HUNTINGTON, NY — Jill Faber, a Huntington resident and Half Hollow Hills graduate, was named a “Distinguished Teacher of 2022” by the Harvard Club of Long Island, according to a news release.
“This award honors middle and high school teachers who have profoundly influenced their
students’ lives,” said Dr. Judith Esterquest, chair of the Distinguished Teacher Selection
Committee. “Dedicated teachers like Ms. Faber inspire Long Island students to excel, to become
passionate about learning, and to recognize the value of hard work. These teachers devote
countless hours to creating better futures for our children.”
Faber is set to be honored at a virtual awards ceremony on April 2, along with seven other teachers on Long Island. Fiery Cushman, Harvard professor of psychology, will deliver the keynote. Cushman studies how people make moral decisions.
Faber is a state-certified school counselor currently working as a learning success coach
for Arizona State University Prep Digital, a fully digital high school that raises academic
achievement for learners across the country and globe. She is also an adjunct at SUNY Old
Westbury. Previously, she was a school counselor in the Copiague Public Schools and a leave
replacement counselor in Southold.
She holds a B.S. in human development from Cornell University and an M.A. in School Counseling and Guidance from New York University. She is now working on her doctorate in education through the University of Louisiana at Monroe. In September 2022, she will defend her dissertation on career counseling curriculum for high school students.
In 2020, Faber was selected as a hero through New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso’s “Homers for Heroes” foundation for her work as a high school college and career counselor.
Kiran Ahmad, who met Faber when she was working as a school counselor in Copiague, said Faber taught her lessons that she will carry with her for the rest of her life.
“Through Ms. Faber, I’ve learned that the only limitations that exist on our capabilities
are the ones we create ourselves,” said Ahmad, who is expected to graduate from Harvard
College in 2025.
When Dr. Lillian Park, chair of the Department of Psychology and associate professor of
psychology at SUNY Old Westbury, learned that Faber won the award, she said she was not surprised at all.
“From the very first day, Jill demonstrated that she is a dedicated and committed teacher,” Park said. “She developed close ties with our students at Old Westbury, and her name is frequently mentioned as being one of the best teachers in the Psychology Department.”
Park said Faber meets students where they are at and then helps them reach their potential.
“Jill has the ability to draw out the students’ best, even when they are uncertain about their own abilities and skills,” Park said. “Old Westbury is very fortunate to have her, and we personally benefit from Jill’s presence.”
At the virtual ceremony on April 2, the Harvard Club of Long Island is set to announce the
Distinguished Teacher of 2022 who will also receive a scholarship for a “Harvard experience” at
the Harvard University campus in Cambridge, MA. Past winners of the scholarships have
enhanced their teaching by sampling the resources available to Harvard students: meeting with
faculty; visiting research laboratories, rare book archives, and specialty museums; and enjoying
visual and performance art. The scholarships are funded by contributions from Harvard alumni
living on Long Island.
This year’s Distinguished Teacher Award winners were nominated by current Harvard
undergraduates and then selected by Harvard Club of Long Island board members. They teach
algebra, biology, chemistry, English, history, language arts, and psychology. The winners teach
in Copiague, Freeport, Lawrence, Port Jefferson, Syosset, and Three Villages public school
districts and St. Mary’s Elementary School in Manhasset.
