The SOMSD Newsletter
February 29, 2024 - Vol. 1, Issue 4
Acting Superintendent Gilbert Marks First 100 Days
Dr. Kevin F. Gilbert marked his first 100 days as the District's Acting Superintendent on February 14th by releasing a special publication that included a brief retrospective and his reflections. His greeting to staff, students, and families is below.
Today, I mark my 100th day as acting superintendent of the South Orange & Maplewood School District. The custom of marking the first 100 days of leadership began with President Franklin Delano Roosevelt who was elected president when our nation was in the depths of the Great Depression and in a time of great uncertainty of the future. Upon taking the oath of office, Roosevelt and his administration got to work immediately on restoring the people’s faith in their government and the people who led it.
I will never presume to compare myself to FDR as a leader. But I do see similarities between the first 100 days of Roosevelt’s presidency and the past 100 days we have had together here in the South Orange and Maplewood School District. From my first day on the job as your acting superintendent, my team and I set out to restore your faith in your schools and the District that oversees them.
I placed a high premium on being visible and accessible to you – the people of South Orange and Maplewood who entrust us with the education of your children. I recognized that success in our school district is a job that no one person can achieve alone. That is why I sought to improve our relationships with the leaders of our professional organizations, why I am working to hear from the families and students we serve in our District, and why I am working to keep in contact with our teachers who are on the front lines of educating your children every day.
All the while, I have maintained focus on the goals our Board of Education has set for this District – not the least of which, the access and equity goals as recommended by the findings in the report by Dr. Edward Fergus at Rutgers University.
By no means is our work done. The marking of these first 100 days is not a celebration at a finish line. But it is an opportunity to take stock of the first steps we have taken together in putting our District in the right direction. What follows in this document is a review of some of the highlights of these first 100 days.
As you read through these highlights, I’d like you to keep in mind the words of another American president, John Fitzgerald Kennedy. My father gave me the middle name of Fitzpatrick in reference to President Kennedy’s middle name and the name of the child he and Mrs. Kennedy lost. When he was inaugurated, President Kennedy called an entire generation to contribute to America’s future when he said, “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” In a similar way, I invite all of you to contribute to the future of this District.
And in case you were wondering, there is a reason why I chose to mark my first 100 days on February 14th, Valentine’s Day. I love this work. I love the opportunity to serve you as acting superintendent. And I love the thought of us working together to lead the children of this District to achieve more than they ever thought possible.
Thank you for this opportunity. I look forward to all that we will accomplish together.
Sincerely,
Dr. Kevin F. Gilbert
Acting Superintendent
The South Orange and Maplewood School District
My Black is Beautiful: A Celebration of Black History Through the Arts
by Aliyaah Lindsey
A celebratory evening of culture, art and joy filled the South Orange Performing Arts Center on Saturday as South Orange Middle School (SOMS) presented their annual My Black is Beautiful event.
Principal Lynn Irby Hill along with SOMS students, staff and alumni performed poems, dances, and musical renditions to honor the legacy of Black History and Black culture.
The evening began with a powerful dance ensemble to Beyonce’s "My Power" by the SOMS Dancers, followed by a “My Black is Beautiful” video compilation of SOMSD alumni explaining what makes their blackness unique.
“I am aware that my black is beautiful,” SOMS 8th grader, Jhasi Mtume proclaimed as he introduced the poem “Dear Future Ancestors” performed by the SOMS Young Kings. A poem honoring the lives of those who came before, the SOMS Young Kings assured themselves and the crowd that “[the future ancestors] are here now.”
In honoring Black excellence, the SOMS staff surprised Principal Irby Hill with a beautiful tribute for the impact she has left on her students and the SOMS community. Azja Green, an alumna of SOMS and former dancer of Principal Irby Hill's, performed “I Give You Praise,” a piece choreographed by Principal Irby Hill. Principal Irby-Hill succumbed to emotion and joined Green onstage to finish the tribute. “I felt it, so I had to take off my shoes,” Irby Hill stated in her thank you remarks.
The SOMS students, staff and audience stood in ovation as Irby-Hill received and accepted her flowers.
To conclude the event, the audience went on an experience with the Tia Holt Experience. Tia Holt, a guidance secretary at SOMS, blew the house down with her vocals and had the theater dancing and shouting along.Irby-Hill and the SOMS community plan to continue the “My Black is Beautiful” legacy, and bring the event to a larger stage next year.
