Abington Avenue

Abington Avenue School Students Receive Various Scholarships

Rutgers Future Scholars Program

RutgersScholarsAbington Avenue School is happy to announce that 5 of their 7th graders were accepted into the Rutgers Future Scholars program: Jennifer Dong, Yorquiria Maldonado, Vivian Franco, Nicole Jaramillo, and Omar Rodriguez. Rutgers Future Scholars seeks to increase the number of academically talented high school graduates from less-advantaged communities who are accepted to and graduate from Rutgers University. They offer ongoing support, inspiration, and preparation, beginning the summer prior to 8th grade and continuing until they successfully entire college. Once accepted to a Rutgers campus, our children will complete college tuition-free!

ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp

ExxonMobilNJITScholarshipTwo of our Abington students, 5th grader Melanie Peralta and 6th grader Daniela Rosillo, were accepted with full scholarships into the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp at NJIT this summer. The EMBHSSC is open to students entering 6th – 8th grade who show academic excellence, demonstrate strong communication skills, and have an interest in mathematics, science, technology. They will live on campus for two weeks, will be introduced to campus life, and will develop knowledge and skills that will help lead them toward a potential career path in science, math, or engineering.

Appel Farm Arts Camp

AppelFarmScholarshipRecipients11 Abington Students received scholarships to Appel Farm Arts Camp, totaling more than $60,000 in scholarships for our students alone. Private donations of over $5000 helped provide luggage, camp supplies, transportation to camp, required money in their canteen funds, and requisite clothing for our Abington campers. At Appel Farm, located near the Delaware border in Elmer, New Jersey, students select a major and minor to study two performing and/or visual arts. Emphasis is placed on the creative process, hands-on learning, and collaborative projects. End of the summer performances and exhibitions allow the children to demonstrate their learning. We are thrilled that our students have earned this opportunity to develop creatively and build life-long friendships. Pictured are 10 of our 11 campers: Ashley Romero, Alvin Agbenyegah, Axel Agbenyegah, Edwin Pineda, Eunice Kong, Janet Ortega, Malachi Abernathy, Rayner Perez, Victoria Rodriguez, Jordan Wallace. Missing from the photo is Helen Jaramillo.

Abington Avenue 4th Grade Students Participate in Mock Election Day!

Abington Avenue 4th Grade Students Participate in Mock Election Day

As our fourth graders are studying the women’s suffrage movement in Expeditionary Learning, Ms. Bernardino, one of our fourth grade teachers, reached out to Chris Durkin, the Essex County Clerk, asking him to provide Abington’s fourth graders a personalized voting experience, using a real voting booth. After having discussions with the students about real issues that concern or impact them at school, they brainstormed a list of questions, producing a ballot of 6 questions that were all meaningful to our fourth grade students. After receiving the 6 questions, Chris Durkin produced a sample ballot and provided those questions in a voting booth for the Abington Fourth Grade Election Day. The children learned first hand about the importance of exercising the right to vote to allow all voices to be heard. After all voted on May 18, they anxiously anticipated the election results that were announced on May 19.

Abington Avenue School Student Rayner Perez Presented With “Musician of Distinction” Award

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Rayner-Trombone
We are pleased to announce that Jazz House Kids awarded our very own Rayner Perez of Abington Avenue School with the “Musician of Distinction Award” at “Jazz House Kids Annual Education Benefit Concert”! Rayner is well deserving and a star on the rise per Music Teacher Jose Serrano who couldn’t be more excited for him and the newly developed S.T.E.A.M. program.
Rayner-Playing
This award is given to an up-and-coming students who have proven their dedication to jazz education through the Jazz House Kids and their school programs. With this award, Rayner also received a brand-new professional level trombone donated by RS Berkeley.

NPS Teachers Awarded for Excellence

Governor’s Recognition Award

These eight individuals stand out as top staff members in their schools based on their ability to inspire students of all backgrounds; foster a strong student learning environment, demonstrate leadership in educational activities; and are dedicated to the school and community. These are not just teachers but also our education service professionals who work closely with our children.

  • Jessica Allen a teacher from Quitman Elementary
  • Glenda Capers a teacher from BRICK Avon
  • Josephine Cooper – a Social Worker from Quitman
  • Lucinda Lopez – a teacher from First Avenue
  • Melissa Milara (Ramirez) a teacher from Miller Street
  • Alberta Shiavo a teacher from John F. Kennedy school
  • Deborah Sims a Behavioral Specialist from John F. Kennedy school
  • Hilda Soto-Yao a teacher from New Jersey Regional Day

School Teacher of the Year Award

These teachers were nominated as the top teacher in their school based on their individual accomplishments and contributions in the classroom as well as for their leadership. Not only do these teachers consistently exhibit preparedness and instructional excellence, but they also take on formal and informal mentoring and leadership roles to broadly improve the quality of education at their school.

  • Marisa Alves, from Lafayette Street School
  • Andrea Arguello from South Street
  • Tammy Chavez from Ann Street
  • Nicole Coppola from Park Elementary
  • Deirdre Corley from Hawthorne Avenue
  • Whitney Farrand from Mount Vernon
  • Lisa Fischman from Harriet Tubman
  • Angelisa Guilford from Lincoln Elementary
  • Michelle Gutierrez from Abington Avenue
  • Stacy Guzman from McKinley
  • Stephanie Hairston from Chancellor
  • Nicole Harris from Hawkins Street
  • Sadiqua Harvard from George Washington Carver
  • Natasha Javed from Camden Street School
  • Celia Laricchia from East Side High
  • Cristano Liborio from Science Park High
  • Matthew Lichten from Ridge Street
  • Susan Lopes Oliveira from Wilson Avenue
  • Melissa McSweeney from Elliott Street
  • Jessica Morais from Oliver Street
  • Kariema Muhammad from Belmont Runyon
  • Sean Nally from Barringer Arts and Humanities
  • Teresa Oliveira from BRICK Avon
  • Marcela Palma from Miller Street
  • Anany Rodriguez from Luis Munoz Marin
  • Kimberly Rubenstein from Rafael Hernandez

Special congratulations to District Teacher of the Year recipient, Edith Battle. She is a teacher who exemplifies the highest level of excellence and is a true example for all other teachers in the district.

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.