My name is Steven Chen. I am a proud father of two boys who are attending the Great Neck Public Schools. I was appointed as a Trustee of the Great Neck Board of Education in September of 2023. I am running for the same position to serve for the next three years.
I immigrated to the United States from China when I was 10 years old. Growing up, I attended public primary and secondary schools around the Tri-State area. As a product of public education, I believe in the value and virtues it provides. Many families move to Great Neck precisely because of the top-notch school system we currently enjoy. This system wasn’t built overnight, it is the culmination of many decades of hard work and dedication by previous school board members, school administrators, teachers and staff and most importantly, the residents of Great Neck. For most of us, the home we live in is the singular most valuable asset we possess, and because of the school system we have, this investment grows in value year after year. The Great Neck Public Schools system is the crown jewel of the peninsula. We must cherish it, maintain it and let it flourish even more.
Since my family and I moved to Great Neck 12 years ago, I have been very involved in the community. I have served as the Committee Chair, the Cub Master and other leadership roles in our local Cub Scouts Pack 178. Currently, I am also serving as the Co-President of the Great Neck Chinese Association. Community service provides me with the satisfaction of knowing that I have done something good, and it is something that I have been doing since I was a “Candy Striper” at a hospital when I was 16 years old. I believe community service is a building block for a diverse and yet close-knit community. It is the avenue where we can teach our children to be less self-centered, to have empathy, to treat others with kindness and to help those in need. With the common goal of doing good, we can all come together to build a better Great Neck.
Like all of you who have experienced the era of COVID and witnessed the continuing political divide on so many issues, I too wish our community could be more united and have less divisions among neighbors. I believe the way we can achieve that is by listening to each other and being respectful of one’s opinions whether we agree or not. Being open-minded and a good listener are prerequisites for one to be a good communicator and a community builder. With that approach, I hope to gain your trust and partnership in serving our school district.
As a trustee, I constantly remind myself of the importance of fiduciary duties not only to our children’s education but also to our taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars. With a public accounting background, I am equipped with the proper knowledge to understand our district’s financial standing. The Great Neck Public Schools district is in a very fortunate position where we enjoy our AAA credit ratings from rating agencies. Just like many other institutions, financial prudence is a fundamental pillar of sustainability. We must maximize the utilization of our assets and provide the best education for our children. With our current administration team, I am confident that we have the right leadership in place to further enhance our long-term financial stability.
It is my hope that all registered voters residing in the Great Neck Public Schools district will come out to vote for me and my colleague Grant Toch on Tuesday, May 21st from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Please check the school website https://www.greatneck.k12.ny.us/Page/4901 for your voting location.
Steven Chen
Great Neck