[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 71 (Monday, May 11, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1114]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        MICHAEL A. MAZELLA, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MICHAEL E. McMAHON

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 11, 2009

  Mr. McMAHON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Michael A. Mazella, 
Jr., a principal, teacher, and alumnus of the St. Ann School in the 
Dongan Hills community of Staten Island, New York who has touched the 
lives of thousands of Staten Island children.
  Born and raised in Dongan Hills by his mother Lee Mazella and his 
father, the late Michael Mazella, Michael Mazella, Jr. was a member of 
the first graduating class of the St. Ann School, the former 
Augustinian Academy on Grymes Hill and St. John's University.
  Mr. Mazella taught 7th and 8th grade classes at St. Ann School for 
over 17 years before becoming its first principal who was not a member 
of the clergy. He has served as principal for the past 22 years. 
Besides his work as principal and classroom teacher, Mr. Mazella has 
also served as a gym instructor for St. Ann's 6th, 7th and 8th grade 
students, the boys' varsity basketball coach, and a moderator of the 
St. Ann's Parish Christian Youth Organization sports program.
  As principal, Mr. Mazella has worked hard to bolster St. Ann's 
academic programs, spearheading efforts to re-establish the school's 
kindergarten program and institute requirements for foreign language, 
art and music appreciation, and computer science. He also played a 
central role in the effort to secure and maintain the school's Middle 
States accreditation.
  Principal Mazella has also supervised two major renovation projects 
at the St. Ann School. In 1992, the school added a wing to house a new 
pre-school, the computer center, a library, and a faculty room. And in 
2005, in commemoration of the school's Golden Jubilee, Principal 
Mazella oversaw a key modernization effort that provided St. Ann 
students with state of the art lighting, Smart Boards, new desks and 
chairs, and air-conditioning.
  Mike Mazella's achievements as a principal and teacher have been 
widely recognized far beyond the confines of St. Ann's Parish. He is 
the recipient of numerous awards including: Outstanding Elementary 
Teacher of America in 1975, the Jack Anglin Memorial Trophy, the 
Maurice Wollin Award, Staten Island Teacher of the Year in 1984, the 
Distinguished Graduate Award in 1991 from the N.C.E.A., and the Medal 
of Honor from the Catechetical Office of the Archdiocese of New York.
  In addition to his lifetime of dedication and 40 years of service to 
St. Ann School, Mike Mazella has been a positive influence on the lives 
of countless Dongan Hills public school children, serving as a CCD 
program coordinator for over 30 years.
  Outside of his professional life, Michael Mazella is a devoted family 
man, married to Pamela Smith of West Brighton for almost 40 years. He 
is the father of three children, Michael, Julie and Jessica and the 
beloved grandfather of Ryan, Justin, Erik, Georgia, and Keira.
  Michael Mazella will retire from his role as principal of the St. Ann 
School this June when the academic year comes to a close. He will leave 
behind a legacy of service to St. Ann's and the larger Staten Island 
community, having improved the lives of thousands of children through 
his work as teacher, coach, principal, mentor, and role model. Madam 
Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in commending Michael A. 
Mazella, Jr. and his extraordinary contributions to Staten Island and 
the St. Ann School.

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