Michael Storonsky is being inducted into the Hall of Fame for his champion athletic accomplishments, career in education and extensive volunteerism.
Mike graduated from Van Rensselaer High School in 1946. He was on the 1946 baseball team that won the Albany Scholastic Championship. He also played on the varsity basketball team in ’45-’46, who were Champions of the International Albany Scholastic League. Mike went on to play semi-pro baseball for the Champlain Valley, Albany and Rensselaer Twilight Leagues. In 1947 he won the Batting Title with a 420 average. Mike graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh in 1950 with a BS degree in Elementary Education. During his undergraduate years he was Vice President of the Footlights Club, he belonged to the Athletic Council, Elementary Club, was Yearbook Sports Editor and Sports Editor of the school newspaper for 2 yrs. He played varsity basketball and baseball in college also, with a
589 batting average, which is the school’s record! All total, he won five varsity letters. He received his MS in Administration and Supervision in 1954 from SUNY Albany with additional credits from SUNY Oneonta from 1953-58 and in Guidance from SUNY Albany in 1983. His teaching career began in the New Lebanon School District teaching Junior High Math and Science from 1950-56. From 1956-63 he taught at Roessleville School in the Colonie District and then for a year was Supervising Principal of the East Nassau School. In 1964 he became Principal at the Elementary School in New Lebanon. From 1977-1984 he was Principal at Fort Crailo and Title I Coordinator for the District for 2 of those years. Mike is also a Certified Official for basketball, baseball, football and soccer. Mike has also held jobs as the Treasurer for the Eastern NY Chapter of the National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association (40 yrs) and as a Travel Agent for Carlson Wagonlit Albany Travel Unlimited (17 yrs). Mike’s service on professional organizations is extensive. Just a partial list of his service includes Director for The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), President of the Albany Chapter of Plattsburgh Alumni Association, Representative to the NYS Elementary Principals on statewide Ethics Commission and served on PTA Executive Committees for each of the schools districts in which he worked, to name a few. Just a partial list of his community volunteerism service includes Secretary-Treasurer of the Colonie Cub and Boy Scouts, Manager of the Colonie Little League, Coach of Babe Ruth, President of the Colonie Senior Babe Ruth League, and President of the Ukrainian Catholic League (13 counties). He also was Chair of the United Way Drive, was awarded a Lifetime Pass from the Section II NYS Public High School Association in 1992, and was inducted into his college Hall of Fame in 2000. Mike lives with his wife Pauline in Watervliet. They raised 4 children and have 6 grandchildren. Mike was nominated by his school-mate and 2014 Hall of Fame inductee, Bob Eckert ’48.