Norma DeBartolo of Elmont received quite an honor last Saturday when she was presented with the second annual Sandra Day O'Connor Award at the Elmont Women of Distinction Ceremony, sponsored by Assemblyman Tom Alfano at the Clara H. Carlson School.

DeBartolo works for the Elmont School District as a special assistant to the superintendent of schools for community affairs. The office of community affairs welcomes all new and former Elmont families and tries to be of assistance with translations, registration, social service information and any other general concerns or needs individual families request assistance for.

DeBartolo can often be seen at many events in the Elmont community. She gives the school district a presence at many functions and represents the district well with her kindness and warmth.

What made the award even more special was that it was presented to DeBartolo by former Elmont superintendent Dr. Maria Palandra, who was the winner of the first Sandra Day O'Connor Award. The two worked closely together during Dr. Palandra's tenure as superintendent.

The Women of Distinction ceremony celebrates the contributions women have made through volunteer service, the professions and unsung efforts. The awards program was created by Assemblyman Alfano to promote service, education and professional development.

Full coverage of the ceremony will be in next week's issue of the Three Village Times.