Graduation is a special time of year for the graduates, their family members and friends. In this section, you will find an overview of the 2017 graduating class of Newark Public Schools, along with graduation dates and times.

Each year around this time, Newark Public Schools (NPS) takes a moment to acknowledge the accomplishments of its students as they wind down the year and look ahead to new beginnings. This is especially true for our graduating seniors who are transitioning on to college and careers. As we look back on this year, one of great change, great challenge and great accomplishment we look to celebrate all of our students who are at the heart of all our efforts.

In that spirit, we are proud to announce the Superintendent’s “3E” Award – Equity, Excellence, & Effort – for well-deserving graduating seniors. The 3E Award honors NPS students who relentlessly prioritize equity for themselves and others, show tremendous effort through diligence and hard work, and achieve excellent results in carving their own pathways to success.

Recipients have been selected based on the following criteria:

• Equity – Relentless Focus on Justice and Fairness: The nominee exemplifies spirit and actions the old adage, “treat others the way you want to be treated”.
• Effort – Hard Work and Consistency of Effort: The nominee demonstrates diligence and perseverance in overcoming obstacles and consistency of effort over time.
• Excellence – Results Driven: The nominee demonstrates excellence and tangible results in: community involvement for justice and equity, self-improvement, and academic achievement.

Abington Avenue Elementary School

Graci Fernandez
Graci Fernandez boasts an impressive array of extracurriculars, serving as 8th grade photographer, Garden Club president, school cheerleader, and a member of the soccer and track teams. Having overcome the learning challenges she faced as a child, she is now one of the school’s top students and ambassadors. Graci constantly thinks of the welfare of her fellow students, often defending and supporting students who endure bullying and other mistreatment. Although she’ll only be entering the ninth grade in the fall, her foresight and thoughtfulness are evident in her commitment to working as hard as possible to excel as a scholar and athlete.

Ann Street School

Catarina Martins
Catarina serves as a peer tutor and is a member of the cheerleading squad. Known as a hardworking and motivated young scholar, she is part of the National Junior Honor Society and has achieved Honor Roll and Super Honor Roll. In the course of her work on safety patrol, Catarina demonstrates her compassionate nature by assisting students who get lost, arrive late to school or need assistance. She is proud to have been accepted to Science Park High School, where she will begin preparing for an exciting career in forensic psychology.

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Ana Catarina Monteiro
As President of the Student Council at her school, Ana has demonstrated that even an eighth grader can affect her community in tangible, meaningful ways. Under her direction and sagacious leadership, the Student Council has conducted toy and food drives that have brought joy and sustenance to the countless Newarkers that rely upon the St. John’s Church food pantry and local Salvation Army. The success of these two events is owed chiefly to Ana’s deeply held beliefs: every life matters, everyone deserves access to opportunities, and everyone should be treated with respect and dignity. Ana sees community service as a way to help all people realize the importance of generosity, compassion, and fairness. Though celebrated for her service to others, Ana also excels academically as a Super Honor Roll student. With her inspiring ethics, focus and perseverance, Ana is sure to continue making positive contributions to society.

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Leslie Padilla
Leslie is considered a role model amongst her peers. She comes to the aid of those in need by assisting people in her community, raising funds for the less fortunate, and tutoring students after school. When challenges are presented to her, she goes above and beyond and excels. She has achieved Honor Roll and Super Honor Roll while being active in extracurricular activities such as the National Junior Honor Society, Robotics Team, and Yearbook Club.

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Lucy Santos
One word to describe Lucy would be perseverance. She is always looking to improve herself and those around her. One of her biggest accomplishments was being inducted into the National Junior Honor Society. In addition to tutoring her peers, assisting students and staff through the school day, and being involved in many after-school programs, she takes pride in her involvement in church. She is empathetic towards others and leads by example.

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Franshesca Soto
Franshesca strengthens her school community by peer tutoring and serving on the yearbook staff and safety patrol. Having consistently earned the distinction of being on the Honor Roll, she plans to extend her record of accomplishment in college and medical school. Her plans to become a doctor are no surprise to her peers or teachers, all of whom have witnessed and admired her drive for supporting those around her. Franshesca governs herself with a quiet grace and is described by members of the Ann Street community as a model student and all around wonderful person.

