Hawkins Street

EyeBuyDirect Brightens the Season for Hawkins Street Students

New Jersey School Will Receive 700 Blue Light Blocking Frames Donation

 

LOS ANGELES (December 18, 2020) – EyeBuyDirect, the leading online eyewear retailer, today announced its donation of 700 pairs of blue light blocking eyewear to Hawkins Street School in Newark, New Jersey. The eyewear will help filter out harmful blue-violet light, the most harmful part of the blue light spectrum, produced by digital screens; a problem during the current extended distance learning programs. Each student will receive a pair on Saturday, December 19, at 8 Hawkins Street beginning at 10 a.m. Parents have the option of stopping by one of the tables to pick up the eyewear or staying in their car and having the frames brought to them.

“As an industry leader, we believe it is our responsibility to support the communities where our customers live and give back in a meaningful way,” said Sunny Jiang, CEO at EyeBuyDirect. “It’s the season of giving and we are thrilled to support the families of Hawkins Street School and do our part to protect their children’s eye health during this challenging time.”

With schools extending remote learning into the New Year, EyeBuyDirect wanted to help protect children’s eyes from the prolonged exposure to screens and ensure their time online was productive and fruitful. Wearing lenses that filter the harmful blue light helps reduce eye fatigue and increase protection.

“As educators, we are constantly worried about the overall well-being of our students, and seek ways to support them outside the classroom,” said Veronica Piombo, a teacher at Hawkins Street School. “We are so grateful for EyeBuyDirect’s generous donation and know this will have a positive impact not only in our student’s eye health, but also in their ability to focus, absorb new concepts, and improve their learning experience.”

In addition to supporting local communities, EyeBuyDirect has a Buy 1, Give 1 program, which gives customers the opportunity to donate a pair of glasses with every purchase to someone in need around the world.  

About EyeBuyDirect    

EyeBuyDirect is a one-stop online optical shop for contemporary men’s, women’s and childrens’ eyeglasses and sunglasses. Established in 2006, the brand champions bold style choices so customers can see the world in a whole new way and change how the world sees them. Offering over 2000 affordable frames, EyeBuyDirect owns the entire process from concept and design to manufacturing, with fashionable frames starting at just $6. Through their Buy1Give1 program, a pair of eyeglasses is donated to someone in need for every order placed. Learn more at www.eyebuydirect.com and follow their social channels on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  

100 Men Welcome Students to School on the 100th Day of School!

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100 Days of teaching and learning! Hawkins Street School celebrated the 100th Day of School with many activities. The students were welcomed to school with a “100” Men Welcome. Men from the community showed their commitment to education with their presence at Hawkins Street School.

Kindergarten through Fourth Grades were unrecognizable dressed up as 100 year old students. Middle School boys were invited to a “Boys to Men” program where they listened to words of inspiration and wisdom from Superintendent Roger León and Hawkins Street School Alumni, Marques-Aquil Lewis.

The “100” Men showed the boys how to tie a tie, a confident handshake and how to network. Meanwhile, the girls participated in a “2020 Vision Board” activity facilitated by Coach Niya Santiago, Playworks Site Coordinator. It was great 100th Day sponsored by The Young Men of Hawkins - advisers Mr. Lopez, Principal and Mr. Castillo, Verizon Innovative Learning Coach.

Hawkins100Days-Feb2020

Verizon Innovative Learning Provides Three Newark Schools Free Tech Education

Newark Public Schools join the national Verizon Innovative Learning Schools initiative at Hawkins, Hawthorne, and Dr. Horton Elementary Schools


Three Newark Public Schools distributed internet-connected Apple iPads with data plans for students and their teachers to take home as part of the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools (VILS) initiative. Verizon and the Verizon Foundation, through the Verizon Innovative Learning program and in partnership with Digital Promise, provides free technology, free internet access, and hands-on learning experiences to help give underserved students the technology, education, and opportunity they deserve. Powered by a next-gen, technology-infused education that fundamentally changes the way teachers teach and students learn, Verizon Innovative Learning is giving more students and more schools the ability to achieve, learn and create more. And the results are nothing short of amazing. Teachers in Verizon Innovative Learning changed the way they teach and have experienced enhanced student engagement, while more students believe that having technology makes science and math more interesting.* Since 2012, the Verizon Innovative Learning program has committed a total of $400 million to support education, helping students enhance their learning by infusing technology into the school’s curriculum.

