These Valley Stream BOCES students receive the Dillon Award

Bilal Khawar, a Rosemary Kennedy School student from Valley Stream, is one of sixteen recipients of a Dr. Robert R. Dillon Award, a scholarship that honors the former Nassau BOCES District Superintendent who died last summer.

Presented by the Nassau BOCES Educational Foundation, this year marks the inaugural year of the awards. Dr. Dillon’s family asked that donations in his memory be made to the foundation, which in turn raised over $13,000. Part of these donations help to fund student awards.

There are three categories of the Dr. Robert R. Dillon Awards: the Dr. Robert R. Dillon Core Values Champion Award, the Dr. Robert R. Dillon Exemplary Citizenship and Leadership Award and the Dr. Robert R. Dillon Outstanding Teamwork Award. Khawar was a recipient of the Dr. Robert R. Dillon Core Values Champion Award, which was presented to “a student who displays a spirit of kindness and upholds, embraces and embodies the Nassau BOCES core values of Compassion, Equity, Excellence, Integrity and Respect.”

Khawar was honored with a $100 scholarship and received a certificate during Rosemary Kennedy’s completion celebration. Eleven other students from various Nassau BOCES schools and programs received the Dr. Robert R. Dillon Core Values Champion Award. Three students received the  Dr. Robert R. Dillon Exemplary Citizenship and Leadership Award, which recognized students who demonstrated “exceptional and impactful leadership skills,” and one received the Dr. Robert R. Dillon Outstanding Teamwork Award, which recognized a student who excelled in teamwork.

“The Dr. Robert R. Dillon Awards annually celebrate Dr. Robert R. Dillon’s educational legacy across Nassau BOCES schools and programs,” stated Anthony Fierro, Chairperson of the Foundation and long-serving Chief Administrator of the Nassau BOCES Department of Facilities Services and Capital Projects. “They highlight the importance of positive recognition in fostering student self-esteem and motivation, while also championing the values of kindness, leadership, and teamwork. These awards not only recognize but also inspire students to strive for new heights in both personal and academic achievement.”

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