More than 900 educators, administrators and community members gathered at Villa Lombardi’s for SCOPE Education Services’ 25th annual School District Awards Dinner, an evening dedicated to honoring those who serve Long Island’s schools.
George Duffy, SCOPE’s executive director and CEO, opened the event by welcoming attendees and expressing gratitude to those who helped organize the milestone celebration.
This year’s program was dedicated to the memory of Jennifer Milillo, the event’s former coordinator. Her daughter, Danielle Marcello, accepted flowers in her honor to a standing ovation from the crowd.
Duffy also recognized the evening’s sponsors, inviting representatives from platinum, gold, silver and bronze-level organizations to accept plaques in appreciation of their continued support.
A key highlight of the night was the presentation of the National School Development Council’s Cooperative Leadership Award to Robert Vecchio, Executive Director of the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association.
Joined by his family, Vecchio praised SCOPE and local school districts for their commitment to students across the region.
The evening’s centerpiece was the recognition of 192 individuals for their service to education. Honorees were celebrated across five categories: School Board Service, Community Service, Teacher Service, Support Staff Service and Administrator Service, reflecting the wide range of contributions that support student success.
SCOPE Education Services, founded in 1964, is a private, nonprofit organization chartered by the New York State Board of Regents.
The organization provides a wide range of services to school districts, including professional development, training programs, child care, enrichment courses and environmental education initiatives.
SCOPE also offers certification courses for educators and serves as a regional study council, supporting collaboration and innovation in education across Long Island.