News

Newark Welcomes its Newest School, Nelson Mandela Elementary School

Principal Ryan D. Silver of Nelson Mandela Elementary School
Principal Ryan D. Silver of Nelson Mandela Elementary School

This year, Nelson Mandela Elementary School will commence its operations, servicing students from Pre-Kindergarten to Third-Grade. The school gained full approval from the Nelson Mandela Foundation and is the only public school in the region named after Nelson Mandela. The primary objective of Nelson Mandela Elementary School is to instill leadership qualities in young minds, fostering compassion through a multicultural and inclusive education while paying homage to the legacy of Nelson Mandela. In line with this vision, Nelson Mandela Elementary School will commence its operations this September, welcoming families and serving the Newark community for generations to come. For enrollment information, go to Newarkenrolls.org.

Nelson Mandela Elementary School will be under the leadership of Ryan D. Silver, a Newark native and a graduate of Arts High School. Mr. Silver has thirteen years of teaching and leadership experience in Newark and New York City before assuming the role of a school leader in the South Bronx. He has pursued education, law, and policy studies at Rutgers University, Kean University, and Harvard's Graduate School of Education. Let's go to Work!

Maximizing Performance with NBOE High School Summer Acceleration

Left Photo: Students participating in a Data Science course discussing data analytics and investigation scenarios Right Photo: During the first three days of the program, students participating in a Pre-Calculus course using strands of pasta to create and analyze graphs of sine and cosine waves
Left Photo: Students participating in a Data Science course discussing data analytics and investigation scenarios Right Photo: During the first three days of the program, students participating in a Pre-Calculus course using strands of pasta to create and analyze graphs of sine and cosine waves

During the Summer of 2023, the Newark Board of Education implemented an innovative accelerated program aimed at propelling students' academic performance to new heights while cultivating a genuine passion for learning. Programs provided 175 students across the city with the opportunity to further academic development within eleven different programs in five NBOE school sites:

  • Arts
  • Data Science
  • East Side
  • Global Studies at Barringer
  • Malcolm X Shabazz

These initiatives created an enriched educational environment that challenges and nurtures young minds. Through tailored curriculum modifications, advanced coursework, and dynamic teaching strategies, the programs ensured that students were consistently engaged and intellectually stimulated.

At the heart of the accelerated programs was a commitment to fostering a deep interest in academics among students. Beyond the traditional classroom setting, students were encouraged to explore subjects of personal interest through project-based learning and interactive discussions. This approach not only bolsters their critical thinking and problem-solving skills, but also empowers them to take ownership of their education. As a result, students developed a sense of academic curiosity that extended beyond grades, propelling them toward a lifelong pursuit of knowledge. By creating an ecosystem where intellectual growth and genuine enthusiasm for learning thrive, the accelerated programs throughout the District proved to be a transformative force in shaping well-rounded, motivated individuals prepared to excel in their high school education and beyond.

7 Newark Students Earn National Awards For Art, Writing

Pathways to College is spotlighting these Newark public school students for their creative prowess

NEWARK, NJ — Pathways to College recently named seven Newark public school students among the 10 winners and honorable mentions for the nonprofit after-school program’s annual literary magazine, Scholar Voices.

The 2023 issue features 29 writers and artists representing schools in Arkansas, Indiana, and New Jersey. This year’s genres are art, essay, memoir, photography and poetry.

Submissions are reviewed by jury including published authors and teachers of English and language arts. The awardees will receive a gift card worth $100 for each winner and $50 for the honorable mentions.

The seven Newark honorees in grades 10 to 12 are:

Winners

  • Samuel Aristich, “Thoughts on Three Quotes by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” (essay), East Side High School
  • Favour O. Enakhimion, “Four Years of My Life” (memoir), West Side High School
  • Angelica Gomes, “Woman” (art); also contributed “How Am I A Leader?” (essay), East Side High School
  • Jalen Lyle, “Leadership” (essay), and “Reflection” (poem), Central High School
  • Aminah Mack, “What the Eye Sees” (photography), Malcolm X Shabazz High School

      Honorable Mentions

      • Isaiah O. Laborde, “The Final Stretch” (poetry); also contributed “General Of The Seas” (art), West Side High School
      • Ijanaeah Tucks, “Too Blind” (art), East Side High School

