Zelda band shaped my career as a teacher.  When Zelda was getting ready to retire she began to give me all her prized collection of supplies from her art room. She then went to the principal and said you must make Regina Baker the new art teacher. Because of her faith in me, I taught art at PS30 for over 20 years. I enjoyed a rich career doing a job I truly loved. She changed my life when I was a fresh, young teacher who wanted to change the world. And thanks to Zelda Band, I hope I did just that. 

Ms. Band inspired my sisters and I to really appreciate the Arts.  By her teaching  me art as a youngster is what made me continue to love drawing and design as an adult. I have a degree in Fashion but it was Ms.Band who taught me to be creative and to think outside the box. She was a great lady. Truly dedicated to her career and showed so much passion for it that she wanted others to feel the same. 

Just another thing about Ms. Band for her family.  I'm old but I think I recall her saying her son was Ira. Ira: please know that she loved you out loud -- in public.  She wasn't ashamed to share that with us. And we're thankful to you, her family, for sharing her with us.  A lot of the teachers in our school kinda saw us as what they did for a living.  They wouldn't extend themselves for us.  They came to Queens to teach and went back home to Long Island.  They didn't really care what happened to us.  Ms. Band lived in the community.  She lived in the building across from me.  She cared about us as much as anyone did.  She sometimes got so angry when some of us wouldn't take our education seriously.  We talk about her and the impact she had on us on Facebook all the time.  I pray she knew how special she really was to us.  

There's not enough room here to say just how special Ms. Band was (I have to much respect than to call her by her first name).  She taught art at P.S.30 but she was so much more than an art teacher.  She did so much for Black children as if we were her own.  If her family is reading this, you will never know just how much she did with us.  She believed in me and I couldn't even draw.  She entered us in art contests.  She sponsored reading programs.  She took us to plays.  She introduced me to Shel Silverstein and I'm sharing his work with my daughter today. Thank you Ms. Band.  Your spirit made me a better person.  

Mrs Band was my art teacher at P.S. 30 in the early 80s. She challenged, & inspired. Made a lasting impression. 

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Zelda Band

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Zelda Band

February 21, 1931 – February 3, 2017

Schwartz Brothers-Jeffer Memorial Chapels

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