Arts High School

Elwood Clark, Jr.
Growing up in the South Ward of Newark was difficult for Elwood, but he focused his energy on using challenging events in his life as a tool to persevere through tough times in order to succeed. Aside from excelling in curricular activities, Elwood mentors middle school students and actively participates in youth civic committees including the Student Leadership Institute. As a student leader, he helps his peers find solutions to issues that they may be facing, and helps them look at every situation with optimism. In August 2015, he will enter the United States Marine Corps and looks forward to serving his community and Country.

Barringer Academy of S.T.E.A.M.

Yuleissa Santana
Yuleissa moved to the United States without any knowledge of the English language or American culture. Rather than give in to her fears about her new life, she made strong and successful efforts to learn English and took advantage of multiple tutoring opportunities. She has proven herself to be a motivated student who is humble and grateful to all who have helped her along the way, though her success is due to her own fortitude and drive. Dedicated to assisting other immigrants, she is a chapter member of the ESL club (called ELU), which invites foreign-born professionals from the Newark community to present to students once a week. She feels strongly that immigrant students will benefit greatly from knowing the successes of other immigrants, and has advocated for the ESL club in her community.

Belmont Runyon Elementary School

Chy’Ane Roberts
Chy’Ane is a polite and charming young scholar who has fought to make sure that the devastating loss of a close family member did not derail her academic performance. With the support of her family, she has managed to persevere through her grief and prioritize her preparation for college and her future. Friendly and helpful by nature, Chy’Ane has been known to assist peers with conflict resolution. She consistently motivates fellow students to refine their focus, challenging them to strive for excellence in all areas of life.

Camden Street School

Angel Class
Angel’s hard work and focus have enabled him to grow academically. Equally selfless and supportive, he frequently lends his assistance to classmates when they face challenging math problems. He enjoys the distinction of having passed more “Think Through” math lessons than any student in his grade. Angel’s humble, polite demeanor has earned him the respect of his peers and teachers, who celebrate his perseverance and willingness to be of service to those around him. Proving that these qualities extend well beyond the classroom, Angel sets a shining example for his siblings to follow, often helping his younger sister and brother with chores and homework.

Central High School

Taj Atkinson
Dealing with the death of his mother was difficult, but Taj was determined to honor her memory by making a positive contribution to his community. He lives by the credo of Confucius – “When goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.” As a leader, he has participated in President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) initiative and started Black Lives Matter at his school to ensure that especially boys and young men of color, overcome barriers to success. His goal is to continue to elevate the quality of life, safeguard civil liberties and make the people of his community knowledgeable of their capacity to achieve.

East Side High School

Rosa Lasso
Rosa has overcome language barriers in order to succeed academically. She wasmotivated and determined to become competent in her studies. She has attended various programs, including a leadership academy at NJIT in order to develop skills to succeed academically and to improve her community. She exceeded proficiency and is not only earning her high school diploma from East Side High School but is earning an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts from Essex County College.

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Austin Verissimo
Student Council President and All-State athlete, Austin Verissimo has become a beacon to his fellow students by exhibiting excellence in everything he does. He has been recognized by News 12 NJ for maintaining an impeccable academic record while toggling between local soccer and hockey teams. For the latter, he’s received a $25,000 scholarship from the National Hockey League. Yet, Austin’s drive isn’t confined to school and sports; he also aspires to launch his own non-profit organization in Newark to support struggling students from the area. Austin’s hard work and dedication have earned him acceptances to a number of outstanding universities, including Cornell, UCLA and Georgetown.

Hawkins Street School

Karin Aguirre
Karin Aguirre overcame significant obstacles before blossoming into the compassionate, helpful student we know today. Surrounded by gang violence and drug trafficking, she fought against the influence of her rough neighborhood as well as the taunts of bullies. Instead of succumbing to the negativity surrounding her, Karin has consistently sought ways to improve herself and gain exposure to more affirming aspects of the world around her. Further, her experiences with bullying have inspired her to befriend and support students who find themselves enduring mistreatment and alienation from their peers. Now known as a selfless community servant, she prepares meals for the homeless and contributes to clean-up efforts at a local park. In school, Karin enjoys applying her math and science lessons to activities with Hawkins Street’s Robotic Club.

