Schools

Legendary Rapper KRS-One Inspires Students at University High School’s Empowerment Conference

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KRS-One, the legendary rapper and a motivational speaker, delivered the keynote speech at University High School's (UHS) RISE and Reset the New Year Empowerment Conference. The RISE Empowerment Conference, held at UHS, allows students to reflect on their strengths and areas for improvement and inspires them to believe in their ability to achieve their goals. KRS-One spoke to scholars about the importance of consciously choosing to be great daily and reminded them that it is not enough to survive but to thrive, challenging them to relentlessly chase greatness.

KRS- One's passion and energy left UHS scholars feeling motivated and inspired. KRS-One has agreed to return to UHS to speak further about the Temple of Hip Hop and other historical topics around the culture and African American Studies.

Newark Board of Education Held a White Coat Ceremony for Students Inducted into the PLTW Medical Detectives Program

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Earlier this month, Mount Vernon Elementary School held a White Coat Ceremony to induct eight new students into their Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Medical Detectives Program.  The eight new inductees were welcomed into the program by an elite group of students from Cohort 1, who received their white lab coats February 10, 2022.

The White Coat Ceremony is a rites of passage initiative designed to inspire middle school students to pursue STEM career paths. The vision of the White Coat Ceremony was uniquely designed for the six South-West PLTW schools under the leadership of Assistant Superintendent Samantha Lott-Velez who said “Our schools will continue to put programs in place that give our students opportunity to engage in experiences that nurture their interests and expose them to career paths.”

PLTW programs are currently in Peshine Avenue, Lincoln, Chancellor Avenue, Avon Avenue, Ivy Hill, and Mount Vernon Elementary Schools. To date, there have been 143 participants across these six schools. Superintendent León stated “The district’s investment in PLTW at the middle school level is a long-term investment that will yield great returns in the future.” In all programs, “...students play the role of real-life medical detectives as they collect and analyze medical data to diagnose diseases. They solve medical mysteries through hands-on projects and labs, measure and interpret vital signs, examine nervous system structure and function, and investigate disease outbreaks,” he added.

As students received the lab coat and pin, Principal Camille Findley-Browne remarked how incredibly proud she is of all of the students that have persevered through this rigorous college-preparatory program.  And Director of Science Kathleen Tierney praised the PLTW teacher saying, “Mr. Shane Brown could not have been a better choice.  He has done a great job in retaining the largest number of students in this inaugural program for students interested in STEM.”

Students were inspired by special guest, Dr. Roger Mitchell, Jr., who became the youngest Chief Medical Examiner in the country in 2011 in Newark, New Jersey.   Dr. Mitchell shared his personal and professional journey with students.  A proud graduate of Howard University and New Jersey Medical School, Dr. Mitchell encouraged the students to “dream big”...”have determination”...”be dedicated”...and understand “...delayed gratification.” He also told students that he looked forward to seeing Newark’s PLTW students as colleagues in the future.

Avon Avenue Elementary School Honors Alum, “The Godfather of Funk” George Clinton, With Band Room Named After Him

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On Thursday, March 17th at 9:30 am, Newark Public Schools in partnership with The City of Newark held a “funky” celebration in honor of “The Godfather of Funk”: George Clinton ahead of his birthday concert at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Hosted at his alma mater Avon Avenue Elementary School, a renamed band room in Clinton’s name was unveiled as a culmination of the festivities. Bestowed with the title of “Godfather Ram of Funk” by Principal of Avon, Charity Haygood - the celebration began with a proclamation read to Mr. Clinton by Superintendent Roger León and was followed by words from Mayor of Newark, Ras J. Baraka, Dave Rodriguez, Executive Vice-President of NJPAC and Jennifer Tsukayama, Vice-President of Arts Education, NJPAC.

“In honoring Mr. George Clinton, we not only honor him as the man and legend that he is, but we honor him as a student, one of ours,” said Superintendent Roger León. “Can you imagine? He started everything he is and has accomplished here, as a student of Avon Avenue Elementary School.”

Clinton was welcomed at the entrance of his alma mater by rows of students from Grades K -2 lining the walls with streamers and music and applause, he was also guided into the cafetorium by a parade of students donning hula hoops, a nod to Clinton’s history. Students were encouraged to dress in their “funkiest” clothes in honor of the musical icon, known for his out-of-this-world attire and costumes – while Clinton and guests were treated to a concert of his hits performed by the students. Clinton quickly joined, encouraging guests and participants to “get funky” with him. The school’s orchestra performed the song “Flashlight” while Clinton clapped and danced in his seat.

