, Ph.D., Dr. S. Chitoor Govindaraj, Kathryn Krause Rooney, the Siller Family, George and Maria Esposito, the Mannix Family, the Dr. Theodore Atlas Foundation, William A. Morris Jr., Lois and Richard Nicotra, and Dee Vandenburg.

​Borough President James Oddo is pleased to open up nominations for an official poet laureate for Staten Island.
 
“It’s time that Staten Island had its own Poet Laureate who can foster a greater appreciation for the art of reading and writing poetry,” said BP Oddo. “I am excited at the prospect and look forward to adding this voluntary position to our team at Borough Hall.”
 
The appointment of Staten Island Poet Laureate will be an unpaid, volunteer position, appointed for a 4-year term by the Borough President, based on the recommendation of a selection committee.
 
Candidates for the position must reside on Staten Island and have recognition as a poet, as well as a demonstrated commitment to using the position for community outreach and projects that promote poetry and/or literacy on the Island.
 
A committee of literary and arts “experts” from the local community will make their recommendations to the Borough President who will ultimately select the Poet Laureate.
 
Nominations should be sent to Jennifer Sammartino at jsammartino@statenislandusa.com. Please include a CV or resume and 3-4 examples of the nominee’s literary works. The nomination period is open until April 12th at 5 PM.  

​The Staten Island Borough President’s Office is sponsoring a volunteer program to welcome tourists at the St. George Ferry Terminal for another year. The Ferry Terminal Kiosk volunteer program will provide exposure to hundreds of tourists each day from May through October.
 
The ideal candidate has excellent communication skills, a willingness to learn, and enthusiasm about marketing Staten Island and New York City as a destination. Volunteers will be responsible for fostering interest in Staten Island by providing information regarding local attractions, bus routes, nearby eateries, and thoughtfully answering other tourist inquiries. Training will be provided that covers the aforementioned topics. 
 
The booth will be open from Wednesday through Sunday, 10 am to 6pm, with three 2-hour shifts daily and at least three volunteers for each shift. Scheduling is flexible. Volunteers will be responsible for addressing queries in a friendly manner and must have a presentable and professional appearance while operating the booth. Volunteers will also be responsible for opening and setting up the kiosk each morning and securely closing it in the evening, as well as keeping all the materials stocked.
 
Volunteers will be given the opportunity to expand interpersonal skills by interacting with a diverse and curious audience and be awarded a Certificate of Completion—a great addition to a resume—for their work.
 
Tourism is a $66 billion industry in New York City. The Staten Island Ferry is one of the most visited attractions in New York City, with over 1.5 million tourists riding the Ferry each year.
 
“Staten Island is sure to see a major uptick in tourism. There has been a lot of buzz about our borough in the media, both locally and internationally. We at Borough Hall know this is going to be an important economic driver, and we are excited to be able to assist in that effort with this kiosk that helps direct tourists,” said Borough President James Oddo. “Our goal is to connect tourists to the wonderful cultural attractions Staten Island has to offer, providing directions, information on where they can eat, shop, and stay. Staten Island is open for business in every way possible.”
 
Applications for the volunteer positions are currently being accepted. All inquiries should be made by April 1. For more information, contact Colleen Siuzdak at the Staten Island Borough President’s Office of Tourism and Cultural Affairs at csiuzdak@statenislandusa.com or 718-816-2057.

​Borough President James Oddo and District Attorney Michael E. McMahon will host the Vietnam Veterans Welcome Home Breakfast on Tuesday, March 26th at 9am at the Hilton Garden Inn in the Tea House Garden. The ceremony, which continues the thirteen-year commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the conflict, will honor those who served in the U.S. Armed Forced during the Vietnam War era. The breakfast will begin at 9am, with the ceremony to start at 10am. 

At the third annual breakfast, veterans will be given a symbol of appreciation by BP Oddo and DA McMahon. In addition, there will be a POW/MIA recognition ceremony. 

Staten Island residents who were active members of the military during the period from 1955 to 1975 are eligible to attend the breakfast. Veterans may be asked to provide their DD-214 as proof of service.

“Our veterans have made our freedom and way of life possible, and for this we continue to thank them,” said Borough President Oddo. “Many of our veterans who served bravely in the Vietnam War were not welcomed home properly when they returned. I am extremely thankful to all those who have dedicated their lives in service to protecting this country, and for that DA McMahon and I are happy to continue this ceremony to recognize their heroism, sacrifice, and service to our country.” 

“Today as Americans we rightfully greet those returning home from serving our nation with gratitude and praise; the same cannot be said for the men and women who served in Vietnam. Upon their return, our Vietnam vets were often met with disrespect and outright disdain. Joining with Borough President Oddo to once again give these heroes a long overdue ‘Thank You’ and ‘Welcome Home’ is a true privilege and I encourage all of our Vietnam veterans to join us for a celebration of their service both abroad and here at home,” said District Attorney Michael E. McMahon. 

Veterans wishing to attend the ceremony must RSVP to Diane Marciuliano at (718) 816-2246 or DMarciuliano@statenislandusa.com by March 18th.

As part of his health initiative efforts, Borough President James Oddo has kicked off a “Fizz Free February” campaign on social media. The initiative is designed to educate the public about the realities of sugar, especially in soda and sugar sweetened beverages. Given the severity in the overall health statistics of Staten Islanders, Borough President Oddo feels that it is important to bring attention to health education and positive lifestyle changes, beginning with the importance of cutting sugar in your diet.
 