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Natalie Fernandez
Through a range of life experiences, Natalie has experienced injustice and unfairness. Because of this, she makes sure that those around her are treated justly. She is active in after-school programs, in her church, and in her community. She has won many contests including the Newark Public Schools Dr. Clement A. Price Essay Contest. Natalie is the epitome of determination, having worked tirelessly to learn and speak English fluently.

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Kyle Mincey
Kyle is a self-motivated, responsible and respectful young man. He has faced many hardships, but with the support of his mother and community, he has succeeded in overcoming these challenges. He is an advocate for justice and makes sure that people are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. He is a natural leader as exemplified by his ethical commitments, he makes decisions that may not be popular but he feels is right. He is involved in many extracurricular activities, including the Debate team, National Junior Honor Society, ICC Environmental Justice Community Organization Gifted and Talented program, all while excelling in school.

Malcolm X Shabazz High School

Zaire Fogle
Zaire is a hard-working young man who doesn’t allow his circumstances to dictate his ability to face challenges head on. As team captain and quarterback, Zaire led the Malcolm X Shabazz High School Football Team to victory at the NJ Section 2 Group 1 State Championship, earning him the title of Most Valuable Player. School staff and peers alike consider him a role model and an inspiration. He has often said “I have a lot of personal problems, but I can’t be defeated because of them. I have to do what I have to do.” He is driven to make his family proud, but more driven to succeed, as reflected in his academic achievements and athletic feats.

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Derrick Nelson
Derrick is an honors and advanced placement student described by his teachers as possessing poise and maturity beyond his years. His quest for excellence is inspired in large part by his great uncle Kofi, whose perseverance in the face of immense challenges associated with living in a developing country has inspired Derrick to cultivate the focus and determination necessary for success in college and beyond. Ranking 11 in his class of 218 students, he’s been accepted to Montclair State University and has been awarded prestigious scholarships. Beyond his academic feats, Derrick maintains an impressive range of service-oriented activities, participating in his school’s Garden Club, serving as a counselor at the Boys and Girls Club and interning with the Mayor’s office.

Park Elementary School

Qwanzae Cooley-Ross
Once shy and timid, Qwanzae proves to be diplomatic as the 8th grade class president. She is an advocate for equity and justice and is passionate about treating others with dignity and respect. Academically, she embodies that same spirit by spearheading classroom discussions and showing her peers how to achieve academic excellence. In addition, she is a member of the school’s poetry club, dance club, basketball team, and cheerleading squad. She lives by the statement, “I have a goal at the end of the road and I won’t stop until that goal has been accomplished.”

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Katherine Lopes
After losing a close family member at the age of 9, Katherine was faced with the challenge of returning to her schoolwork while managing her grief. In spite of that, Katherine has proven to be a paragon of triumph over adversity. Besides holding a 4.0 in academics and earning two Super Honor Roll medals, she is also the highest ranking and most awarded member of the debate team. Katherine has been a cheerleader for over 4 years while also performing with the drama club and participating in Excel Afterschool. As President of the 8th grade student advisory team, Katherine works tirelessly to establish a forum in which students can learn to work out their differences to ensure that everyone can move forward in unity and promote a positive environment.

Speedway Academies

Tatyann Bent
Tatyann is a hard-working student who believes in persistence and collaboration with others. Her transition from Jamaica to the United States wasn’t easy, but she worked hard to adjust to a new country and its culture. She holds diversity and inclusion as important values, and believes that any person can make an important contribution no matter the size of his/her role. Outside of her school work, she serves as an English tutor, and a student helper with medically fragile students.

Technology High School

Katie Oliveira
Katie is a phenomenal young lady who takes advantage of opportunities and masters the challenges presented to her. She is active in curricular and extracurricular activities, including AmeriCorps and the Youth Developers Program, while managing a full course load and excelling in her classes. She will be a first generation college student and plans on pursuing computer programming to help others be successful in life. In 2013, she received county-wide recognition for creating an app that assists younger students with learning fractions. Driven by her desire to support her blind grandfather, she plans on using her knowledge of computer programing to develop technology that will help ease the lives of those living with vision loss.