CHS Students Spend Black History Month Networking With Leaders
Zianne Glaude talks about her father, an engineer, to the members of Aspiring Leaders of Tomorrow (ALOT).
Math teacher/club advisor developed Black History Month Scavenger Hunt to help students of color visualize their futures
Columbia High School (CHS) students involved in the Aspiring Leaders
of Tomorrow (ALOT) club spent Black History Month looking for people of color and have achieved leadership positions as part of a special scavenger hunt.
CHS Math Teacher Abiodun “Bibi” Banner, the club’s faculty advisor, came up with the idea
before the pandemic shutdown as a way for the ALOT members, who are predominantly people
of color, to visualize the possibilities for their own futures.
“I wanted the students in the club to meet people of color in positions of leadership,” said
Banner, who is in her tenth year teaching at the high school. “It’s important for them to see the
faces of people who have achieved notoriety and leadership in different fields and see that many
of those people look like them.”
There were 23 different professional distinctions on Banner’s scavenger hunt list. A doctor, a
lawyer, an engineer, a police officer, a school principal, and someone who started their own
business were among those who might be considered easier to access. Banner also challenged
her students to connect with a CEO of a company, a famous actor or actress, a professional
athlete, or a professional artist.
To receive credit for connecting with a professional, the students need to arrange a time to
interview the professionals on video. They get one point for getting a photo of their interview
subject, and two points for photos of the student with their interview subject. A bonus of six
points is awarded to students who connect with a judge, a schools superintendent, and a mayor.
The students’ video interview and photos will be compiled into a video that will be released on
their club’s social media channels on February 29th
.
Banner said the scavenger hunt helps the students develop their research and networking skills.
Lucky Rathod, a senior who participated in the scavenger hunt, said that the activity
did present a significant challenge to students.
“You have to know how to reach the right people,” Rathod said. “It’s kind of hard to work
outside of your comfort zone.
Acting Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kevin F. Gilbert applauded Banner’s creative efforts.
“Too often during Black History Month, there is a tendency to focus solely on the great figures
of Black History – MLK, Harriet Tubman, and others,” said Gilbert. “The reality is that Black
History is being made every day by people who have accomplished great things in their
professions and their communities, even though we may not know their names. Ms. Banner has
challenged her students to go find those people of color who have done great things and teach us
all about them.”
NNabueze Opara, President of Men With Purpose, is interviewed about the Black History Month Scavenger Hunt.
Acting Superintendent Dr. Kevin F. Gilbert talks with a reporter.
CHS Math Teacher Bibi Banner talks with a reporter about how she came up with the Black History Month Scavenger Hunt idea.
CHS Junior Publishes Book That Beckons Children To Find Their Forests
Audrey Noguera’s “Tiny Travelers Find Your Forest” gains national exposure, slated to be published in Spanish soon
Years ago, legendary folk songwriter Woody Guthrie sang, “This land
was made for you and me,” making the point that America’s natural beauty was for everyone to
enjoy.
Now, another writer has published a book with a similar message that is getting national attention
– and she is still in high school.
Audrey Noguera, a Columbia High School junior, is the co-author of “Tiny Travelers Find Your
Forest,” a book that beckons children to discover forests no matter where they live.
“I want to make sure everyone knows that they have access to the forests,” said Noguera about
her motivation to write the book.
Fulfilling this mission has set Noguera on a journey that has taught her the trials and triumphs of
being a successful writer – from struggling to find the perfect rhymes in her text, to meeting
readers at book signings, to landing a recent television interview on The Kelly Clarkson Show.
But it is her personal experiences of the natural world that give “Tiny Travelers Find Your
Forest” its authenticity.
When Noguera was a child living in Brooklyn Heights, she didn’t spend much time in nature.
Her first meaningful experience in a forest came after her family moved to South Orange when
she was 10 and her father, – now her co-author, Taylor Margis-Noguera – took her to see the
South Mountain Reservation.
Although Noguera was a little skeptical that she would be as enthusiastic about the place as her
father was before the trip, her first visit to the reservation left her feeling “amazing.”
“It was unlike anything I had ever experienced before,” she said. “After that, I ended up
spending more time there and falling in love with it.”
