New York City Council Member Eric Dinowitz joined students, staff, and city officials on Tuesday, May 27, to celebrate the installation of new filtered water fountains on every floor of P.S. 483, The Matilda Avenue School.
The celebration began in the school’s library, where Dinowitz was joined by Principal Maria Cioffi, Assistant Principal Samantha Young, NYC Department of Education Director of School Facilities Robert Williams, and Chief Schools Operation Officer Kevin Moran. Students who led the advocacy efforts spoke at the event, thanking Dinowitz and the DOE’s Division of School Facilities for their support in bringing the project to fruition.
Following the remarks, school leaders gave Dinowitz and DOE officials a tour of the new water fountain units.
The upgrades stem from a visit Dinowitz made to the school on April 2 to present a $100,000 allocation for academic technology. During that visit, students from the school’s Marketing Club voiced concerns about outdated and insufficient water fountains. Dinowitz said he relayed those concerns to the DOE, which coordinated with the School Construction Authority to install the new filtered bottle-filling stations within weeks.
“These new water fountains are more than just infrastructure — they’re the result of young people using their voices to create real, lasting change,” said Dinowitz. “This is what civic engagement looks like, and it starts right here in our classrooms.”
Principal Cioffi praised the students for their initiative. “Our students identified a problem, presented thoughtful solutions, and inspired action,” she said. “Today’s celebration is a testament to their leadership and to the power of collaboration between schools, elected officials, and city agencies.”
“As a former social studies teacher, I’m proud to partner with Council Member Dinowitz in responding to our students’ request for modern water fountains,” said Moran. “We applaud the students’ civic participation, and thanks to Director Robert Williams and the Division of School Facilities, the fountains were installed before the end of the school year.”
Community Board 12 District Manager George Torres also praised the effort. “This is a perfect example of government, community, and students working together for the common good,” Torres said. “Clean, accessible drinking water is essential, and I’m proud to see Matilda Avenue School making student well-being a priority.”
