News

Newark Early College middle school students win first place in the district’s Math Olympics Competition

8th Graders: Hakeem Ceesay, Christopher Certa, Emily Harripersaud, Prince Abimah and Raelyn Princeton
8th Graders: Hakeem Ceesay, Christopher Certa, Emily Harripersaud, Prince Abimah and Raelyn Princeton

These five eight graders participated in the district wide Math Olympics competition. In the first round, 24 NPS middle schools participated. In the next round, 12 schools participated. The following three schools participated in the final Jeopardy round: Wilson Avenue, Sussex, and Newark Early College. Not only did the middle school students at Newark Early College win the competition, but they received perfect scores on the two written exams prior to competing in the Jeopardy round. Newark Early College received first place with 55 total points.

Barringer Students Animodule Displayed at Newark Airport

On May 16, Barringer Arts and Humanities (BAAH) students got to see the fully-assembled sculpture that they have worked on in pieces for months, newly installed at the Newark Liberty International Airport. While curious travelers, representatives from the organizations that funded the project, and other invitees all looked on, the students painted the finishing touches on their piece. One of a series of sculptures called Animodules, the commissioned airport piece was facilitated by Chandri and Athena Barat of the Barat Foundation, who have worked with the Newark Public Schools for many years to create student-produced murals and sculptures for a range of public settings.

The finished airplane-shaped Animodule reflects extensive research by the students, who incorporated into the design geological, historical, and cultural symbols related to global destinations they’d like to visit. Maps of regions of the earth were transferred onto the four sides of the two wings, and student participants born outside the United States had the opportunity to share a symbol from their homeland.

Animodules are the official “Peace Ambassadors of Newark” and this particular piece will have a permanent place in the newly-renovated International Arrivals area in Terminal B.

Barringer Academy of S.T.E.A.M. Bulletin Wins 1st Place in Scholastic Newspaper Awards

BarSteamGroupThe American Scholastic Press Association has awarded The Barringer S.T.E.A.M. Bulletin 1st place in the Scholastic Newspaper Awards among Senior High Schools with an enrollment of 500-1,000 students. The S.T.E.A.M. Bulletin also won the Scholastic Newspaper Special Category Award for Outstanding Service to the Community for their coverage of their 1st Annual H.O.P.E. Thanksgiving Dinner and for their food donations to community families during the holidays.

University Hospital EMS Staged Mock Car Accident to Teach Science Park HS Students a Serious Lesson

On Monday, April 28, New Jersey 101.5 radio station blared out a traffic report of a serious accident near Science Park High School in Newark.  Moments later a police car’s siren was heard in the distance, then getting closer and closer. When the car arrived at the scene two policemen got out and ran towards the crashed cars. One officer checked the motionless bodies, one a person lying outside on the hood, the other trapped in a car. The other officer checked a dazed driver and radioed for an ambulance.  More screaming sirens that sounded louder and scarier than the first, then almost immediately a University Hospital ambulance and Emergency Medical Services truck arrived. When the extrication equipment was brought out of the truck, everyone was rooted to the spot where they stood. When an actor dressed as the Grim Reaper showed up, it was obvious that for someone, there was no going back.More than 200 Science Park Juniors and Seniors attended the Every 15 Minutes mock scenario, which began with a staged car crash after a teen party and ended with the funerals of the students who had been “killed” by the teen drunk driver.  The program is named Every 15 Minutes because of the national statistics whereby a person is killed every 15 minutes due to drunk or distracted driving. In New Jersey, nearly a third of automobile accidents are related to alcohol consumption. The University Hospital/Science Park simulation included motor vehicle accident extrication, ambulances, paramedics, EMTs and transport to nearby University Hospital, where 35 percent of patients admitted to the trauma center in 2012 had a positive (any) alcohol level. The program also included mock court proceedings for the driver, who was found guilty and sentenced to jail, and the taking of other students from classrooms by the “Grim Reaper” every 15 minutes, and being returned in stage make up to appear dead.

The timing for presenting the program in Newark was very deliberate, before the school prom, graduation celebrations and summer parties: a warning not to drink and drive, or text and drive, or talk on the phone and drive.

“This was very real and a warning for all of us not to drink, or text, and drive,” said student Darren Lindsey who already has his driver’s license. Other students were almost in tears as the Perry’s Funeral Home hearse drove slowly down the street leading a procession of 25 ‘walking dead’ students.

Parent representative Denise Crawford summed up the goal of the exercise, “This will save lives, thank you,” she said.