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Amanda Santiago
Undoubtedly inspired by the shining example set by her grandmother, Amanda is one of the hardest working students at her school. She is president of her school’s National Honor Society and a proud member of the Student Council. Her countless community service projects include food drives, volunteer service with the Summer Bridge Program and a mural painting project that was featured on NJ.com. These school-supported activities, however, barely scratch the surface of Amanda’s service to her community. Around her neighborhood, Amanda is known for helping everyone she can, particularly non-English speaking immigrants who find themselves struggling to connect with the resources needed to function and thrive. After balancing her own schoolwork and extracurricular activities, Amanda assists community members with food stamp applications, coordinating legal and medical appointments and submitting the documents and forms that help families in need sustain themselves. Unsurprisingly, Amanda plans to study law in hopes of becoming a child advocate. Having grown up without the traditional family structure, she’s cultivated an understanding of the unique needs of children and hopes to continue bettering the lives of our society’s most vulnerable populations.

Each year around this time, Newark Public Schools (NPS) takes a moment to acknowledge the accomplishments of its students as they wind down the year and look ahead to new beginnings. This is especially true for our graduating seniors who are transitioning on to college and careers. As we look back on this year, one of great change, great challenge and great accomplishment we look to celebrate all of our students who are at the heart of all our efforts.

In that spirit, we are proud to announce the Superintendent’s “3E” Award – Equity, Excellence, & Effort – for well-deserving graduating seniors. The 3E Award honors NPS students who relentlessly prioritize equity for themselves and others, show tremendous effort through diligence and hard work, and achieve excellent results in carving their own pathways to success.

Recipients have been selected based on the following criteria:

• Equity – Relentless Focus on Justice and Fairness: The nominee exemplifies spirit and actions the old adage, “treat others the way you want to be treated”.
• Effort – Hard Work and Consistency of Effort: The nominee demonstrates diligence and perseverance in overcoming obstacles and consistency of effort over time.
• Excellence – Results Driven: The nominee demonstrates excellence and tangible results in: community involvement for justice and equity, self-improvement, and academic achievement.

Alexander Street School

Delvin Duncan
As an anti-violence student activist, Delvin always conducts himself with integri-ty and maintains a positive demeanor among his peers, even when he is sur-rounded by negativity. He is truthful and deeply compassionate towards others, empathizes with people about their personal problems and helps to solve them. He is a talented mediator and guides his peers in de-escalating conflicts before they become violent. Called a “brilliant and hardworking student” by his teachers, it is clear that Delvin believes in building excellence of character alongside academic achievement. He has demonstrated both qualities through-out his years at Alexander Street School by consistently making Honor Roll, achieving the highest state NJASK scores in literacy and math, serving as a role model for his peers, and being an overall asset to his school and the district.

American History High School

Mekale Knight-Victor
Mekale’s journey through childhood and high school has been filled with ex-treme hardships and challenges that might have easily made him lose his mo-tivation: however, that is not this exemplary young man’s way. Mature be-yond his years, Mekale made a pact with himself to never give in to the ills of society that surrounded him everyday, envisioned a better future for himself and believed in the American Dream. He worked hard to succeed in school despite incredible obstacles, taking advantage of tutoring programs and joining extracurricular activities. During his sophomore year, Mekale received the “A” Award, American History High School’s highest honor which recognizes students who exemplify the school’s desired characteristics fo a model student. Mekale is a member of the JROTC, American History High School’s Soccer Team and Ambassador Program, the New Jersey All-Stars Program, the Rutgers REaCH Program, the Newark GeoScience Program, and the Junior Police Academy at Barringer High School. He has progressively raised his G.P.A. each year and ultimately earned multiple competitve college admissions. He will be attending West Point next year and aspires to work for the Federal Bureau of Investigations. His goal, based on his personal experiences, is to find better ways to keep children safe.

Ann Street School

Solcyre Burga
A natural leader, organized, hardworking and studious, with an interest in ex-panding her educational opportunities and engaging in the school and commu-nity, Solcyre is an excellent role model for her peers. She is a caring individual who looks out for the best interest of others and is always kind and respectful to her peers, teachers, and school staff. Solcyre is skilled at balancing her schoolwork with extracurricular activities and demonstrates perseverance, dili-gence, respect and responsibility. She is a peer tutor, involved with a range of charitable activities, a member of the Student Council, a competitor in the Alge-bra Olympics and a member of the Cheerleading Team and Dance Squad. She is the valedictorian of her graduating class, is enrolled in the Rutgers Scholars program, has achieved numerous Super Honor Roll and Honor Roll placements throughout the school year and has perfect attendance. Solcyre plans to pursue a career as a psychologist and has set goals for herself by creating a plan for high school and college.

