Mineola Educator Honored with 2025 ASSET Bright Lights Award

Photo: Cailin Carlson receives the Bright Lights Award on Jan. 24 at the Heritage Club in Bethpage. (L-R): Jackson Avenue Principal Catherine Shanahan, Mineola Middle School Principal Amy Trojanowski, Cailin Carlson, and Mineola Director of Instructional Technology and Assessment Dr. Whittney Smith.
Photo courtesy of Mineola School District.

By Williston Post Staff

Mineola Public Schools proudly congratulates Cailin Carlson on receiving the 2025 Bright Lights Award from the Association of Suffolk Supervisors for Educational Technologies (ASSET). This prestigious award recognizes educators who have demonstrated exemplary integration of technology into the classroom to enhance student learning.

Throughout her nine years in the district, Ms. Carlson has been a transformational educator, redefining the learning experience for her students. As a teacher in the gifted education program and a provider of academic intervention services, she excels in motivating students to become problem solvers and designers of their own learning journey.

A leader in Mineola’s Design Thinking Committee and a pioneer in the district’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) implementation, Ms. Carlson has embraced technology to enhance both student and teacher experiences. She prioritizes not only high academic expectations but also the development of essential life skills such as collaboration, problem-solving, time management, and resourcefulness.

The Bright Lights Award was presented at the ASSET Bright Lights Luncheon on January 24 at the Heritage Club in Bethpage, where Mineola administrators joined in celebrating Ms. Carlson’s well-earned recognition.