Luis Torres

Cahn Fellow 2019

Principal, P.S. 055 Benjamin Franklin

The Bronx, New York

Luis Torres, a Bronx native has served the borough his entire life. He earned an Associate's degree from Hostos CC, a Master's Degree from Mercy College, an Advanced Degree from Hunter College and a Bachelor's Degree from The City College. He was one of the first Latinos to complete the NYC Leadership Academy; a training program for administrators. Mastering subjects including educational administration, technology, and child psychology, his approach to learning blends modern theory with revolutionary thinking. He started whole child education 18 years ago, shifted to community school work, and now is focused on "whole community education."

His trailblazing work as Principal of P.S. 55 over the past 14 years earned him several accolades, including Outstanding Young Educator ASCD (2011), NY Daily News Hometown Hero (2013), NAACP Educator of the Year (2014), and NYLPRW Educator of the Year (2018). Recently he was awarded the Hostos Trailblazer award. In 2019, he was featured in a TEDX Talk about the importance of arts education. He also proudly served in the United States Navy for ten years.