As Noguera’s book points out, a kid in Brooklyn or any city doesn’t need to move to a new home
to find a forest. Urban forests – the trees that grow among city dwellers – as well as parks and
other greenspaces can provide children and families with the same amazing feelings Noguera had at the South Mountain Reservation. To help young readers find their forests, the book
includes online resources to help them plan trips with their families, including a website,
discovertheforest.org, that lists forest locations when a user enters their zip code.
“Spending time in a forest really positively impacts you,” she said. “It can make a difference in
your mental health and how you’re living your life.”
Writing a children’s book is anything but child’s play, as Noguera found out when she began
working on “Tiny Travelers Find Your Forest” in August 2022.
“All of it rhymes,” she said. “That was definitely a challenge.”
Searching for perfect rhymes and maintaining factual accuracy led to some long afternoons on
the porch of her grandmother’s home in Long Beach, California, where most of the book was
written, she said.
There were moments when I didn’t think we were going to find one of those rhymes,” said
Noguera. “But I think overall, especially looking back over the experience of writing it, it was
really, really wonderful.”
The opportunity to write “Tiny Travelers Find Your Forest” came through Encantos Media
Studios, a publisher of children’s books focused on diverse stories and characters. The company
had partnered with The U.S. Forest Service and the Ad Council (producer of many public service
announcements including those featuring Smokey the Bear), who had launched a campaign to
attract more people of color to the nation’s forests.
The book’s illustrations by Abigail Gross show people, especially children, of diverse ethnic
backgrounds. That is something that has been making a distinct impression on young readers, as
Noguera saw when she held a book signing at the Target store in Union.
“Kids were pointing out that they could see themselves in the book,” said Noguera. “That’s
exactly what I wanted to accomplish – to make sure that kids from all backgrounds felt
represented and that they could enjoy the forest too.”
Currently, “Tiny Travelers Find Your Forest” is only available at Target. A Spanish version of the
book, “Encuentra Tu Bosque,” is expected to be published in late March.
Columbia Girls Basketball’s 1000-Point Scorer Shooting For A Career In Medicine
Talia Baptiste, center, and her family on CHS Girls Basketball's Senior Night.
Talia Baptiste looks forward to playing Division I basketball and majoring in biology in college
When Talia Baptiste began her final season with Columbia High School’s Girls Basketball Team, it was far from certain that she would achieve 1,000 high school career points.
“I wasn’t really sure if I was going to get it,” said Baptiste, a senior. “I was only at 552 points.”
A bone bruise on her left knee kept her off the court for nine games during her junior year season. To achieve 1000 points this year, Baptiste needed to score nearly twice as many points this season as she did last season – which is exactly what she did.
“A lot of people wanted it for me. That pushed me a lot to get it,” she said.
The culminating moment came seven seconds into the second quarter of an away game against Bernards High School.
“I dribble up on the right side. I do a quick cross between the legs. I take it to the left. Over two girls – over the big girl – and laid it in,” said Baptiste, reliving the play.
The celebration was brief during the game, but Baptiste’s parents – Roger and Renee Baptiste – were both at the game and there were lots of hugs from her teammates and coaches.
A few days later, the CHS Girls Basketball Season – and Baptiste’s high school basketball career – came to an end. The team fell to Union City High School in the first round of the state tournament.
While Baptiste began the season unsure of reaching the 1000-point milestone, she did know where she would be playing next year. In early October, Baptiste committed to play for Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Division I Women’s Basketball Team.
Baptiste said she had mixed emotions about being at the nexus of high school and college.
“I’m excited that I get to go on because of my college career and stuff,” she said. “I am going to miss my team a lot. We got really close over this season and had a lot of fun.”
Among the people she will miss the most is Head Coach Aaron Breitman.
“He started here my freshman year. We both have been here the same amount of time. He’s been a very important factor in terms of my development, on and off the court, making sure I’m in the right mindset and just helping me overall,” she said.
When asked what Breitman is like as a coach when she isn’t performing optimally during a game, Baptiste recalled the team’s last game against Hillside High School.
“I wasn’t really having a bad day, but I wasn’t doing anything really great as far as my production,” she said. “He takes me to the side, and he goes, ‘I need you to turn up. You gotta go score. Do something. Fix your energy on defense. A slight shift from you is going to turn the whole team around.’ And he was right. We did end up with the win.”
Breitman called Baptiste a special talent who was given an impossible task this year.