Students were invited to participate in a Q&A with Clinton as they asked him about his inspirations, humble beginnings, and favorite past-times. Clinton shared that the start of the Parliament happened on Avon’s playground as a result of being inspired by musical superstars Frankie Lymon, and The Teenagers. While staring out at the crowd of students, Clinton stated “It’s so crazy to me now, thinking back – looking at the students here, how small I was when The Parliament began. We were so young.” As a former student of the school, Clinton reminisced about how his teachers heard him and his bandmates sing and play, and encouraged them to continue on, which led to their overall start.

“We produce skilled leaders who positively impact their community and the world,” said Principal Haygood.  “I thank you from the bottom of my heart for returning and inspiring our scholars to be the best that they can be.”

The morning’s events came to an end with the unveiling of the school’s new band room, dedicated to Clinton, titled “The George Clinton Band Room” which featured a mural of the iconic musician and rows of new instruments from pianos to drums, guitars and more, some of them – donated by Clinton, himself. The City of Newark is home to many of the “giants” we look up to today, and Newark Public Schools stands as part of their foundations. To recognize Mr. Clinton through the school that helped shape him, in front of the students that he is now assisting in shaping through his generous donations; Newark Public Schools in line with the Newark Board of Education is overjoyed to be able to bestow this honor today.

Avon Avenue Elementary is one of many Newark Public Schools currently unveiling new additions within their facilities. With renovations happening over the last two years, our schools have been able to benefit from updated and restructured additions, providing our students with more opportunities to explore and engage in developmental activities. With a newly remodeled gym, two years in the making, the creation of a STEM lab, and now, a renewed band room, the students and staff at Avon Avenue are on a direct path to success.

East Side High School Robotic Team “Fresh” takes First Place with their alliance in Mount Olive District Event

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Team 1811-FRESH (FIRST Robotics Competition East Side High) competed in the Mt. Olive District Event for FIRST Mid-Atlantic on March 11th-13th. FRESH completed the qualification rounds with a Top 15 finish and were chosen for an alliance for the playoff round. This alliance defeated the #3 seeded alliance in the quarterfinals, the #2 seeded alliance in the semifinals and the #1 seeded alliance in the finals to take home the victory. Congratulations to 1811-FRESH for winning this district event.

Grab-n-Go Breakfast Cart Unveiled at Newark School of Global Studies by Darius Slayton of the New York Giants

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[NEWARK, N.J. (March 11, 2022)] On Thursday, March 10th at 9:00 am, the Newark School of Global Studies unveiled a new Grab-n-Go breakfast cart, courtesy of GENYOUth, a national non-profit organization dedicated to creating healthier school communities. The breakfast cart, which includes a milk cooler and cooler bags, is being funded by PRWeek through GENYOUth's "End Student Hunger Fund" in partnership with the American Dairy Association North East (ADANE). The unveiling is celebrated as part of National School Breakfast Week with an appearance from New York Giants wide receiver, Darius Slayton in the school's cafeteria located at 24 Crane Street, Newark, NJ.

"In Newark, we understand the importance of our students’ well-being and the link between health and academic performance, along with the importance of a healthy school environment" stated Superintendent Roger León. "We thank GENYOUth, PRWeek and ADANE for their generous donation that helps us expand our school breakfast offerings, and provides more students access to healthy food options and more opportunities to fuel their minds for learning."

GENYOUth has been combatting food insecurity within schools through their Grab-n-Go breakfast cart program since 2017. Through their breakfast cart, they provide an alternative meal delivery model that drives greater student engagement by addressing the challenges hindering participation. These include lack of time, convenience, and the stigma associated with school breakfast in the cafeteria. Currently, there are over 500 GENYOUth-funded meal carts in American public schools, which have helped to increase average daily participation by as much as 27% and to expand access to 50 million school meal opportunities.

"Grab and go breakfast carts help ensure that a nutritious start to the day is available for all students," said Dawn Haynes, President of the Newark Board of Education. "We couldn't be any more grateful to GENYOUth, PRWeek and American Dairy Association North East for their generous donation of new school meal equipment to the Newark School of Global Studies."

The statistics surrounding food insecurity for children in Newark and New Jersey overall underscore the need for a concerted effort to ensure meals are easily and readily accessible. One in five New Jersey children live in poverty, and in Newark Public Schools, students of color represent 91.6%, with 80.4% of students qualifying for free and reduced meals based on household income.

