Project Description
Anthony Cosentino
Principal, P.S. 21 Margaret Emery-Elm Park
Staten Island, New York
Fellow
Since 2015, native New Yorker Anthony Cosentino has served as principal of The Margaret P. Emery Elm Park School in Staten Island. Previously, Cosentino started his career as a teacher assistant at an intervention center for adolescents before becoming a special education teacher. He served as an assistant principal in Brooklyn while completing the New York City Department of Education Leaders in Education Apprenticeship Program and the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators’ Advanced Leadership Program for Assistant Principals.
Throughout his career, Anthony Cosentino has believed that stewardship is the ideal that effective school leadership manifests itself through modeled service in support of the learning community. He believes that stewards professionally develop others while instilling confidence and fostering inquiry for individuals to become leaders. Cosentino’s passion for stewardship has led to his role in building the Port Richmond Pipeline, a partnership with Intermediate School 51, Port Richmond High School and Wagner College designed to serve the under-served Port Richmond community. Cosentino’s collaboration with his partner institutions has created a robust 3K-12 learning community building upon shared core values of college readiness, college mindedness and civic engagement to ensure that students achieve ongoing and sustainable success and personal growth while becoming original thinkers, problem-solvers, and engaged citizens.
Based on his work in the Port Richmond Pipeline, Anthony Cosentino was presented the Periclean Civic Engagement Award by Wagner College. Cosentino is also a two-time elected member of the Council of Supervisors and Administrators Executive Board representing school leaders throughout New York City.
Kevin Hazzard
Assistant Principal, PS 21
Staten Island, New York
ALLY
Kevin Hazzard was raised in Bronx, NY and graduated from Cardinal Spellman High school in June of 2000. He continued his education at Wagner College and graduated with a degree in finance. Kevin worked in New York City but could not ignore the emptiness he felt each day at work. After reflecting on what could fill this emptiness, he knew that his purpose was to help empower young people to believe in themselves and reach the potential they have inside of them and to use their voices to change the world. He immediately applied to the Wagner College education program and graduated with a Master’s degree in childhood and special education.
Kevin found his first opportunity to teach, at the Hungerford School in Staten Island. There he developed a love for working with the special need’s community. He was inspired by the strength and knowledge that came from the students he taught. As a teacher, he learned to value the perspectives, experiences, differences in people. Kevin felt inspired to do more and applied, and was later accepted into the Leaders in Education Apprenticeship Program. Following (LEAP), Kevin became a Special Education coach at PS 21.
Kevin is currently a proud assistant principal at PS 21 in Staten Island. He is humbled and honored by the opportunity to learn and grow with Mr. Anthony Cosentino, the proud principal of PS 21, in his mission for racial equity, student empowerment, and in serving the Elm Park community’s needs.