LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending Susan Caprio Dobkowski upon the occa-
sion of her designation by Friends of Kaiser Park as the recipient of
its Woman of the Year Award on May 7, 2009

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize that the
quality and character of life in the communities across New York State
are reflective of the concerned and dedicated efforts of organizations
and individuals who devote themselves to the welfare of the community
and its citizenry and are greatly enriched, as well, by the availability
of exceptional cultural and recreational facilities; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern and fully in accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commend
Susan Caprio Dobkowski, upon the occasion of her designation by Friends
of Kaiser Park as the recipient of its 2009 Woman of the Year Award; and
WHEREAS, Susan Caprio Dobkowski, Assistant Principal of Grady High
School, will be honored at Friends of Kaiser Park's Awards Dinner, to be
held at Paradise Caterers in Brooklyn on Thursday, May 7, 2009; and
WHEREAS, A fitting memorial to Dr. Leon S. Kaiser, an early 20th
century Brooklynite, lawyer, civic leader and a passionate educator,
Kaiser Park, located in Coney Island, is 26.26 acres dedicated to public
outdoor recreation which has for 75 years, first as Coney Island Lots
and, since 1951, as Kaiser Park, brought beauty and pleasure into the
lives of Brooklyn's residents; and
WHEREAS, Friends of Kaiser Park was formed in 2001 to help maintain
and improve the park; the clean up, painting, seasonal planting and
other interesting events it organizes throughout the year help make
Kaiser Park a place for all to enjoy; and
WHEREAS, Susan Caprio Dobkowski has distinguished herself in her
profession and in service to her community, just as Dr. Kaiser did, and
truly merits recognition by Friends of Kaiser Park and this Legislative
Body; and
WHEREAS, Susan Caprio Dobkowski was born and raised in Sheepshead Bay;
when she was 16, her family moved to Belle Harbor; after graduating from
Midwood High School, she attended Brooklyn College and earned a degree
in history; halfway through her years at Brooklyn College she had
discovered a love for baking and decided to pursue that as a career
after graduation; and
WHEREAS, She spent five years as a pastry cook and pastry chef in some
of New York's best restaurants, including the River Cafe and Mesa Grill;
in 1997, after working at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Trustees
Dining Room, she decided to do what her father had always urged her to
do -- become a teacher, and was pleasantly surprised to discover that
not only could she teach what she loved, cooking, but could do so at a
school close to her home in Sheepshead Bay; and
WHEREAS, Susan Caprio Dobkowski started teaching at William E. Grady
High School in September 1997 with nothing more than a textbook and a
lot of recipes; through the years, and with the much appreciated help of
many colleagues, she became a better teacher and tried to do more for
her students, enriching their experiences with food and life, and, in
turn, enriching her own; and
WHEREAS, Firmly believing in having students extend their knowledge
outside of the classroom, in 2001, she applied for and won a grant to
start a kitchen garden with her culinary students and, in a twist of
fate, was invited to join a group of teachers from New York City and
Washington, D.C. on a trip to South Africa to study the effect agricul-
ture was having on its environment; and

WHEREAS, Susan Caprio Dobkowski has, in addition, spent many hours
preparing her students for culinary competitions, from which a number
won scholarships and trips; one student even earned a four-year full
scholarship to Johnson and Wales University, a college particularly
noted for its Culinary Arts program; and
WHEREAS, In 2002, Susan Caprio Dobkowski earned a master's degree in
Administration and Supervision from Baruch College of The City Universi-
ty of New York; in September 2003, after teaching there for seven years,
she was named as Assistant Principal at Grady High School; she super-
vised a number of departments, including Special Education and Social
Studies, and in February 2006, was made responsible for the entire
Career and Technical Education department; and
WHEREAS, Susan Caprio Dobkowski now works with teachers on improving
the quality of career and technical education so that it meets the rigor
of the highest industry standards and provides learning experiences
which prepare Grady High School's students for the challenges of both
college and the workforce; and
WHEREAS, Being responsible for eight distinct trade areas is both
challenging and rewarding since industry standards and student workabil-
ity profiles change frequently as new technologies are introduced; Susan
Caprio Dobkowski is proud to be a teacher and administrator at Grady
High School and may be equally proud of the work she has done there; she
has earned the support of her staff and colleagues and always derives
great pleasure from working with her students, helping them further
develop the skills they need to become productive and intelligent
members of both their communities and the ever-changing workforce; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
applaud individuals, such as Susan Caprio Dobkowski, who distinguish
themselves in their profession and work to meet the needs of their
community and its citizens with diligence and compassionate commitment
to improving the quality of life in the community; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend Susan Caprio Dobkowski upon the occasion of her designation by
Friends of Kaiser Park as the recipient of the Woman of the Year Award
at its Awards Dinner on May 7, 2009; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Susan Caprio Dobkowski.