She was asked to lead and be the best player on a team with only two returning varsity in Essex County's best division which includes three of New Jersey’s Top 20 teams,” he said. “I saw frustration on her face at times but at the end of the day, Talia is a mature young adult who understands that even in tough times the job needs to get done.”
Breitman added that Baptiste being a phenomenal ball handler who is left-hand dominant makes opposing teams crazy when coming up with a game plan.
“It’s not every day that a coach has a player who can dribble through any full-court press,” he said. “Talia’s passing is also overlooked sometimes. The way she creates open looks for her teammates by drawing the entire defense to her is something magical.”
Baptiste said there were a number of reasons why she decided to commit to FDU. Among them was the team’s fast style of play, which fits her own. And after going to a couple of practices, she liked the camaraderie among the players and felt like she would belong.
But going to college will be about more than basketball for Baptiste. She intended to major in biology with her sites on medical school (neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, and cardiology are among her interests).
And would she ever join the ranks of the other alumni coaches on the CHS Girls Basketball Team? Baptiste said she wasn’t sure, given the goals she is pursuing. But she didn’t close the door completely.
“It’s definitely something I would consider if I do have enough time,” she said.
CHS Senior Is A Finalist For The National Merit Scholarship
Ajuni Zubieta, center, with Guidance Counselor Cory Jones, left, and Director of Counseling Anthony Vecchione
Ajuni Zubieta, editor of CHS’ Guildscript literary and arts magazine, reaches next threshold for prestigious scholarship
Columbia High School (CHS) senior Ajuni Zubieta has received notification that she is a finalist for the National Merit Scholarship.
After receiving the official certificate from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) in the CHS Counseling Center, Zubieta said she was very happy about the news. Her mother, Kamaljit Kaur, and father, Ricardo Zubieta, were just as happy.
“We are very proud of Ajuni for her academic achievements and for the positive vibrations she puts out into the world,” said Kaur in an emailed message.
In October, Zubieta was the only CHS student who was named a semifinalist for the National Merit Scholarship out of more than 50 students at the high school who were notified that they had earned distinction from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation and The College Board’s National Recognition Program through high scores on the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, or PSAT/NMSQT.
Now, Zubieta is one of more than 15,000 finalists throughout the nation who are in the running for 7,140 scholarships, according to the NMSC. The NSMC will begin notifying scholarship recipients in late March.
The scholarship’s monetary value is $2,500. However, it has been reported that National Merit Scholarship finalists and semifinalists can benefit from reduced tuition at some colleges and universities.
Zubieta said that she has not yet committed to a college or university, and expects to get responses from the colleges she has applied to in March and April. Zubieta, who is editor-in-chief of the high school’s award-winning Guildscript literary and arts magazine, is considering majoring in comparative literature or linguistics.
Click on the flyer above to access the meeting link.
Six CHS Students Complete College Courses Through Kean Scholars Program
Sharon Chen showing the certificates that she and her sister, Sherry, earned.
Four students honored for achieving academic excellence on the college level
Six Columbia High School (CHS) students got a head start on college by
successfully completing dual enrollment courses through Kean University’s Kean Scholars
Academy (KSA) last fall. Four of the students were honored at a special ceremony at Kean
University earlier this month for earning A’s in the classes they took.
Juniors Sharon and Sherry Chen, who are twins, and sophomores Naomi Abrams and Essa
McGowan were recognized for earning A’s in the U.S. History class they took during the fall
semester.
Kennedy Gilyard and Alejandra Agurto, both juniors, also completed KSA courses last semester.
All of the students took a class in United States history. The juniors took an additional class in
world literature while the sophomores took an English class.
All six students have earned college credits that will be applied to their undergraduate degrees if
they enroll at Kean University. The credits may be transferrable to other colleges, depending on
their transfer credit policies.
“I want to congratulate all of our Columbia High School students for rising to the challenge of
college-level course work while they are still in high school and acknowledge the outstanding
accomplishment of those who earned A’s in these classes,” said Dr. Kevin F. Gilbert, Acting
Superintendent of the South Orange and Maplewood School District. “I greatly appreciate our
students’ initiative. I thank School Counselor Yolande Fleming and KSA Executive Director
Jason Lester for their efforts in making dual enrollment opportunities at Kean University
available to our students.”
