Two Brooklyn Friends teachers receive national awards • Brooklyn Paper


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Two Brooklyn Friends School faculty members were honored this year with prestigious national awards, adding further accolades to the already illustrious institution.

Both BFS staff members Frank Cabrera and Vlad Malukoff received their respective honors in their respective fields – the Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools praising Cabrera and the University of Chicago praising Malukoff’s work .

“I was in total shock,” Cabrera said.

Cabrera – the new director of the school’s college council – received the first ACCIS Champion of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DCI) champion, which is awarded to those who demonstrate deep commitment to give a voice to those who have historically been silenced.

“We feel lucky to have Frank in our community,” said Crissy Cáceres, principal of the Brooklyn Friends School. “During his interview, Frank referred to the fundamental nature of social justice work in his life in various ways. He had concrete examples of his immersion in DCI’s work both in the world of college counseling and beyond. As such, this well-deserved award makes perfect sense. ”

Cabrera added his thanks, saying he hoped the award would help highlight some of the neglected initiatives the school has undertaken.

“I am on the DE&I committee for CCCTB and one of our new initiatives is to recognize newer and seasoned academic advisers who have demonstrated a deep commitment to the work of DE&I,” said Cabrera. “I was really excited to shine the spotlight on the incredible work that so many of our members are engaged in. So when I heard my name as one of the two award winners, I was stunned.”

Meanwhile, Vlad Malukoff, who has taught history at Brooklyn Friends for the past 23 years, has been honored as an Outstanding Educator by the University of Chicago – not surprisingly to his colleagues at BFS.

“I heard the students present, as well as the alumni, talk about Vlad and the impact he had on them long before I met him,” said the principal of Brooklyn Friends graduate school, Kamaya Prince Thompson. “What I noticed the first time I met him was his energy, his love and his belief in the potential and abilities of each student. This is why he is a legend in the eyes of his students. He teaches with all his heart. He is a gem. ”

Malukoff was named an “Outstanding Educator” by a Brooklyn Friends alumnus of the University of Chicago’s Class of 2025, among thousands of applicants for making a positive impact on the lives of students.

The teacher used the nomination to reflect on the past 23 years, hailing his students as the reason for his continued passion for education.

“I can’t believe it, but I’ve been here since 1998 and started here the same week I got married for the second time, so it’s easy to remember both dates,” Malukoff said. “I have even more passion now for teaching in a way because I have more confidence in myself. I was very lucky. When you see a student developing an interest in what you are teaching, it is the most rewarding thing.

About Mark A. Tomlin

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