Corbin Honors Local Developers and Young Scholars

Nassau County Deputy Presiding Officer Roger Corbin (D-Westbury) today honored four Drexel Avenue Elementary School fifth-graders for their acceptance into the National Young Scholars Program for the summer of 2007, and the two developers who will donate the tuition.

“The partnership formed today is a win-win for everyone involved,” Corbin said. “To have four of our children accepted into this prestigious program is a testament to the quality of our schools in Westbury, and to have two businesses willing to reach into their own pocket for the betterment of our children speaks to the generosity of our business community.”

Ranjan Batheja, of Rosedale-based Stoneridge Homes, Inc. provided the necessary $1,880 tuition for Justin A. Gonzalez, Aylia Shantel-Doomes and Gabrielle Rodrigo. Eric Bluestone of the Fresh Meadows-based Bluestone Organization sponsored the tuition of Renee Watson. Both development groups are working on projects in New Cassel.

The National Young Scholars Program was created to identify young students with a history of academic achievement and exceptional leadership potential. Within the program, students choose one learning “strand” to focus their attention on, leading to a more thorough and in-depth learning experience they wouldn’t receive in a normal classroom setting. The strands cover everything from the physics of flight to video-game design, forensic science to medicine.

The donations came in after Gonzalez wrote Corbin a letter seeking his assistance. Corbin then reached out to local businesses.

“When young people are in the position to achieve great things, like these four students are, it is our duty as a community to assist them in any way possible,” Corbin said.