“Team KSA is extremely proud of our scholars from Columbia High School, they continue to
represent the type of youthful leadership needed in this divisive climate we live in today. I have
personally found them to be engaging and thoughtful individuals who want the best for their
community,” said Jason Lester, Executive Director of Kean Scholar Academy. “I would be
remiss if I didn’t give their parents the credit for doing a GREAT job of rearing such awesome
young people.”
“Our students who participated in the Kean Scholars Academy have made us very proud,” said
CHS School Counselor Yolande Fleming. “More importantly, they now know that they can
successfully meet the rigors of college courses and that they can achieve anything they put their
minds to when they go to college.”
Fleming added that Sharon and Sherry Chen were two of 20 students enrolled in the program to
have perfect attendance in addition to earning A’s in their classes.
Sharon Chen was the only student in the CHS cohort who was able to attend the KSA ceremony
on February 3rd. She accepted certificates on behalf of the other students who were awarded
them.
SOMSD Elementary Students Participate in Maplewood Library’s Kids Speak Out
SOMSD Elementary Library Media Specialists. From left: Janine Poutre of Seth Boyden Elementary School, Teresa Quick of Delia Bolten Elementary School, Jennifer Latimer of Clinton Elementary School, Maria Kazanis of Marshall Elementary School, and Amy Popp of Tuscan Elementary School.
District’s school librarians and teachers help students participate in library’s annual Black History Month event
South Orange & Maplewood School District librarians and elementary school students participated in the Maplewood Library’s Kids Speak Out event. The event was a celebration of Black History Month that encouraged students to express themselves through spoken word, poetry, and art. All of the District’s elementary schools were represented by works that were either presented or on display at the library.
“I want to give my sincere thanks to all of the students who contributed their talents to the Maplewood Library’s Kids Speak Out event,” said Dr. Kevin F. Gilbert, Acting Superintendent of the South Orange and Maplewood School District. “I am also deeply grateful to the many educators, librarians, and media specialists who worked with our students, and to the parents and guardians who supported their children in participating. To have all of our elementary schools represented in this community event is very special. Thank you to you all.”
“We had a wonderful response to this year’s event,” said Maplewood Library Head of Children’s Services Jane Folger. “All of the SOMSD elementary schools participated, and students courageously lined up at the microphone to be heard by a crowd of over 150 people, including Maplewood Mayor Nancy Adams and members of the Township Committee. Hearing the voices of our young community members was an inspiring and uplifting experience for everyone.”
Fifth-graders from Delia Bolden Elementary School spoke about their identity, the need to see others for who they are and to embrace all people. Other Delia Bolden third, fourth, and fifth graders expressed themselves through a variety of art forms including identity charts with thought bubbles and blackout poems that were a part of the event. Blackout poetry is created by a poet who takes an existing text and erases or blacks out a part of the text to make a whole new work from what remains.
Their participation in the event was aided by Delia Bolden Library Media Specialist Teresa Quick, who led the effort to document students’ thoughts with the help of the Delia Bolden school community.
Clinton Elementary School students read poetry and displayed their blackout poems.
“Providing students with a recycled book page provides them with a word bank,” said Jennifer Latimer, Clinton Elementary School Library Media Specialist. “From there they can connect words and phrases, form greater meaning, and honor the life of Dr. King.”
Marshall Elementary School students shared their artwork that was inspired by the style of Alma Woodsey Thomas. They used her abstract model to express their creativity, exuberance, and joy.
“I was inspired to share the story of Alma Woodsey Thomas,” said Marshall Library Media Specialist Maria Kazanis. “Her piece, entitled ‘Resurrection’ was chosen as the first artwork by a black woman to be added to the White House permanent collection.
Tuscan Elementary School fourth and fifth-grade students wrote cinquain poems (poems with five lines) that expressed their desire for peace and harmony among all people in the world.
“It was wonderful to have students share their poetry with the community,” said Tuscan Library Media Specialist Amy B. Popp. “Additionally, it was heartwarming to listen to their poems for peace in the world.”
Seth Boyden Elementary School fourth-graders presented their writings, which were inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Their teacher, Shella Villard, worked with the students on their written works. Portraits of King were displayed, which were created by Seth Boyden fourth-graders with the help of Art Teacher Tahj Howard reflected the students’ dreams and how they could achieve them.
Allison Garcia Pedrosa’s second-grade class’s Peace Gallery and Susan Brody’s first-grade students’ writings about dreams for peace in the world were also on display.