The Newark Public Schools was selected as the first district in the State of New Jersey to receive this four-year grant that will provide approximately 840 sixth, seventh, and eight grade students and educators at three schools, Hawkins Street Elementary, Hawthorne Avenue Elementary, and Dr. William H. Horton, including 249 students here, with an iPad and a Verizon Wireless plan including up to 10 gigabits of data per month, cases, bags and curricular resources to use both in school and at home. In partnership with Digital Promise, the Verizon Foundation has also committed to provide professional development to the teachers and a partial stipend to technology coaches for a total donation equivalent of approximately $5.4 million dollars. To celebrate Newark’s participation in the program, a kick-off event will feature local middle school students each receiving their own tablets.

To learn more, please visit www.VerizonInnovativeLearning.com

  • *76% of teachers said that Verizon Innovative Learning enhanced student engagement
  • *79% of teachers said VILS helped them change the way they teach
  • *54% of students believe that having the technology makes science more interesting
  • *47% of students believe that having the technology makes math more interesting

*Source: Westat (2018).Verizon Innovative Learning Schools

About Verizon Innovative Learning
Verizon Innovative Learning addresses barriers to digital inclusion by providing the benefits of technology, connectivity, and hands-on learning opportunities to middle and high school students in underserved schools and communities, to help them thrive in the digital age. We not only fund the programs, but we also create and administer them in partnership with leading nonprofits. We diligently measure the impact of our work and refine our programs to ensure we’re making a difference – and we’re just getting started.

About Newark Public Schools
The Newark School District, with 66 schools, 5,595 employees and a student population of 35, 329, 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 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.

Read Across America: Dr. Seuss Drive-in Theater

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Hosted By: Poliana Seromenho, Literacy Coach & Goldie Jones, Media Specialist

Hawkins Street School will kickoff Read Across America by having our own Dr. Seuss Drive-in Theater. Over 300 boxes were donated by various companies such as Toyota, Seabras, Party City, and local dollar stores. All students in Grades K-3 were given a box to decorate into a boxcar at home with their families. We were also fortunate to have Pajamas Program donate over 100 pajamas. All students in Grades 1 and 2 received a pajama to wear to this event. During this event students will drive-in to the movie theater with their boxcar, discuss the importance of reading, have a Dr. Seuss book read to them, receive 2 books each which were also donated, read independently in their reading nook (boxcar) and finally watch a Dr. Seuss movie in the comfort of their boxcar. Our goal is to promote the love of reading at school and at home. They will take their boxcars home and continue to use it as their reading nook. With a book you can go anywhere and be anything.

Hawkins Street School Publishes a Book that Captures Their Immigrant Experience in America

“The Hispanic American Dreamers of Hawkins Street School”


[Newark, NJ – June 27, 2018] Students of Hawkins Street School started a simple writing assignment a couple of months ago. Before long, what started off as personal presentations of fifth graders stories for Hispanic Heritage Month have become a published book!

The Hispanic American Dreamers of Hawkins Street School is a compilation of more than 50 stories of student and teacher experiences of living life as part of an immigrant family in Newark and New Jersey. The collection of stories and photographs were compiled by bilingual teacher Ana Couto.

The book was revealed at a recent event held at Hawkins Street School. Principal Alejandro Lopez said, “The book reveal was truly an inspirational day. To see Bilingual children who are typically overlooked and voiceless so empowered through the publication of a book they contributed to is simply amazing. Considering the climate of America concerning these very immigrant children, we, at Hawkins Street School see this as a victory against the immoral actions happening on a national level. Teachers like Ms. Couto can change the world through their work and their voice.”

Ms. Couto said in referencing her students and this exercise, “We use the word grit every day here and now that I know you (the students) better-I see you have a lot of grit in you. You are warriors and I lack the words to tell you how proud I am of you all.” Ms. Couto said she shed a lot of tears during the process of reading the stories, editing them, and receiving the first set of books in the mail. On the day of the book reveal she said, “The tears I cry today are of happiness.”

Hispanic American Dreamer 5th grade student Carlos Idrovo said, “I came to the U.S.A. because my dad was not paid correctly in Spain. He could not pay for the school, for my food and my education. When we came here, everything changed and we can get an education. So that is why we are in the U.S.A.’

Ms. Couto added, “When I thought about being a bilingual teacher, the creation of a book is something I had in mind right away. I never thought it would be completed my first year though. It makes me excited for the future because if a published book is our starting point- just imagine the possibilities.”

Ms. Couto added that she plan to compile the stories of African American students as well, that will be titled, “The African American Dreamers of Hawkins Street School.” Third grade student Amiyah Pettiford said, “As an African American girl, it means that I am powerful. I am strong. I am loving.”