A decorated teacher from the Newburgh Enlarged City School District has added another award to her collection after earning the National Carl Perkins Community Service Award.
Linda Romano, a health science teacher at Newburgh Free Academy’s North Campus, received the award as part of her volunteer work with the Newburgh Armory Unity Center in the City of Newburgh. The announcement came from William Kaplan, the Chairman of the Board at the Armory, in a congratulatory message to Romano.
“We are so proud to have her as part of our Newburgh Armory Unity Center,” the Armory issued in a statement on behalf of Kaplan, Board members, staff, and volunteers.
In October, Romano had been narrowed down to one of five finalists across the country in the running for this prestigious award. She was named the national winner at the Association for Career and Technical Education’s (ACTE) award gala in Las Vegas on Wednesday evening. The ACTE is the nation’s largest not-for-profit association committed to the advancement of education.
Romano has served the Newburgh Enlarged City School District for 16 years as a health science teacher and Registered Nurse who instructs the Nurses Aid Training Program. As a result of this program, students graduate from NFA North with a high school diploma and are able to sit for the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Exam.
In addition to teaching at NFA North, Romano has volunteered much of her time to students in the school district. She has served as a student advisor for the Red Cross Club, blood drives, HOSA – Future Health Professionals, and the Farm to School Program.
When she is not working and volunteering in the schools, Romano volunteers for the Newburgh Armory as the creator and teacher of the Scholars in Scrubs program. She has also volunteered for the Medical Reserves Corps in providing COVID19 support, giving vaccinations, and providing healthcare support.
In 2018, Romano was named the ACTE National Teacher of the Year. At the time, she increased enrollment in the CNA program by 1688% over 11 years. This award came after she had already earned the regional award and the state award.
When Romano was named the 2018 Teacher of the Year, she became the first teacher from New York State to be honored at the national level in the Health and Science division. Similarly, she became the second teacher from New York State to be recognized as Teacher of the Year at the national level.
Also this year, Romano added the 2022 Drexel University Harold W. Pote Behind Every Graduate award to her collection.
In the little spare time Romano has left, she also serves as the President of the New York State Association for Career and Technical Education and the President of the New York State Health Science Educator Association. She is also a past Vice President of ACTE’s Health Science Education.
When Romano earned the Teacher of the Year in 2018, Heather Aponte, who was a senior at NFA North at the time, stated, “We are all about Mrs. Romano and that’s what makes her amazing. She’s like my school Mom.”
“I think her passion for us makes us want to perform better for her as well as for ourselves.”