“I’m so proud of all the hard work of our Seth Boyden students,” said Seth Boyden School Library Media Specialist Janine Poutre.
Tuscan Elementary School students with students with Tuscan Library Media Specialist Amy Popp.
Seth Boyden Elementary School students with students with Tuscan Library Media Specialist Janine Poutre.
Students Studying Chinese Ring In The Lunar New Year With Faculty and Families
The Chinese program at Columbia High School (CHS) held its Lunar New Year Lantern Festival Celebration, a districtwide event, on Feb. 23rd. It had three parts: performances, cultural activities, and Chinese food tasting.
CHS Chinese Program teacher and the Chinese Honor Society advisor, Liping Meng, took the lead in planning and organizing the celebration event. The other Chinese teachers in the school district – Jenny Lezzi, Xueyin Li, Chaoqin Chen, Chia-Chi Chiang, and Weaver Xu assisted in the event preparation. The Asian Club and the Multicultural Club collaborated and supported the event.
Volunteers from the Home School Association and Parent Teacher Association also helped out with the event and donated food.
The students in the CHS Chinese program and the Chinese Honor Society enthusiastically participated by preparing decorations, setting up the venue, and performing dances and songs. The CHS students’ performances included a Dragon Dance, a Health Dance, a Taichi Fan demonstration, and performances by a string quintet, a soloist, and a chorus. Meng demonstrated Taichi.
The event brought people of different cultural backgrounds together to experience Asian culture and have a fun time. It was also an opportunity to raise funds for the Chinese American Garden at Columbia High School.
About three hundred people, including parents, students, and teachers, attended the Lunar New Year Celebration. Many attendees expressed that they were impressed by the performances, enjoyed the event, and look forward to next year’s celebration.
The District's teachers in the Chinese Program.
Students opening the Lunar New Year Celebration.
Ms. Meng demonstrates Taichi.
SOMS Ailey Dance Kids Give Finale Performance at SOPAC
South Orange Middle School’s Ailey Dance Kids took the stage at the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) to give their finale performance on Tuesday night. The 11 seventh-graders and 23 eighth-graders performed a variety of jazz and modern dance pieces they learned by working with artists-in-residence from the Alvin Ailey Foundation’s Arts In Education & Community Programs.
"SOPAC’s AileyDance Kids Grand Finale featuring students from SOMS speaks to the power and value of arts education partnerships," said James Manno, the District's Visual and Performing Arts Supervisor.
The District Arts Department's partnership with Alvin Ailey Dance and SOPAC initiated in 2018 through a three-year grant from the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, Manno said. Since then, it has sustained and grown due to relationships developed between the arts center and school leaders, as well as SOPAC’s continued commitment to bring quality arts education programs to the community it serves, he said.
The AileyDance Kids who performed were:
Grade 7 Jazz
Niqueya Alafita, Ella Davy, Gala Emperstan, Evie Farnham, Sophia Maloney, Molly McLarty, Sadie Peltz, Emani Rouse, Zoey Stephens, Kesari Tennant, and Deborah Ulysse.
Grade 8 Modern
Atinuke Adisa, Qamara Baskerville, Maddie Bavitz, Shayna Cadeau, Xantia Dale, Sophie Dion, Sofia Dopico Deer, Layla Dunston, Alexa Flores, Brooklyn Green-Macfarlin, Zoey Johnson, Kael Keys, Jordyn Knight-Kemp, Izabella Laterrion, Rami Livneh, Alysa Mclennon, Abby Pitre, Emma Powell, Evie Quinn, Troy Stevenson-House, Janeeyah Loyal-Williams, Alison Wade, and Sadiya Zuniga.
Mixed Ensemble Modern
Maddie Bavitz, Ella Davy, Sophie Dion, Gaia Empestan, Evie Farnham, Rami Livneh, Janeeyah Loyal-Williams, Molly McLarty, Sadie Peltz, and Kesari Tennant.
The students worked with three artists-in-residence from the Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation: Aaron Thomas, Whitney Janis, and Noibis Licea.
The event was emceed by Nasha Thomas, National Director of the foundation's AileyCamp program.
Nasha Thomas, National Director of the foundation's AileyCamp program, introduces Ailey Teaching Artists (from left) Aaron Thomas, Whitney Janis, and Noibis Licea.
