Mary Modica, President

She attended St. Martin of Tours Elementary School in Brooklyn before moving in fourth grade to St. Matthias Elementary School in Ridgewood, Queens.   Upon completing grammar school, she enrolled in Our Lady of Wisdom Academy in Ozone Park.   A career as an elementary teacher was her goal and she, graduated with a B.S. in Elementary Education from St. John’s University.  While at St. John’s she was historian of her sorority, IOTA SIGMA PHI and then became its president.  While teaching full time in the Commack Schools, she furthered her career by attending Hofstra University and obtaining a MA degree in Elementary Education.  After teaching in Commack for 20 1/2years and earning a Professional Diploma in Administration from C.W. Post where she was a member of Phi Delts Kappa, Mary relocated to Columbia County for her first position as a building and elementary administrator.  A short time later she returned to Long Island and accepted a position in the Southampton Schools and then closer to home in the Island Trees School District where she retired as principal of the J. Fred Sparke Elementary School completing a successful and rewarding career in education of forty-one years.  During her career she received numerous plaques and awards from organizations such as the Nassau County Principals’ Association where she was its treasurer. Mary also received the NYS Congress of Parents & Teachers Life Member Award and the National PTA Life Achievement Award.  The Kiwanis Club presented her with their Everyday Hero Award and she also received recognition from the Boy Scouts and the NYC Fire Department Company E325 L163 Woodside Warriors in helping the Company and their families deal with tragedies.

Retirement afforded Mary the opportunity to travel and to do what she loves best, VOLUNTEERING.  Having previously volunteered at the American Cancer Society in Queens for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer and their Relay for Life she started volunteering regularly for ACS.  Before long she had her own desk, was working the banking tent at Strides, helping an ACS manager raise over $100,000 at a Relay for Life at Fort Totten and then serving on the Executive Board of ACS in Queens.  Missing her involvement with children, Mary gave her time and energy to Making a Wish.  As a wish granter, she recruited other wish granters and met over thirty-seven wish children working with their families to grant these children their wish, an extremely rewarding experience.  However, her volunteer activities did not end there.  She coordinated volunteers for the Nassau County Department of Social Services Children’s Room and worked at the Nassau County’s Department boutique.  She continues to volunteer for Island Harvest doing food rescues, golf outings and supermarket collections.  Other organization where she is involved are the Brentwood Shelter, New Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce and Hope for Youth.

In April 2015 Mary joined the Cellini Lodge No. 2206, Sons of Italy in America. Currently, she is President of the lodge which has over 370 members.  She is on the State Scholarship Committee, the Gift of Sight Committee, has chaired the Student Summit and is Treasurer of the District II Presidents.  On the Lodge level Mary has held various elected positions including orator and first vice president.  She has chaired the five-day annual Italian Festival, is on the lodge Scholarship Committee, has organized social events and is president of the Cellini Charitable Foundation.  Mary’s goals are to increase membership, especially among the young. She is continually looking for new opportunities where she can use her leadership skills and experiences to expand people’s understanding and appreciation of our rich Italian Culture and Heritage.