Clifton, NJ - August 11, 2026 - Last week, ClassLink celebrated the accomplishments of exceptional New York educators at their annual Linkside Celebration for Ed Leaders at Turning Stone Resort Casino. Bringing together educators and thought leaders from across the state—the event gave guests a chance to connect and celebrate their colleagues!
Congratulations to Our Award Winners!
To be a visionary, an educator must have the passion and creativity to design future-focused learning experiences and programs. Each new school year has unique challenges, and NY educators remain committed to creating innovative initiatives that inspire and empower students and colleagues. At the event, five outstanding individuals who consistently go above and beyond to serve their communities were honored.
NY Visionary Educator Award
Winner: Erin Folts (4th and 5th Grade Teacher, Owen D. Young Central School District)
Erin weaves high-impact technology integration into every corner of her curriculum — from a Shark Tank project where students designed their own corporate branding, to geography-based video game maps built in Canva, to Channel 5 News, her student-run newscast. She built a classroom culture so inclusive that during student government elections, one student independently translated campaign materials into Spanish so a newly arrived peer would feel included. To celebrate her students' hard work during state testing season, Erin transformed her classroom into an immersive airplane simulation — complete with boarding passes and a cockpit view — using it to deepen ELA skills while giving her rural students a sense of the wider world.
NY Visionary Technology Leader Award
Winner: Zachary Dane (Executive Director of EdTech+, New York City Public Schools)
Dr. Dane spearheaded the design and launch of a Digital Credentials Ecosystem, providing New York City students with a way to earn portable, permanent, fraud-proof recognition of their real-world skills and achievements. This Digital Credentials Ecosystem addresses a critical need by validating student achievement in a standards-compliant manner and permanently linking those accomplishments to each student's record. In partnership with the 2026 "Battle of the Boroughs" Minecraft Build Challenge at the NYC Video Game Festival, his team piloted the first printed and digital credentials for New York City Public Schools students, verifying real-world competencies in coding, collaboration, and urban planning while linking those achievements directly to their permanent records.
NY Visionary Superintendent Award
Winner: Dr. Vito D’Elia (Superintendent, South Huntington Union Free School District)
Under Dr. D’Elia’s leadership, South Huntington Union Free School District has launched a comprehensive, district-wide ecosystem dedicated to intentional technology integration, K–12 computer science, and proactive AI literacy—moving students from passive digital consumers to active creators while ensuring every step is grounded in equity and social-emotional balance. He has prioritized equitable access to hands-on STEAM learning by integrating robotics and tactile coding tools into early childhood and elementary curricula. Rather than restricting emerging technologies, he has also led the charge in developing structured, ethical AI frameworks for education, embedding age-appropriate digital citizenship and AI literacy guidelines beginning in the earliest grades.
NY Visionary Community Impact Award
Winners: Donna Farren (Distance Learning Specialist, Monroe 2 BOCES/NYSDLC) and Liz Huson (Distance Learning Specialist, Erie 2 Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES/NYSDLC)
Over the past two school years, Donna and Liz have co-facilitated 99 virtual connection programs, creating more than 30,000 student experiences and breaking down the geographic and financial barriers of the traditional classroom. From studying wolf pups at the International Wolf Center to touring presidential memorials with Washington, D.C.-area park rangers, Donna and Liz developed four signature programs—Wild Wednesdays, Civic Connections, Cultural Conversations, and Career Connections—connecting students across New York State with national experts, historic sites, and cultural institutions.
Special Shoutout to All Our Award Nominees!
Alicia Briley, Mike Davola, Alicia DelMastro, Melinda Grey, Jennifer Harriton-Wilson, Ed.D, Kevin Michaud, Shira Moskowitz, Andrew Nikola, Gianni Notaro, Amanda Pacanowski, Kendra Parchinski, Beth St. Clair Bedell, Gina Varacchi, Andrew Wheelock