If you’ve passed through the hallway leading to the East Gym this year, you’ve seen a new poster on the wall next to Dean Nicholas Sepe’s office, displaying the words “Vibranium Heart Award” and featuring smiling faces holding certificates. Next to it, a colorful sheet provides more information about this award: students are nominated by teachers, and winners receive a free lunch. So what exactly is this mysterious award that seems to have popped up over the summer?
The Vibranium Heart Award, created by Dean Nick Sepe early this year, is new to Great Neck South High. Mr. Sepe said, “I wanted to start an award that recognized students…and also celebrates kindness and leadership within the classroom and the school community. It highlights the kids who make our school a better place.”
Mr. DePaola was a critical part of naming the award. “At first, it was called Sepe’s Dean Award. And then, he had a great point: Some colleges might not know who Sepe is. So let’s change the award into something a little more popular,” Sepe said. After going through a list of potential names, Mr. Sepe decided on “Vibranium Heart” as the title of the award. “If you look around my office, I’m pretty obsessed with Captain America. I like him a lot, and his shield is made of vibranium…it’s supposed to be indestructible. That’s kind of how we want our kids to be, just someone who is very resilient, kind, and does the right thing, like Captain America, even when no one’s watching.”
Students are nominated by their teachers via Google Forms; there’s a shortcut on each teacher’s iPad that leads them to a short form asking for the student’s name, grade, and a description of why they feel one of their students deserves this recognition. Mr. Sepe said, “I’m very thankful for the staff here because they don’t have to do that [filling out the forms]. They go above and beyond for the kids…they love nominating the kids because they want to see them happy.”
Winning students get a free lunch of their choice and are invited to spend a lunch period with Dean Sepe to get to know each other better. Students also receive a certificate for future resumes. “It’s a citizenship award, so it looks nice on your college application,” Mr. Sepe explains. Two students, Van Argotslinger and Diana Chen, won the award in September and October, respectively, for actions that improved the classroom community and demonstrated their commitment to helping their peers. Both had lunch with Dean Sepe and are featured on the Vibranium Heart Award Poster hanging next to the Dean’s office.
October’s winner, Diana Chen, remembered being very surprised and appreciative when she received the news. “One of my teachers told me to go down to Sepe’s office, and then he just told me that one of my teachers nominated me…because I was making the school have a better community…I felt super honored.”