      An additional 11 Newark Pathways Scholars were included in Scholar Voices 2023:

      • Fathia A. Ajibola, “Untitled” (essay), West Side High School
      • Emily Desouza, “Untitled” (essay), East Side High School
      • Rayssa Fernandes, “Clouds And The Sky” (poetry), East Side High School
      • Aline Gomes, “Completely Different World” (memoir), East Side High School
      • Isabella R. Gonzales, “An Escape From Reality” (photography), East Side High School
      • Francisca Hoegah, “Silent Night Of Hope For The Future” (poetry), East Side High School
      • Brian Januario, “Untitled” (art), East Side High School
      • Michelle Lima, “Untitled” (photography), East Side High School
      • Kemilly Machado, “Turning Red” (art), East Side High School
      • Mariana Rodrigues Silva, “My Happy Place” (poetry), East Side High School
      • Al Juwaun Stokely, “In My Hood It’s Always Dark” (poetry), East Side High School

      “It is our great pleasure to celebrate the creativity, ideas, and dreams of our wonderful Pathways Scholars, as they look ahead to all that is available and possible in their lives,” Pathways to College founder and president Judith Berry Griffin said.

      “Each year, we learn what our scholars are finding compelling, from their submissions to Scholar Voices,” Griffin said. “This year, courageous leadership, an important component of our curriculum, is clearly on their minds.”

      Source: https://patch.com/new-jersey/newarknj/7-newark-students-earn-national-awards-art-writing

      At Newark’s AileyCamp, dance is just one form of expression

      By: Steve Strunsky | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

      Cherish Jones, 12, is spending six weeks at AileyCamp this summer. She made a collage of a dancer doing a plie, a ballet move she used in a piece she choreographed. Steve Strunsky | NJ Advance Media For NJ.com
      Cherish Jones, 12, is spending six weeks at AileyCamp this summer. She made a collage of a dancer doing a plie, a ballet move she used in a piece she choreographed. Steve Strunsky | NJ Advance Media For NJ.com

      Cherish Jones sat pasting together body parts she had clipped from magazines to form a ballet dancer doing a plie, a move familiar even to non-fans that involves bending both knees outward and dipping straight down.

      Cherish, 12, was working on an interdisciplinary project at AileyCamp, a six-week program based at Newark Arts High School, where she and 65 other campers study dance and visual arts. The collage was meant to reinforce both forms of expression.

      “Before I did this picture, I felt like art had nothing to do with dance,” Cherish said. “I know art is more using your hands and drawing, and dance is more of using your body. But now, when I put it together, it made me realize that you could put art and dance together, and it could really mean something.”

      Click here to continue reading the story on nj.com

      Loyalty Foundation Launches Newark Public Schools First-Ever Esports Team

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      On Friday, June 2, The Loyalty Foundation officially launched New Jersey’s very first high-school Esports (Electronic Sports) league in conjunction with Newark School of Data Science and Information Technology.

      Three players from the Data Science Circuits team completed with a team representing West Morris Mendham High School.

      The teams played the colorful vehicular soccer video game Rocket League on PCs that The Loyalty Foundation customized and helped to install at the school.

      The energy of the match and camaraderie amongst the players was heart-warming and moving. When asked how the Circuits feel wearing the very cool jerseys designed by Coach Joseph Lima, the team enthusiastically replied, “Wearing them all day! People are jealous! The heart is the pride of Data Science. It feels good. You see the way the circuits connect in the heart? It symbolizes our connection and our family.”

      Esports programs are not just for Esport players, but also provide skill-learning opportunities for team managers and game commentators, as well as a joyful environment for community building and new friendships.

      We had filmmaker Francis Corby Ceschin on hand to record the match and post-game interviews with the team’s players, manager, assistant manager and commentators. We’ll post and share that video soon. (Meanwhile, check a couple video shorts posted on our YouTube channel.)

      The Loyalty Foundation is in the process of setting up an Esports league for the Police Athletic League of New York and plans to bring Esports to partner organizations in cities across the U.S. Interested organizations should contact elizabeth@nullloyaltyfoundation.org.

      View the full story here.