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Carolina Heleno
A true leader and independent thinker, Carolina stands up for what she be-lieves to be right, even if the majority don’t agree. She is recognized for volun-tarily helping those in need and has been cited by her peers as someone with high moral standards who follows her conscience. Carolina is a member of the Junior Honor Society and has been a Super Honor Roll student for five consecu-tive years. She has persevered to achieve academic success, overcoming any obstacles that have interfered with her goals.

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Justin Verissimo
Justin has a clear vision for his future and has systematically focused on putting into place the steps to make it a reality, despite some very real challenges that have come his way. He is introspective and regularly self-evaluates in order to make the necessary adjustments needed to improve himself and his current situation. If an obstacle is thrown his way, he course corrects, finding a way to succeed rather than making excuses for failing. Justin has proven repeatedly that he is able to use his personal hardships as motivation to succeed. A mem-ber of the National Junior Honor Society since 7th grade, Justin is a part of the Ann Street School Math Olympic Team, which earned first place in the City Wide Algebra 1 Competition, and finished with the 4th highest score in the Essex County Algebra Olympic Competition.

Barringer Academy of the Arts & Humanities

Gabriel Adonis Echeverria
Gabriel is a determined young man, who has a positive attitude and doesn’t stop until he achieves his goals. While facing numerous difficult personal and social challenges this past school year, Gabriel opted not to be overwhelmed or dis-couraged by them and instead leveraged the situations as a source of motivation. Gabriel’s teachers and school community have tremendous respect for his aca-demic and extracurricular achievements, note his passion for drama and the arts, and commend his levelheaded presence and ability to diffuse heated situations before they escalate. Observing him overcome his challenges, others in the school community have gained self-confidence and belief that they too can set and achieve their goals.

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Illiana Familia
Illiana has encountered many hurdles in her life, and has confronted them with hard work, determination and a positive attitude. Turning adversity into a teach-ing tool, she learned to make smart decisions and resolved to not only reach her potential but to surpass it. Illiana is a hard worker, having supported herself and contributed to her family’s finances by holding down a job from a very early age, taking on summer internships and doing year-round volunteer work. Illiana has become a role model for the entire 2014 Barringer Academy of the Arts & Hu-manities community and is said to be the backbone for many struggling class-mates, whom she helps not only academically but also teaches anger and stress coping skills. Her accomplishments give her peers hope and confidence that they too can reach their full potential.

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Jalisa Hunter
A newcomer to Newark this year, Jalisa arrived from Tallahassee, FL and made the difficult adjustment to being in a new school, city and state with impeccable skill and grace. She is extremely determined to succeed, makes smart choices, advocates well for herself and has found her place in the school community by joining numerous clubs and immersing herself in extra-curricular activities. De-spite being new to the school, she quickly became Barringer Academy of the Arts & Humanities’ unofficial peer mediator, working to diffuse social issues peaceful-ly rather than contributing to the escalation of unproductive gossip. As an active member of the school’s community service club, Jalisa volunteers at a food bank and helped to organize an AIDS awareness walk. An Honor Roll student, Jalisa is planning to pursue a career in medicine.

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Dorcas King
Dorcas is recognized as a talented and prolific artist, who produces unique multimedium works that have filled her carefully maintained portfolio. But creating impressive art is not her only strong suit. Dorcas is also extremely driven and determined to succeed despite numerous obstacles that have come her way. Dealing with adversity has ignited in her a powerful motivation to excel academically and also instilled a keen sense of empathy and compassion. Active in community service work and supportive to her classmates, Dorcas is generous about helping others in need. She has learned much about independent thinking and making her own strategic decisions. One of those decisions has been to immerse herself in her academics regardless of external distractions. Another has been to step up as a leader and give back to her community.

Barringer Academy of S.T.E.A.M.

Lisbeth Diaz
Lisbeth moved to the United States less than 3 years ago without any knowledge of the English language or the American culture. Rather than give in to her fears of her new life, she made a strong and successful effort to learn English and took advantage of multiple tutoring opportunities in order to do well in school. Lisbeth is a Super Honor Roll student, and is ranked in the top 3 of her class. She has proven herself to be a motivated student who is humble and grateful to all who have helped her along the way, though her success is due to her own fortitude and drive. Dedicated to assisting other recent arrivals to the United States, she is a chapter member of the ESL club (called ELU), which invites foreign-born professionals from the Newark com-munity to present to students once a week. She feels strongly that immigrant students gain from seeing the success of other immigrants and has advocated for the club in the community.

