A journalism teacher from Benjamin N. Cardozo High School in Bayside, Alexa Gutterman, was awarded a “life-changing” check for $25,000 in recognition of her extraordinary teaching efforts, presented by the FLAG Award for Teaching Excellence.

Gutterman, who was nominated for the award by several of her students, was surprised with the check on June 11 as she was surrounded by students, staff and her husband and daughter. She said she was shocked and tearfully thanked all that supported her — especially her students.

“It was very surprising, I didn’t expect it,” Gutterman said. “My students actually nominated me, so I feel like it’s that much more meaningful.”

The school was also awarded a $10,000 grant for her to invest in Cardozo’s journalism program.

While Gutterman said she has no idea what she wants to do with her own check, she knows for certain that she wants to secure more resources to grow the school’s newspaper, The Verdict.

Gutterman became emotional, expressing shock and gratitude after receiving the award.Photo by Renee DeLorenzo

This year marks the FLAG Award’s seventh year recognizing teachers in New York City Public Schools, awarding six grand prize winners — one teacher from each borough plus one 3K-5th grade teacher from any borough — from a pool of 17 semifinalists and 11 finalists that receive smaller cash awards. Three finalists and four semifinalists were from Queens this round.

Funded by the FLAG Foundation for Excellence in Education and the Fuhrman Family Foundation, the FLAG Award allocates over $400,000 in funds to NYC public school teachers and their respective schools each year.

Risa Daniels, co-president of the FLAG Award for Teaching Excellence, said the team loves to see teachers nominated by their own students, which made Gutterman stand out to them.

Once nominated, Gutterman had to write several rounds of essays and undergo interviews and observation.

Toward the end of the process, an independent jury of five NYC philanthropists and members of the education community selected the winners.

“You can see when [Gutterman] talks, there’s that passion and devotion,” Daniels said. “She’s really invested in the school and the students in the community. She’s revitalizing [Cardozo’s] journalism program.”

Not only is her relationship with her students a standout characteristic of Gutterman’s teaching style, Daniels continued, but the work the students produce is impressive and award-winning.

Laura Twersky, co-president of the FLAG Award alongside Daniels, noted how involved Gutterman is at the school, as well.

Gutterman sits on the principal’s council, runs the school’s Instagram account, serves as  Cardozo’s public relations coordinator, organizes the school’s annual career fair and mentors students outside of her class.

“She’s not just about the journalism program, she’s just about the whole school,” Twersky said. “That’s really what we’re looking for — teachers that impact beyond the classroom.”

FLAG Award co-president Laura Twersky, left, Alexa Gutterman, and FLAG Award co-president Risa Daniels.Photo by Renee DeLorenzo

Gutterman has been teaching at the high school full-time for six years. A Queens girl through and through, she attended NYC public schools in Queens since pre-K and graduated from Bayside High School. She then attended Queens College where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Media Studies with a minor in Journalism. 

She initially sought out a career in broadcast media with a goal of becoming a late night television host, gaining a few years of experience doing production assistant work and various jobs in the industry.

However, she eventually realized she wasn’t satisfied and decided to pivot to teaching, which she said was a “no-brainer.” She returned to Queens College to complete her Masters degree in both English Education and Special Education.

“When I was in high school, I struggled a lot personally,” Gutterman recalled. “My dad was really sick, and I felt like I didn’t have an adult in the building I could go to. I think as an educator, I went into this career wanting to be who I wish I had as a teacher when I was younger.”

Kayla Wyatt, a junior at Cardozo who has taken journalism classes with Gutterman since ninth grade, said she nominated her teacher for the FLAG Award because of how close their relationship has grown over the years.

“I grew closer to her than the rest of my teachers,” Kayla said. “I feel like she deserves this because she’s hard-working.”

Kayla said she plans on pursuing a career in journalism after taking classes with Gutterman — something she didn’t know she wanted to do until she met the teacher.

“I hate writing and I was like, ‘I don’t want to do this,’” Kayla recalled of her feelings when she first started the class. “But then I met her and I thought, ‘Okay, this is kind of interesting. I think I might want to pursue this.’”

Since then, Kayla said she’s loved Gutterman’s classes, and she said she was very proud of her teacher for winning the prestigious award.

“I have the best students in the world,” Gutterman said. “And I’m not being biased — I really do. My door never closes, even on my periods I don’t have a class. I have students come in just to take a breather and be somewhere safe. And I think they’ve taught me so much. It’s a privilege I don’t take for granted, being a safe adult for some of them that don’t have that at home. It’s something I feel really honored and humbled by.”

One of Gutterman’s main goals in her class, she said, is to teach students to think critically and be aware of where they get their news and information. In a world where much of the youth gets news from TikTok, she said she emphasizes media literacy and preparing them to navigate news cycles so they are more informed citizens and voters.

“It’s really rewarding because they’re kids and they’re understanding these really complex nuances in the world,” Gutterman said. “When they leave my class, they’re like, ‘Wow, I get my news from the BBC, or the New York Times.’”

Beth Kierez, assistant principal of English, library and dance, embraced Gutterman during the surprise celebration.Photo by Renee DeLorenzo

Beth Kierez, assistant principal of English, library and dance, praised Gutterman’s work in the school’s journalism program and emphasized how it has been incredibly impactful for both students and the school as a whole.

“Ms. Gutterman has made us international,” Kierez said. “She put us out in the world by getting us on Instagram and online.”

She said Gutterman’s interactions with her students prove how much the teacher cares about their futures and wellbeing.

“Her care for her students is untouchable,” she said. “She’s honest about it. She’ll be hard on them when she has to be, but she is there for them in a sincere, compassionate way. You can’t teach that.”

Cardozo Principal Meagan Colby, left, Gutterman, Superintendent Hoa Tu and Kierez holding Gutterman’s $25,000 check.Photo by Renee DeLorenzo

As for the funds for the journalism program, Gutterman said she hopes to invest the $10,000 in printing equipment. Currently, the student-led newspaper is only published 2-3 times per year, although the rest of their stories are regularly published online.

However, Gutterman explained that having a physical paper provides an additional layer to students’ education and understanding of how a newsroom operates. 

“They can learn the ins and outs of layouts and what it means to work in printing,” Gutterman emphasized.

She said she’d also like to establish a production station for students to work at during their periods off from classes.

Gutterman said it’s a privilege to be working in such a diverse borough like Queens, which she said has shaped who she is as a person and how she views the world.

“I’ve lived here my whole life — I love Queens,” Gutterman said. “I think it’s the best place to teach because I had kids from all walks of life and different experiences. The fact that I’m able to combine something I love — teaching children and journalism — it’s like a dream career for me.”

For more information about the FLAG Award, visit FlagAward.org.
Gutterman hugged her daughter, who attended the celebration with Gutterman’s husband.Photo by Renee DeLorenzo