Two graduating seniors at York Early College Academy in Jamaica, Queens, were awarded scholarships by a local philanthropic organization in recognition of their outstanding leadership abilities and academic excellence.

The students, Alicia Majid and Lorraine Benn, both graduated May 27 and each received a $1,000 scholarship from the Zara Charitable Foundation, a Jamaica-based charity run by the family that founded Zara Realty.

Lorraine, who plans to become a doctor, has been active in the community since her middle school days, creating educational workshops to ensure awareness of the need for more equitable healthcare access for LGBTQ youth and adults. She graduated with an A average.

Alicia, who plans to earn a degree in Public Administration and aspires to a career in public service, was elected by her peers to be the York Early College Academy student government secretary. She also graduates with an A average.

“These inspiring young women represent the very best of our city, our community, and our nation,” said Tony Subraj, co-Managing Partner of Zara Realty. “Our foundation is dedicated to helping the next generation of leaders realize their full potential, and with these scholarships, I am certain Alicia and Lorraine will continue on their path of success and continue improving the lives of their neighbors here in Queens and beyond.”

“Education is the most important building block for success, and these two scholarship winners have shown they have what it takes to accomplish their dreams,” said Amir Sobhraj, co-Managing Partner of Zara Realty. “Both are interested in pursuing studies that will prepare them for careers that have shown themselves during the pandemic to be essential for the overall well-being of our society. We are thrilled to share this accomplishment with them.”

“We are so thankful to the Zara Charitable Foundation for its focus on improving the lives of our students,” said York Early College Academy Principal Noah Angeles. “In addition to these scholarships, the foundation also dedicated our first student counseling center last year. We look forward to a continuing partnership with this wonderful local organization. Let me also say congratulations to Alicia and Lorraine, as well as to our entire 2021 graduating class. It has been a challenging year, and I am so proud of your success.”

The Zara Charitable Foundation funds educational, healthcare, and other initiatives. Zara Realty, based in Jamaica, is one of the largest providers of affordable housing in Queens, with over 10,000 resident units under management.

Peter George Krokondelas passed away on Saturday, May 29, from a sudden heart attack at the age of 52. Born on March 23, 1969 in Queens, he will be remembered as a man who was devoted to his family and dedicated to his clients.

Tom Grech, President of the Queens Chamber of Commerce, became close with Krokondelas in Malvern where they both lived. He described him as a Queens man “through-and-through.”

Their sons played baseball and the two bonded together over Little League games.

“I’ll always remember Peter for how dedicated he was to his wife and kids,” said Grech.

Krokondelas worked for the lobbying firm Kasirer at the time of his passing. Company president Suri Kasirer described him as a warm and engaging individual who always had a smile on his face. 

“Whether it was an elected official or someone in a community complaining about the sound of construction, he treated everyone the same with a sense of respect a decency,” Kasirer said.

Costa Constantinides former member of Council District 22 and CEO of the Varisty Boys & Girls Club worked for Krokondelas’s father at Chase. He said that the young Krokondelas was a gentleman in every sense of the word.

“He was really one of the good guys in this business, and we all have a story about how his kindness made a positive impact on our lives,” he said. 

Krokondelas made close connections over the course of his career in all aisles of the political world. Bill Driscoll is the principal of The Driscoll Group and met Krokondelas on the campaign trail when Krokondelas worked as a political consultant for The Advance Group.

“I’ve known him for over 20 years and even if we were on the other side of a campaign, he was always warm and professional,” Driscoll said. 

Councilmemeber Jim Gennaro described Krokondelas as a close friend and a confidant. The two met when Krokondelas was assigned to Gennaro’s first City Council race by The Advance Group. According to Gennaro, he was an “in-the-trenches” kind of guy, who did everything from help with fundraising, provide input on literature pieces, and listen passionately during late-night discussions.

“When you saw his name pop up on caller ID it was always a call that you always wanted to pick up,” Genmaro said. “We talked business, but there was camaraderie and a real sense of brotherhood. He was one of the best in this business and a lot of people are going to miss him.”

Brooklyn’s Community Board 17 is hosting a virtual health fair via Webex on Saturday, June 5th from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.  

Victor Jordan, 1st Vice Chairperson of Community Board 17 put together the event to highlight wellness in the community. “It’s designed to improve people’s wellness and focus on COVID because of the the deaths that amounted this year,” said Jordan.

Panelists from NAACP, Beacon Eldercare, Plant Powered, Weill Cornell Medicine,  Metro New York, and University of Albany the healthcare field will be discussing a plan to eliminate health disparities.

The fair will have three panels focusing on COVID-19, Wellness, and Telemedicine, respectively.  

The Brooklyn Star caught up with one panelist, the esteemed Yvonne Murphy, CEO of Beacon Eldercare.

With more than 20 years of experience with long term care, health care, housing options, consulting and supporting families who are caring for elderly loved ones, Yvonne Murphy is known to be the “champion of innovative and diverse care plans for those with special needs.”

“Focusing on these three items will help the community better understand how to secure and access services in our current climate with the stress of COVID 19 that has affected everyone in some capacity,” said Yvonne Murphy, CEO of Beacon Eldercare.

“There are still questions about how to access services to assist our seniors and disabled in the community that will continue to need care in the future. Having public forums about Telemedicine, wellness and COVID will keep our community informed and armed with the resources necessary to remain safe in their homes,” Murphy added.

The event is for anyone and everyone interested. “One of the major benefits to the public that attend this fair is access to a platform of professionals,” said Murphy. “These professionals will be from the medical industry, the hospital healthcare system, the homecare industry, major Universities, and national organizations that have championed the fight for fair and equal access to services in the community.”

Dwight Williams of the University of Albany will be on the COVID-19 panel, and will be referencing the Tuskegee Experiment and how it relates to vaccine hesitancy. “I will be talking about the recent data of the COVID-19 virus and how it not only relates to the nation or New York City but to Kings County and parts of the borough,” said Williams.

Click here to attend the virtual health fair.

Maspeth Federal Savings (MFS) and Loan Association stepped up to make partial or full remote learning in the wake of COVID-19 easier with their new partnership with Banzai, an award-winning online financial literacy program with content library of articles, calculators, and personalizable coaches.

“Maspeth Federal Savings is proud to partner with Banzai to promote financial literacy programs in local schools,” said Jill Nicolois, Assistant Vice and Marketing Manager. “We firmly believe in supporting teachers and families in teaching children the value of money. We offer Young Savers accounts, especially designed to encourage children to save while also introducing the concept of earning interest.” 

With their sponsorship, over 2,300 students and teachers at 12 schools in Queens and Nassau County will have free access to Banzai. Some of the local schools participating are Benjamin N. Cardozo High School, Francis Lewis High School, Maspeth High School, St. Francis Preparatory School, and many more. All of these resources are available to students at home or in the classroom via any device that can access the internet. 

“Banzai is a web-based financial literacy program. Kids get their own accounts, and they work through assignments that are based on real life,” says Morgan Vandagriff, co-founder of Banzai. With this partnership, local schools have the opportunity to do this for free

“More than ever, it’s important that kids develop sound financial skills to prepare them for the real world, and Maspeth Federal Savings and Loan Association realizes that and they’re doing something about it.” 

Banzai content builds a foundation of practical knowledge and gives students the tools to create a sound financial future. While students learn, teachers can easily monitor and grade their progress remotely. The Banzai resources are available at maspethfederal.teachbanzai.com