We are proud to share that South Huntington Superintendent, Dr. Vito D’Elia, has been honored with the NY Visionary Superintendent Award, presented by NYSCATE (New York State Association for Computers and Technologies in Education) and education technology company ClassLink. NYSCATE is a statewide, professional organization representing more than 25,000 educators and leaders, dedicated to advancing innovation and the safe, effective use of technology in New York schools. Dr. D'Elia is one of only five educators across the state to win this recognition this year.

The annual award highlights district leaders and educators who guide their schools into the future of education while keeping student safety, equity, and social-emotional well-being as top priorities.  

In announcing this award, NYSCATE applauded Dr. D’Elia and South Huntington for launching “a comprehensive, districtwide ecosystem dedicated to intentional technology integration, K-through-12 computer science, and proactive AI literacy, moving students from passive digital consumers to active creators while ensuring that every step is grounded in equity and social-emotional balance…Rather than restricting emerging technologies, Dr. D’Elia 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.” 

“I try from this office to see where we can move ahead with technology to best support our students in a way that will have a positive impact on them in the future heading into college and the workforce. It's a tough balance these days. We have to make sure that when we have students on screen time, it's meaningful,” said Dr. D'Elia.

Dr. D'Elia added that this award reflects the hard work and commitment of the entire district staff to guiding students through an ever-changing technological landscape. “I want to always make sure we’re continuing to expand opportunities for our students. What is the most effective learning today for future success? We're all in agreement that having a student come to school and look at a screen for seven hours is not the healthiest approach. They need the basics like being able to write a good essay. When I first became superintendent six years ago, my promise was to give students a menu to find things that work for them so they can be successful. We're not sure where all the challenges are going to be in the future, but we have to be ready, willing, and able to tackle them and make sure South Huntington is a role model for other districts. We're definitely in that place.”

Congratulations to Dr. D'Elia and the district on this outstanding statewide recognition!