Ahmed, who teaches chemistry and environmental biochemistry at Gotham Professional Arts Academy, has built a reputation for connecting science education to real-world issues that directly affect communities. Through hands-on, project-based learning, his students study topics ranging from environmental contamination to energy systems, often tying scientific concepts to larger conversations around environmental justice.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Rayhan-Ahmed-with-students1.jpeg\")
Ahmed teaches chemistry and environmental biochemistry at Gotham Professional Arts Academy.Photo courtesy of The FLAG Award for Teaching Excellence<\/p>\n
One of Ahmed\u2019s most notable student-led projects brought students to Flint, Michigan, where they studied the long-term impact of the city\u2019s water crisis while delivering water directly to residents.<\/p>\n
Ahmed has also helped establish Gotham Professional Arts Academy\u2019s four-year \u201cCrew\u201d advisory system, a program designed to support students academically and socially throughout high school while helping guide them through college preparation. He also coordinates college visits, scholarship mentoring, internship opportunities and career development programming for students.<\/p>\n
Looking ahead, Ahmed plans to use his award funding to create a student-designed environmental justice arts project focused on the Northeast Supply Enhancement pipeline, blending scientific research, oral history, performance, and public art.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur brains are wired to care about people and stories, not just formulas and facts,\u201d Ahmed said in a statement. \u201cScience is most powerful when students use it to understand and improve the world around them. While investigating environmental issues and conducting research, I want students to see themselves as scientists and advocates who can create meaningful change.\u201d<\/p>\n
Also receiving top honors in the 3K through fifth-grade division is Shaude Tyson, a special education teacher at Bedford-Stuyvesant\u2019s P.S. 262 El Hajj Malik El Shabazz Elementary School.<\/p>\n
Tyson has become known for blending rigorous academics with immersive learning experiences. Among her signature lessons is an Election Day classroom simulation that transforms her classroom into a mock polling station, helping students better understand democracy, civic participation, and the voting process.<\/p>\n
Outside of teaching, Tyson serves in numerous leadership roles throughout her school community. She is the school\u2019s United Federation of Teachers Chapter Leader, Student Council Coordinator, School Leadership Team Chairperson, garden coordinator and mentor for new educators entering the profession.<\/p>\n
Through her participation in the United Federation of Teachers\u2019 AI Ambassadors cohort, she helps educators thoughtfully integrate AI tools into classroom learning.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IMG_4001.jpg\")
Tyson teaches special education at P.S. 262 El Hajj Malik El Shabazz Elementary School.P hoto courtesy of The FLAG Award for Teaching Excellence<\/p>\n
Tyson plans to invest her grant funding in transforming the school\u2019s garden into an Outdoor Learning Hub, a community-centered space for environmental education, student performances, creative projects, and neighborhood events.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy guiding belief is \u2018Students always, in all ways,\u2019\u201d Tyson said in a statement. \u201cWhile teaching in the classroom and mentoring other teachers, my goal is always to create experiences that help children realize their potential and understand that they can make a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n
Glenn Fuhrman, co-founder of The FLAG Award for Teaching Excellence, said that the award requires \u201ccreativity, compassion and a deep commitment to students.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cThis year\u2019s honorees are helping young people grapple with some of the most pressing issues shaping New York City and the world around them \u2014 from climate and environmental justice to investigative journalism and the legal system,\u201d he said \u201cTheir leadership inside and outside the classroom is inspiring students to think critically, engage meaningfully and make a difference in their communities.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to the two grand prize winners, several other Brooklyn educators were recognized during the 2026 FLAG Awards cycle.\n<\/p>\n
Brooklyn finalist honors went to Lily Lamb-Atkinson of P.S. 373 Brooklyn Transition Center.\n<\/p>\n
Semi-finalists included Xue Qing Liang of New Utrecht High School, Jason Luft of I.S. 239 Mark Twain, Julia Munar of P.S. 8 Emily Warren Roebling School, Adam Marcus of P.S. 32 Samuel Mills Sprole and Michael Peterson of P.S. 297 Stockton Community School.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Two Brooklyn educators were recognized after earning top honors in the 2026 FLAG Award for Teaching Excellence, with…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":272102,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[104849,4987,98,26952,44428,100,99,92256,67,56182,104850,590,20962,101859,104851,28312,267,9,24,19440,12,370,63,25069,104852,209,104853,104854,38371,65613,5181],"class_list":["post-272101","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-brooklyn","tag-artificial-intelligence-in-education","tag-bedford-stuyvesant","tag-brooklyn","tag-brooklyn-community-news","tag-brooklyn-educators","tag-brooklyn-headlines","tag-brooklyn-news","tag-brooklyn-schools","tag-education","tag-education-awards","tag-education-leadership","tag-environmental-justice","tag-flag-award","tag-flag-award-for-teaching-excellence","tag-gotham-professional-arts-academy","tag-kids-and-education","tag-local-news","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-new-york-city-schools","tag-news","tag-newsletter","tag-nyc","tag-nyc-education","tag-p-s-262-el-hajj-malik-el-shabazz-elementary-school","tag-public-schools","tag-rayhan-ahmed","tag-shaude-tyson","tag-special-education","tag-student-achievement","tag-teachers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/272101","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=272101"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/272101\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/272102"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=272101"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=272101"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=272101"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}