Klein helps PS 24 students become coolest kids in town

On Dec. 12, state Sen. Jeff Klein visited the school on West 236th Street to see its new air conditioners, installed with $100,000 in grant money he se- cured.

The school’s library, computer lab, art room and classrooms will all benefit from an air-conditioned breeze when warm weather starts.

“It’s really great for the kids,” said P.S. 24 Assistant Principal Manny Verdi. “It really does get dreadfully hot on the upper floors.”

He explained that Mr. Klein visited the school after his district lines were redrawn to cover a wide swath of the Bronx, including Riverdale and P.S. 24. At the time of the visit, half the building lacked air conditioning.

“He asked, ‘What do you guys need?’ We said, we need air conditioners, and he said he’d see what he could do about it,” Mr. Verdi recounted.

Mr. Klein said the idea of the capital grant is to create the best possible atmosphere for students.

“It sounds pretty basic, but enhancing the learning environment by installing A/C makes sense,” he said.

The senator secured an additional $18,000 for the school through Project BOOST (Building Options and Opportunities for Students), which works to expand extracurricular and academic

activities for students from disadvantaged neighborhoods.

In past years, the funding has gone toward P.S. 24’s art and music classes, including the Young Composers and Little Orchestra programs, which give students a chance to write their own music.

“Riverdale is not on the lower end of the economic spectrum,” Mr. Klein said. “But at the same time, they didn’t have the funds for a music program, which we are able to provide through Project BOOST.”

The funds will also support P.S. 24’s Food and Hunger Project, in which fifth-grade students support local food pantries, as well as the school’s Earth Day event.

Mr. Klein has been a regular guest at P.S. 24 over the past two years, at- tending events such as graduation and a Halloween “Boo Bash.”

“It’s a great school. It’s an active school,” he said. “It [has] one of the most active PTAs anywhere in my senate district, which only enhances the educational benefits of the school.”

During his latest visit, Mr. Klein got a chance to hear student renditions of holiday songs like “If I Were a Latke” and “Jingle Bell Rock.”

Students also presented the senator with thank you cards for the units.

“We’re all really grateful — and cool,” Mr. Verdi said.

Shant Shahrigian contributed reporting.