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Sara Jarri
Sara has been referred to as “the most determined student I’ve met this en-tire year,” by one of her teachers. Strong-willed with an indomitable attitude about achieving her goals, she aspires to attend medical school and eventual-ly become a cardiac surgeon – a dream she has had since the age of nine. It should be noted that Sara is from Ghana and English is not her first language. Despite the cultural differences and language barrier, she has persevered and pushed herself to excel academically and overcome any obstacles to her suc-cess. Her determination is evident by the fact that she regularly puts herself in the spotlight in order to challenge and defeat her fear of public speaking. Having witnessed students being treated poorly due to appearance or ethnici-ty, Sara is an ardent champion for the school’s anti-bullying program. Her goals are driven by the desire to create a better world by helping her fellow citizens. Sara is on Super Honor Roll and has maintained her position in the top 10% of her class. She has gained admission and been awarded scholar-ships to numerous colleges.

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Juan Rosado
As the oldest son in his family, Juan has often had to sacrifice the fun and perks of being a teenager so he could care for his younger siblings, yet he still man-aged to be a model student with many extracurricular involvements including pursuing his pilot’s license, serving as Captain of the Varsity wrestling team, serving as Captain of the Chess Club, and maintaining a high G.P.A. When Juan earned admission to his dream school, which would enable him to pursue a career in aeronautical engineering, he was torn about accepting, as it would mean leaving home and being unable to be with his family. Ultimately, with his mother’s urging and blessing, he made the decision to attend Vaughn College in Queens, NY, where he will work towards his ultimate goal of being an officer in the United States Air Force. Juan has already signed up for the JROTC Air Force program, and has calculated every step he needs to take in pursuit of his goals.

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Adoni Toribio
Adoni migrated to the United States without any knowledge of the English lan-guage or the American culture. Determined to succeed, he has taken advantage of tutoring opportunities and support programs and has worked to consistently achieve Super Honor Roll, maintain good attendance, and is ranked in the top 20 of his class. Adoni assists fellow immigrant students in learning English, is devoted to his younger brother who is deaf, and is a champion for the disabled in the community. He expresses gratitude to those who have helped him achieve, yet his teachers recognize that it is his own fortitude and humility that have gotten him where he is today.

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Michael Tyson
Michael distinguishes himself by maintaining a high level of integrity in every-thing he does and by following his own mandate of being a positive influence in the world. With a gritty determination when it comes to achieving his goals, Michael allows no obstacles to get in his way. His education is his ultimate prior-ity. Mature, self-motivated and introspective, Michael has learned to be his own best mentor. His motto is “Give a man a fish, he eats for a day. Teach him to fish, he eats for a lifetime.” Michael won first place in the district’s 1st Annual Spelling Bee, is a peer coach to his classmates, plays on the Chess Team and maintains excellent grades. He treats his peers and teachers with consistent respect and adoration and is sure to addresses any bullying he sees by sticking up for the underdog. Michael was accepted into every college he applied to and received a scholarship to each. Michael is ranked number 4 in his class.

Cleveland School

Xavier Edwards
Xavier is a model student with strong motivation to continually improve him-self, give back to his community and advance his academic career. He will be the second of his siblings to attend high school and he has plans to earn a college degree. Xavier is a strong positive presence amongst his peers, and focuses on doing the right thing in the face of conflict. He strongly believes in the importance of seeing things through the eyes of others, and maintains that all people should be treated with kindness. He uses reasoning to resolve conflict, believing that arguments lead to negative outcomes and hurt feel-ings. Xavier wants to make a difference in the world, and is known to always help those in need.

Dr. E. Alma Flagg

Chantally Villalona
An ardent advocate for social justice, Chantally has thought deeply about the negative impact that socio-economic conditions can have on people’s futures and has vowed not to become a product of her environment. Believing that “the pen is mightier than the sword,” she speaks and writes openly about how she will overcome society’s low expectations of her, is committed to proving her value to the world and inspiring others to do the same. Chantally has never wasted a single day in school, is always on task and prepared, is willing and able to participate in insightful discussions on intense topics, is not afraid to try, make mistakes and then learn from them. She is consistently on Honor Roll and is a participant in the Randy Foye Foundation, which focuses on preparing students for excellence both in and out of the school.