The campaign will take place over the month of February. Each Friday on Borough Hall’s Staten Island USA social media accounts, a post will highlight the realities of how sugar affects the way our bodies function as well as the overall state of our health.
 
Statistics show that in this country, sugar sweetened beverages are the largest source of added sugar to a person’s diet. Increased sugar consumption has been shown to lead to obesity, which dramatically increases the risk of diabetes and heart disease.
 
The public will be encouraged to put down their soda and sugar sweetened beverages, and to instead consume only sugar-free beverages, such as water, seltzer, or unsweetened iced tea. Examples of sugar sweetened beverages include regular soda, diet soda, sweetened tea, sweetened coffee, fruit drinks, sports drinks, and energy drinks.
 
“By educating Staten Islanders about the dangers of sugary drinks, we can help them make informed decisions about their health,” noted Borough President Oddo. “We’ve encouraged the participants to get creative in educating their peers about the negative effects of these beverages, which we hope will inspire them to eventually ‘kick the can’ for good.”
 
Borough President Oddo is excited to see Staten Islanders “Fizz Free February” sugar-free drink options. Tag our social media accounts with photos of friends, family, coworkers, or classmates drinking healthy alternatives to soda and sugary drinks and we will repost them.

On Sunday, January 27, Borough President James S. Oddo hosted his first annual “BP Assist Live” at Susan E. Wagner High School.  This was adapted from the previous “Direct Connect Sunday,” a tradition he began when he took office.
 
“When I first got elected borough president in 2014, the notion of having a really stuffy swearing-in inauguration didn’t quite fit my style,” said Borough President Oddo. “I wanted to get to work. I tried to figuratively and literally open the door to Borough Hall and host Staten Islanders I have never seen, and it was really a positive event.”
 
Borough President Oddo began the afternoon with a Q&A with students from Staten Island’s high schools. Topics addressed included the opioid epidemic, street conditions and how to portray Staten Island in a positive light. Borough President Oddo also spoke of the importance of sleep, healthy eating and managing stress for teenagers.
 
On the drug epidemic, he said the crisis knows “no demographic.”
 
The schools represented included Susan E. Wagner High School, Curtis High School, Monsignor Farrell High School, New Dorp High School, Michael J. Petrides High School, Staten Island Technical High School, McKee Technical High School, Concord High School and the College of Staten Island High School for International Studies.
 
Another aspect of the day included a resource fair where Staten islanders were able to meet with representatives from 48 city agencies, cultural organizations and community groups to learn about their services and ask questions.

​We welcomed over 200 people at the event. 

Missed our BP Assist Live event? No problem, click here to learn about what our staff are up to.

Borough President James S. Oddo is pleased to announce the expansion of his reading initiatives for students in 2019. The Readers Are Leaders program is an institution in fourth grade classes on Staten Island, with over 110,000 students and more than half a million books later, it clearly has been a monumental success. This year’s additional reading initiatives will include more than just the fourth grade, in an effort to ignite the spark in this younger generation with the power and enjoyment of reading.

“At a time when children are beginning to learn the power of reading, my office is making an effort to do all we can to encourage and reinforce the notion that reading is an essential part of life,” said Borough President Oddo. “I’m thrilled to continue the ‘Readers Are Leaders’ tradition and hope these new initiatives encourage reading at all levels.”

Now in its 23rd year, the Readers Are Leaders program challenges fourth graders across the Island to read six books in five weeks. Staten Island author and magician Mike Lane joined the challenge three years ago with his book series, “The Magic Shop.” Along with reading the six books, students are offered a mini-challenge within Readers Are Leaders to read Lane’s four book series and write a book report. The winner of that challenge, chosen by Lane, will receive a free magic show for their school. The Readers Are Leaders challenge runs from February 18th to March 25th.

As a partner program and expansion of the successful Readers Are Leaders, Borough President Oddo will be challenging first graders with a new Readers Are Leaders Jr. program. This program will run concurrent to the fourth grade program. The first grade will be challenged to read “Mikey and the Dragons” by Jocko Willink, along with one book of their choice. 

The Borough President has incorporated Jocko Willink’s first children’s book series, “Way of the Warrior Kid,” into his reading initiatives for the past two years. This year, that effort will be expanded into the Summer Reading Challenge as an extension to the fourth grade Readers Are Leaders program. To keep students engaged during the summer months, students will be challenged to read both of the books in the “Way of the Warrior Kid” series. 
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Rounding out the new reading initiatives is a reading program for the second grade students. Staten Island second grade students will be challenged to read Nick Katsoris’ “Loukoumi’s Good Deeds,” from the “Loukomi” book series, about Loukoumi and the good deeds she does in her community. A discussion will take place in the classroom about what good deeds the students have done in response to reading this book, as well as take part in Make A Difference Day on October 26th.

​On Monday, December 11th, BP Oddo hosted the annual Borough Hall Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. At the event, carols and theatrical scenes were performed by local talents, including Al Lambert, House of Cadre, Staten Island Shakespearean Theatre, and D. Sharp Studios. Santa joined BP Oddo to light the Christmas tree and give out books to children who attended.
 
“This is a great moment for all of us to come together and celebrate the season,” said BP Oddo. “I hope all Staten Islanders have a safe and happy holiday season!”
 
The event was sponsored by Allstate, Cake Chef's Cookie Jar, the Gavel Grill, the National Lighthouse Museum, the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, and the Staten Island Yankees.