The Charging Chancellor

Dennis Walcott is an atypical Chancellor of the New York City School System.

He speaks from experience when he says, "The great equalizer in society is ensuring that every child receives a quality education, especially a quality public education." You see, his family has been attending New York public schools for generations.

And when he talks of health and wellness as necessities for strong minds, it isn't lip service. Derek Alvez of the Staten Island Advance found that out recently at Clove Lakes Park, when Walcott joined the defending PSAL city cross country champion girls' team from Port Richmond High School for a practice session.

"I like to do different things as chancellor. I don't like to stay within a box itself," said Walcott, who is training for the ING New York City Marathon. "And so I wanted to see how I could blend my running interest and get better, and support what we are doing in our school system."

A self-described "Queens guy," Walcott graduated from Francis Lewis High and served the Urban League before joining Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration. Last spring he was tapped to guide the City's million-plus students, 100,000+ employees and $22 billion budget.

And every now and then, expect him to go out and get a good two-miler in.