The success of any organization is largely hinged upon its employees and the level of dedication and commitment that they bring to the cause at hand. Here at Riis Settlement, we are fortunate to have a team of hardworking individuals who go above and beyond on a daily basis to ensure that our participants are provided with high-quality services and programs. While heartfelt thanks are owed to each and every one of them, today we would like to spotlight one staff member in particular: Riis Academy Program Director-P.S. 166, Iftikhar Mahmud.
As a highly respected program director, Iftikhar embodies all the positive traits of an effective educator: he is nurturing, patient and dedicated to ensuring the success of the participants in his program. As somebody who was once himself a Riis Academy participant, he is also a perfect example of the positive impact that an after-school program can have on a young individual.
When Iftikhar moved to the United States from his native Bangladesh at the age of seven, like so many other immigrants, he struggled with the burden of having to master a foreign language. Upon entering junior high school at I.S. 126 Albert Shankar School of Visual Arts, he joined the Riis Academy after-school program where he immediately began receiving one-on-one English tutoring and homework help that allowed his grades to improve tremendously, but more importantly he found a home, a place where he felt he belonged. Program staff recognized Iftikhar’s inherent potential and took the time to mentor and invest in him .
Iftikhar’s natural progression from an introverted young boy to a strong leader can be traced along a trajectory of important milestones. By the age of fourteen he was already a program aide; by the age of sixteen he was elected to assistant group leader; and at eighteen years of age, he was promoted to group leader. At nineteen, he became a teen activity specialist; at twenty-one, an assistant coordinator of the Teen Action Program; and eventually, program director at the age of 24.
In his current role as program director at Riis Academy – P.S. 166 (Henry Gradstein), a position he has held for the last four years, Iftikhar oversees a holistic model of youth development programming that engages young people and intentionally builds a foundation for school success and social/emotional competency. Through a well-rounded offering of academic support and literacy, STEM activities, physical recreation, and the arts, the program provides a wide range of opportunities for a yearly average of 160 young people to explore their interests, build skills, and find their niche. This past academic year, the youth were invited to hand make the ornaments for the Christmas tree at the famed Kaufman Studios in Astoria and had the privilege of taking part in the tree lighting ceremony. Another group participated in the Partnership for After School Education (PASE) Explorers Program where they spent the year discovering the Astoria neighborhood and developing a multimedia website dedicated to their findings, which they presented at the PASE Explorer Expo this past June. Most recently, the Riis Academy – P.S. 166 STARS Ballet group gave a beautiful performance at Teachers College, Columbia University as part of The Reimagining Education: Teaching and Learning in Racially Diverse Schools 4-day Institute.
In addition to his commitment to ensuring an after-school program of the highest quality, Iftikhar continuously strives to incorporate new initiatives and activities to help improve the experience and outcomes for his participants. For consistently doing more than is expected of him and always putting the needs of his participants first, we salute Iftikhar Mahmud.
