NYPD Officer Receives 2009 Teacher of the Year Award from President Obama

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Tony Mullen always wanted to be a teacher. But his parents died when he was young, so he had to find work—first at a factory, then rising through the ranks of the NYPD to become a captain. He attended college part-time and eventually earned his masters degree in education. Tony knew he wanted to work with at risk teenagers with behavior problems. He wanted to give them a second chance.

In 2002 he handed in his badge to begin teaching at the Arch School, an alternative program in Greenwich, Connecticut that educates students dealing with depression, anxiety, anger issues, and eating disorders.

In 2009, he was named National Teacher of the Year and honored in a ceremony at the White House by President Obama. His message? The nations dropout rate is tragically high and students need our help.

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