New York – New York State Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato received a standing ovation when she attended the annual TeachNYS breakfast. The Assemblywoman, the only Jewish elected official in South Queens, is known as the strongest advocate for Yeshivas in the New York State legislature. Since first elected, she has overseen the increase of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) funding to non-public schools to over $60 million annually. Last year, she also secured a huge victory by allocating funding for universal free lunch, and is working on expanding the program in this year's State budget.