Washington Irving Intermediate School Named Mercy STEM School

Mercy University Center for STEM Education formally named several schools that will join its STEM Schools Network on Saturday, September 28 during a K-12 STEM Educators conference. Those named were chosen due to their commitment to STEM education and fulfilled the criteria of partnership with STEM programs operated by MCCSE.

Washington Irving Intermediate School (W.I.) from Public Schools of the Tarrytowns is one of the first schools to receive the designation along with Brookside Elementary School in the Ossining Union Free School District, Columbus Elementary School and Trinity Elementary School in the City School District of New Rochelle, Charter School for Educational Excellence High School in Yonkers, John F. Kennedy Elementary School and Thomas Edison Elementary School in the Port Chester-Rye Union Free School District. These schools each received a banner at the conference and are now eligible for mini-grant funds for district STEM projects, discounts on Mercy’s annual STEM conference and other STEM professional development, and access to the STEM Lending Library of Robotics and Electronics.

“This recognition highlights our commitment to promoting innovation, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills in our students through STEM education,” said Washington Irving School Principal Sharon O'Grady. “We look forward to the exciting opportunities ahead, from access to innovative resources to mini-grants that will support our continued growth in STEM. Together, we will inspire the next generation of thinkers and leaders!”

W.I. Teachers Cathleen Caroleo, Michele DeVivo, and Abbey Gilligan, as well as Sleepy Hollow High School teacher Leana Peltier participated in the work being done with MCCSE.

Several teachers from W.I. have served as Mercy STEM Ambassadors over the course of the last several years, Meghan Hak (2021 to 2022), Allison Clauss, Jen Bonilla and Michelle Devivo (2023-2024) and now Viola Santella (2024-2025). Abbey Gilligan took part in the Wipro Fellows, Cohort 1 from 2014-2016.