Rensselaer City School District

The Seal of Civic Readiness is a formal honor from the NYS Education Department. Students earn the Seal when they attain a high level of proficiency in civic knowledge, civic skills, civic mindsets, and civic experiences. The commendation highlights the students’ commitment to civic engagement through participatory government, civic responsibility, and civic values. Students earned the Seal through Social Studies Regents scores, extracurricular activities, electives, and outside-of-school experiences. 

The District has 16 students who will accept the honor from the NYS Education Department. Students shared why this achievement is important to them and the individual(s) who made an impact on them during their time at RCSD.

Rensselaer City School District 2026

NYSED Seal of Civic Readiness Recipients

John Albarelli

Kylee Bristol

Makenzie Dennis

Antonio Falu-Garcia

Miguel Falu-Garcia

Marhaba Hamdam

George Krause

Eli Lappies

Angelica Lawrence

Olivia Lwin

Ariana Mar

Charlie Moore

Ray Paw

Aiden Roldan

Julianna Spiak

Sean Stephenson

Ariana Marable

I personally believe in Sonder, “The profound realization that everyone around you is living a chaotic, vivid, and complex life of their own with their own backstory, relationships, and rountines”. Instead of ever judging a person based on others, rumors, or at first sight. I highly believe that if everyone had this social ideology, it could benefit the Rensselaer community immensely to understand each other and feel more connected as a school and help to make a positive change in this world.

Tammy Slingerland was not my teacher, but has taught me the most and shown me the most love and inspiration at Rensselaer. Every morning she asks me how work was the previous night, motivates me to go to classes, and provides me with medical and personal advice. She has boosted my confidence academically and mentally. I wouldn't have gotten through my 2 1/2 years if it wasn't for Tammy.

Ray Paw

Understanding the difficulties that mental health has impacted on not only myself but others have allowed me to see the better and search for the better in anyone and anything. Be kind, be thoughtful, be gentle with yourself so others can express their own to you. Allow people to feel instead of hiding themselves from the world. Showing that I am able to express my emotions freely allows others to accept their feelings and making it known.

Mrs. Gardeneir, my school guidance counselor. She is one of many people who have allowed me to thrive, to be better and to see better in the world. She is caring and patient and was there when I needed a shoulder to cry on. Her words of encouragement and actions of acknowledging pain allowed me to feel comfortable in being the person I am today. The gift of her presence has paved a way of life where there is happiness in the end no matter what. She has given me the power and strength to keep pushing and showing up even when it is hard.

Eli Zion Lappies

One thing I make sure to do is make everyone feel welcome in their environment by attempting to include them in conversations and waving to people who seem shy or anxious. This has caused me to feel less anxious in my environment, people have treated me much better, and I've gained a lot more friends.

My 10th grade English teacher, Mrs. Herrick, has inspired and encouraged me ever since I had her class. My dream job is to become a bestselling author, and she has read all my major works and given me constructive criticism.

Olivia Lwin

Ghandi once said "Be the change you wish to see in the world," and I have always tried to live by that idea through my actions. During my senior seminar, I chose to present about my Chin culture and the ongoing civil war, a topic that is not discussed in school. Many of my classmates were unaware of what was happening, so I took the opportunity to educate and spread awareness about it, creating a space where people could learn about a different culture and the struggles behind it. I encouraged questions and open discussion so everyone felt included and comfortable engaging with the topic. Outside the classroom, I reached out to my social studies teachers to ask if they could include this civil war in our curriculum, because I believe students should be exposed to more diverse global perspectives. Even though this change was ever fulfilled, this experience showed me that being "the change" doesn't always mean seeing immediate results, it means taking action, raising awareness, and speaking up. This experience impacted me by strengthening my confidence and sense of responsibility to speak up for underrepresented communities, and it helped my classmates become more informed about the world around them.

Stephanie Gardenier! My counselor inspired me by always taking the time to truly listen and understand my goals. She created a space where I felt comfortable asking questions and expressing my concerns, which made a big difference during stressful decisions about my future. Her encouragement helped me believe in my abilities, even when I doubted myself, and she consistently pushed me to aim higher. She always gave me good, honest advice, truly listened, and made me feel heard.

Marhaba Hamdam

I respect all of my teachers because they have all treated me with kindness and support. However, one teacher who has truly inspired me is Tricia Steck. She has always been very kind to me and treats me with respect. Whenever I talk to her about my schoolwork or challenges, she encourages me to keep trying and not give up. What makes her special to me is that she believes in me. When I feel unsure about myself, she reminds me that I am capable and that I can succeed. This gives me motivation and confidence to continue working hard. She also understands me and listens, which makes me feel supported. Because of her encouragement and belief in me, I feel more confident in my abilities and more motivated to do my best. She has had a positive impact on me, and I am grateful to have her as my teacher.

Charlie Alexander Moore

I have shown that I want a change in this world to have a cancer free world. I was a leader of a Blood Cancer United Student Visionaries team. We raised money to find a cure for blood cancer and to cover any medical bills for blood cancer patients. My team and I rose over $28,000 for Blood Cancer United.

Ms. Schacht because she is always motivating to do the right thing. She is also a very positive teacher and tries to make everyone feel included and heard.

John Thomas Albarelli III

As a student board member, I am always trying to help improve the community and the school in general. My input as the voice of the student body is valued and helps the BOE make more educated and helpful decisions.

Ms. Schacht has been my biggest inspiration throughout my school experience. She teaches my favorite subject, math, and has always pushed me to work hard.

Miguel Falu-Garcia

Although I have had only had a couple experiences, this quote has inspired me to help in the community because although I may be doing something small it can help the community in a deeper way then I could ever think of.

Ms Quackenbush, back when I was in 10th grade, she was one of my favorite teachers. She was engaging, fun, and extremely cool.