BCC Heroes of the Flood
Lenny Grozier
On both a professional and personal level, Lenny Grozier said she was compelled to help MacArthur Elementary School in Binghamton after it was decimated by the September flood.
“My heart went out to them,” said the associate professor and chairperson of Teacher Education and Early Childhood Education Department at BCC. “As a former classroom teacher myself, and as a parent with children in the Binghamton City school district it was just instinctual. I also have a strong allegiance to MacArthur because the teachers have always supported in hosting my department’s student teachers in their classrooms.”
Through word of mouth, networking and technology, Grozier was able to mobilize a crew to assist in getting two preschool classrooms ready at Benjamin Franklin Elementary, which will be the permanent home for MacArthur preschool students for the year. “They had nothing there. It was like ‘Extreme Makeover’ but it turned out beautifully.” She and her students collected supplies and furnished the classroom from top to bottom – “many of my students went through their own homes for supplies since everything had been lost in the McArthur classrooms – even teacher’s lesson plans and registration forms.”
Grozier said her students can use this experience to count as their service learning project. Many told her they weren’t concerned about the academic credit.
“I’m so proud of them. It was the epitome of a teachable moment. It made them stronger, and despite all the tears and frustrations, there have been some smiles.”
The effort will continue throughout the year, said Grozier. Her students are planning a book drive and bake sale in October at the college and all proceeds will be donated to MacArthur.