Additionally, on the second day of Every 15 Minutes, Maria Esteves of Elizabeth, New Jersey spoke about her late daughter, Rosemary, who was killed by a drunk driver in 1991 at age eight.

Bulldog Track Team Wins Penn Relays

On Saturday April 26, 2014, Malcolm X Shabazz High School’s, outdoor track team, won 1st place at the 2014 Penn Relays Event # 411. For the first time in several years, the Shabazz Bulldogs won the 4×400 heat by running 3:24.82. Since Principal Mills became our leader, Coach Damon Harrison has been an integral part of the transformation of Malcolm X Shabazz High School. A former Shabazz athlete, Coach Harrison realized that sports provided him with wonderful opportunities. In fact, it was his love of sports that afforded him with options for his future. In 2013, Coach Harrison became the Head Coach for our indoor and outdoor track team. In doing such, he has coached over sixty-five (65) students. After his first year of coaching, Damon managed to lead his team to participate in and win the 4×400 race at the 2014 Penn Relays.

Kierre Dubose, a sprinter and jumper , running the 100, 200, long and triple jump has received a full four(4) year scholarship to Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina. An alumnus of Shaw University, Coach Damon Harrison works closely with their volleyball and track& field coaches. More than just a coach to his team, Coach Harrison is also a mentor, friend, brother and father. Coach Damon Harrison’s goal is to continue working with all of his students. Through this, he will encourage and provide the necessary skills needed for them to reach their goals in life.

The Bulldog Family commends Coach Harrison for a tremendous job
he has done with our Track Team and we will continue to provide him support!!!!

NY Yankee Legend & Latin Grammy-Nominated Bernie Williams Onstage with NPS Jazz House Kids Music Club Students


As part of the annual Jazz House Kids Music Club and Vocal Summit Student Showcase, students from eight Newark Public Schools participated in a special workshop and concert with celebrated former Yankee All-Star and Latin GRAMMY nominee jazz guitarist Bernie Williams on Wednesday, April 23 at Science Park High School. Participating schools included: John F. Kennedy, Oliver Street, Science Park High, Abington Avenue, Maple Avenue, Rafael Hernandez and Arts High School.

As audience to an on-stage interview conducted by Melissa Walker, president and founder of Jazz House Kids, students had a chance to hear about Williams’ work and how he balanced his musical passions with his sports career. He credits his passion for music as a key to opening up his personal potential in both pursuits. A native of Puerto Rico, Williams discovered baseball and music at roughly the same time, when at the age of eight he fell in love with the sounds of a flamenco guitar, and also felt exhilaration when he first picked up a baseball bat. The young student-athlete quickly excelled in both pursuits, going on to attend the special performance arts school Escuela Libre de Musica at age 13 and becoming one of the most noted young athletes on the island, both as a track and field standout and one of Puerto Rico’s most sought after young baseball prospects. When Williams signed a contract with the New York Yankees at age 17, he brought his love of music with him – first to Albany for his development in double-A ball and then on to the Bronx and the most famous field in sports when called up to join the Yankees in 1991.

Williams’ story clearly resonated with NPS students, who had the opportunity to ask him questions after Walker finished her chat. After photos and a meet and greet, the ball player/musician joined students and teachers on the stage for a moving and memorable performance.

“We are thrilled that Bernie Williams, a man whose accomplishments bridge the world of sports and music, donated his time to speak with and connect to young music students in our Newark Public Schools music programs” Walker said. “Mr. Williams is an inspiration to young people, and his support of Jazz House Kids’ mission is so encouraging – his personal dedication to obtaining a college education tells two key stories: no award or sum of money can take the place of one’s education and we are never too old to learn. We at Jazz House Kids salute that message and work toward that end each and everyday through the medium of jazz – it is incredibly exciting that Mr. Williams stood on stage with over 100 music students from Newark Public Schools.”

For more than 13 years, Jazz House Kids has provided programming in the Newark Public School District, working with more than 12,000 young people K-12 and hundreds of teachers and administrators to offer music, mentorship and apprenticeship. The 2013-2014 Jazz House Music Club and Vocal Summit Jazz Residency programs currently serve more than 300 students in nine Newark Schools with year-long instrumental and vocal programming. These programs are provided free of charge to all of the participating students and are funded by the Iverson Family Foundation, Don Katz and Leslie Larson, The Prudential Foundation, Rivendell Foundation, The Silver Family Foundation, Turrell Fund, Victoria Foundation and support from our partnering schools.