Dr. William H. Horton Elementary School

Dora Calva
Initially a shy bilingual student, Dora determined to master English and excel in academics. Now an honor student who has consistently maintained an A average, she is focused on gaining a solid science education and ultimately attending medical school. In addition to her scholarly accomplishments, Dora has proven herself to be a champion of students who are bullied or with-drawn, and extends herself to comfort others when she sees they are down and sad.

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Nicolette Ferriole
Though soft-spoken, Nicolette is recognized as a leader amongst her peers, setting a high bar for her own personal achievement and actively motivating those around her to strive for the same level of excellence. Her teachers refer to her as conscientious, hardworking and reliable, while her fellow students agree that she is the “nicest person they know.”

East Side High School

Azhar Uddin
An immigrant who came to the United States as a young boy, Azhar has overcome many obstacles and persevered to learn English and succeed academically. A member of the National Honor Society and the Student Council, Azhar is described as being determined, loyal, honest, considerate, compassionate, and generally exhibiting an abundance of positive character traits. Azhar has earned the respect of his teachers, administrators and fellow students and is recognized as a great communicator who knows how to facilitate discussions and problem solve in a non-threatening way.

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Olivia Lason
Determined to succeed since she walked through the doors of East Side High School in her freshman year, Olivia’s hard work and academic rigor have earned her the title of Valedictorian of her graduation class. Although she entered high school in regular curriculum classes, Olivia was hungry for challenge and successfully made the jump to the honors program. She took Advanced Placement courses in both her junior and senior year, and will receive her Associate’s Degree simultaneous to her high school diploma, through her involvement with the Early College Program. Olivia has played on the Volleyball Team and participated in the Newark Math Olympics throughout her high school career. Olivia received a $22,000 scholarship to Seton Hall University, where she plans to major in Journalism and Public Relations (with a minor in English) and has also been awarded the $10,000 “Random Acts of Kindness” scholarship, given by East Side High School philanthropist Dr. Marini.

Miller Street School

Esmeralda Correa
A poet and short story writer whose work reflects themes of justice and equity, as well as romance, Esmeralda intends to be the first person in her immediate family to graduate from college. She is recognized as a leader amongst her peers, and is appreciated for her upbeat and positive presence. Having over-come many obstacles in her young life, Esmeralda is a hardworking student who strives for continual improvement and exhibits a relentless pursuit of excel-lence. Embracing the Golden Rule, Esmeralda often reminds her fellow students to “treat others the way you want to be treated.” She models diplomacy in her daily life, has received Young Student Entrepreneurship Recognition and is a New Jersey State Police Mentorship participant.

Newark Vocational High School

Davana Butler
When Davana lost her mother at a young age, rather than giving up on life, she confronted the hardship, became stronger, and made a conscious choice to focus on her education and strive for personal excellence. She is an Honor Roll student and in the top 10 of her graduating class. Well spoken and actively involved in her church and community, Davana is generous and compassionate. Recently, when a fellow Newark Vocational student lost her mother, Davana shared her own experiences and was influential in encouraging the grieving young woman to finish school. Davana has also been known to intervene in student bullying situations, reminding the bully how it feels to be on the receiving end. Davana has consistently kept her eye on the prize and has proven herself to be a young lady of character and integrity.

Rafael Hernandez School

Stephanie Torres
Stephanie is said to be “unstoppable in her efforts to make her mark on the city of Newark, the school district and the universe.” Her personal style is to ap-proach all assignments with gusto and determination, and take things a step further than is expected. Despite many obligations at home, caring for her younger siblings and a cousin with special needs, she has managed to stack up a long list of academic and extracurricular achievements, including Honor Roll, President of the Student Council, and the Principal’s Award. Stephanie has served on the Child Assault and Prevention committee as well as the Nutrition Advisory Council. A former victim herself, Stephanie is active in the school’s anti-bullying program and is instrumental in getting the word across to students and her peers. She is active in her church and teaches Sunday school. She is held in high regard by all who know her.