"Nationally, one in six children lives in food insecurity, and in school districts serving a higher percentage of Black and Hispanic students such as Newark, the number is closer to one in three. Schools are anchors of community nutrition, and we need to support them and provide the equipment they need to increase access and grow participation in the school meal program." said registered dietitian Ann Marie Krautheim, President and Chief Wellness Officer of GENYOUth. "We cannot end student hunger without the support of committed partners, and I want to thank PRWeek for their generous donation of a new school breakfast cart and other much needed equipment, as well as American Dairy Association North East and the dairy farmer community for stepping up to tackle hunger."

Students of Global Studies, the captains of the district's high school football teams, their coaches representing Barringer, Central, East Side, Malcolm X Shabazz, Weequahic, West Side High Schools, and members of the audience, participated in early-morning warm-up exercises in anticipation of the unveiling; the morning was off to a great start. "I am proud to be a part of this community initiative in Newark," said New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton. "As a professional football player, I am passionate about the role nutrition plays in shaping healthy lives, both on and off the field. So, I proudly support programs that make it easier for students to get a healthy breakfast and be more active, ultimately allowing them to reach their full potential."

"Purposeful communication and purposeful business is one of the biggest agenda points for the brands and businesses that PRWeek covers, and we'll be digging deep into these issues at our annual PRDecoded conference in Chicago on October 11-12. But, as well as covering purpose as an issue, it's important for PRWeek to walk the walk too - and we are delighted to support GENYOUth's excellent work in helping young people and combating food insecurity," said Steve Barrett, VP, editorial director, PRWeek & Campaign.

Newark Public Schools in alignment with the Newark Board of Education graciously receives the donation provided from GENYOUth and PRWeek with the help of Mr. Slayton. As we continue to promote healthy living to our students and implement invaluable knowledge to assist them in living full lives, this is just a small but momentous step forward.

About Newark Board of Education
The Newark Public School District is the largest and one of the oldest school systems in New Jersey. Its origin dates back to 1676. Barringer High School, in Newark’s North Ward, is the third oldest public high school in the nation. The racial and ethnic diversity of the city provides a rich educational experience for pre-kindergarten to secondary school students. The district continues to revise its services to meet the changing needs of students. For more information visit https://newark.apppresser.com/.

About GENYOUth
GENYOUth is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that creates healthier school communities. We convene a network of private and public partners, including Fortune 100 companies and foundations, to raise funds for youth wellness initiatives that give youth the inspiration, motivation, and programs to be healthy high-achieving students. GENYOUth’s flagship program, Fuel Up to Play 60, enrolls over 73,000 U.S. schools, reaching over 38 million students. Our school nutrition grants increase access to healthy school meals among food insecure students. NFL FLAG-In-School is GENYOUth’s fastest growing program with over 25,000+ school communities reaching over 15 million students. AdVenture Capital brings out the entrepreneurial spirit and creativity of students with the support of corporate mentors to solve real world problems. And starting in 2021, GENYOUth has been the official charitable partner of Taste of the NFL, a purpose-driven Super Bowl culinary experience which raises awareness and generates funds to fight hunger and food insecurity. For more information on GENYOUth, visit www.genyouthnow.org.

About American Dairy Association North East (ADANE)
American Dairy Association North East (ADANE) is the local affiliate of the National Dairy Council® and the regional consolidation of three promotion organizations including the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council, Inc., Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association and Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program. Committed to nutrition education and research-based communications, ADANE provides science-based nutrition information to, and in collaboration with, a variety of stakeholders committed to fostering a healthier nation, including health professionals, educators, school nutrition directors, academia, industry, consumers and media. Funded by dairy checkoff dollars from nearly 10,000 dairy farm families in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and northern Virginia, ADANE works closely with Dairy Management Inc.™ to bring a fully integrated promotion program to the North East region.

About PRWeek
PRWeek epitomizes the modern business publishing brand, spanning online, print, events, and social media, incorporating a paid-for content strategy and gated website. Launched in November 1998, it is the essential title for PR pros. PRWeek reflects an industry playing a more pivotal role than ever, not only in the marketing strategies of companies, brands, and organizations, but also within boardrooms and in the C-suite. In the transparent world epitomized by social media, corporate reputation is crucial. Executives need timely, authoritative, insightful content to navigate this landscape — that's where PRWeek comes in. Breaking news, analysis, and opinion fuels PRWeek's content. And the brand extends into the iconic PRWeek Awards, annual conferences, roundtables, webcasts, and virtual forums. For more, visit prweek.com.

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