Westbury students were honored for outstanding achievement with Nassau BOCES George Farber Award

GARDEN CITY, N.Y., June 23, 2026 — A pair of students from Westbury earned the prestigious Nassau BOCES George Farber Outstanding Student Award this year. The award celebrates a variety of remarkable attributes including passion, perseverance, enthusiasm, outstanding character, scholarship, and a willingness to help others. Both students were honored for the achievement by administrators and members of the Nassau BOCES Board during a special awards ceremony this spring. 

Kaiheem McCall is a motivated, passionate, and driven student who is committed to achieving his goals. His dual enrollment at Nassau BOCES Center for Community Adjustment (CCA) and Barry Tech is only one reflection of his powerful work ethic and perseverance. Through consistency and dedication, he has made outstanding achievements in his academic courses. He is a strong role model who continually demonstrates integrity and solid moral character. Kaiheem does not waver under pressure; instead, he stays true to himself and treats others with kindness and respect.  Even when facing exceptionally difficult challenges, he conducts himself with grace, maturity, and dignity. 

“Kaiheem is an engaged and committed student who has made significant progress at CCA,” wrote his award nominator. “He is honest, polite and respectful to everyone he encounters, reflecting his strong character and high moral standards.” 

Cristian Vasquez Cruz, who attends the Nassau BOCES Adult Education Program, has a passion for electrical work that has been evident every day of class. Not only did he complete the full training program in only one year, he has surpassed his required coursework and is now enrolled in Nassau BOCES’ new, next-level electrical training courses. He is known by his teachers as an outstanding student, who is always early for class, maintaining an exceptional grade point average throughout the year. He is tireless in pursuit of his professional goal of becoming an electrician; a goal that everyone who knows him is confident he will fulfill. 

“It’s a pleasure to teach someone with a growth mindset who is always looking to learn more,” wrote one of Cristian’s instructors. “His grades have been excellent throughout the program. We commend him on his drive toward his professional goals, and we are confident that he will achieve success as an electrician.” 

For the past 19 years, outstanding students have been earning this award in memory of former Nassau BOCES Board President George Farber, whose passion for improving the lives of students was surpassed only by his love and care for them. Farber was the longest-serving board member in Nassau County, having served from 1971 to 2009. 

To learn more about the Nassau BOCES George Farber Outstanding Student Award and to see the stories of this year’s winners, visit https://www.nassauboces.org/outstandingstudents. 

Kaiheem McCall (center) who attends Nassau BOCES Center for Community Adjustment, earned the Nassau BOCES George Farber Outstanding Student Award. Staff and administrators congratulate him. 

Cristian Vasquez Cruz (center) who attends the Nassau BOCES Adult Education Program, earned the Nassau BOCES George Farber Outstanding Student Award. Staff and administrators congratulate him.