Nasha Thomas and SOMS Principal Lynn Irby Hill share a proud moment after the performance.
CHS Junior Laurel Sackett Brings Home Two Medals From U.S. Skating Championships
Laurel Sackett and the hardware she brought home.
CHS junior brings home Bronze and Pewter medals from national competition
Columbia High School Junior Laurel Sackett won two medals in the recent U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships in Las Vegas.
Sackett, 16, who has been skating for 10 years, won the third-place Bronze Medal in the competition’s intermediate division and the Pewter Medal in the novice division. Her team, called Team Image” had qualified for the national competition when they came in second place in the eastern regional competition in New Hampshire last January. This was Sackett’s third national competition.
Synchronized skating is a type of figure skating consisting of usually 16 skaters on ice performing intricate patterns, shapes, spins, and jumps at the same time.
“Laurel makes skating look effortless, but she works very hard, and I’m tremendously proud of her commitment,” said Shayna Sackett-Gable, Laurel’s mother. “Synchronized skating has helped her grow on and off the ice!”
“I want to congratulate Laurel on her outstanding achievements in synchronized skating,” said Dr. Kevin F. Gilbert, Acting Superintendent of the South Orange and Maplewood School District. “It takes a tremendous amount of dedication to excel in ice skating, not to mention an exceptional sense of teamwork to skate in unison with so many other skaters. I want to thank Laurel for representing our District community so well in this sport and everywhere she has competed around the country. And I also want to congratulate Laurel’s family on her success.”
“Hidden Figures” Mathematician's Daughter Speaks To SOMS Students
Joylette Hylick
Joylette Hylick, daughter of the late NASA Mathematician and Physicist Katherine Johnson, talks about her mother's autobiography
Joylette Hylick, daughter of Katherine Johnson, spoke to South Orange Middle School (SOMS) students on Thursday about her mother’s autobiography, “Reaching for the Moon.” Johnson was one of three African-American women who gained international, and delayed, notoriety when their story of working as NASA's "human computers" was told in the book, and then the film, "Hidden Figures."
Before Hylick's visit, many SOMS students had read her mother's book in which she told her story of being a young girl who showed an exceptional aptitude for math, faced the challenges of brutal racism and sexism, and grew up to work on many of NASA’s biggest projects including the Apollo 11 mission that landed the first men on the moon.
NFL Hero Spends An Afternoon At SOMS
Buffalo Bills Cornerback Rasul Douglas, who grew up in East Orange, hangs out with some members of the SOMS Empowerment Club
East Orange native, Buffalo Bills cornerback stresses the importance of perseverance, making the right choices
Buffalo Bills Cornerback Rasul Douglas spoke with members of the South Orange Middle School's Empowerment Club about his journey from growing up in East Orange's Arcadian Gardens (a.k.a. "Lil' City) to playing in the NFL.
"Lil' City was probably one of the most dangerous places in East Orange to live," said Douglas.
He had two routes in front of him, getting into "gang-related stuff" or getting sports, he said.
With the encouragement of his older brother, Douglas took the route less travelled and that has made all the difference.
Douglas, a third round pick in the 2017 NFL draft, Douglas played for the Philadelphia Eagles for three seasons, including when the team won the Super Bowl in 2018. He also played for the Carolina Panthers and the Green Bay Packers before playing for the Bills.
But it was no overnight success story, as Douglas said to the two-dozen youngsters gathered in the SOMS cafeteria. After playing for East Orange Campus High School, Douglas played for Nassau Community College, a time when Douglas lived in his car, crashed on the floor of friends' homes, and worked two hours a day at McDonald's two get the employee benefit of a free meal.
"I had to really apply myself," Douglas said. "There were a lot of times when I asked myself, 'Do I really want this?' I just kept focus."
The questions from the young audience covered a wide range of topics – from "How did you feel when you got drafted?" (Douglas said he was made because he was picked in the third round, not the first.) to "What changed with your friends and family after you got drafted? (He said they're still the same.)
But a couple of students asked about how Douglas stays resilient.
"How do you keep your confidence after having a bad game?"
"When you lose a really big game, how do you recover from that?"
"I've got a 24-hour rule," Douglas said. "After a game, I've got 24 hours to be mad about the game. After that, I won't speak on it, talk about it, or think about it again. You play on Sunday. You have off on Monday. When I come in on Tuesday I try to clear my mind and get ready for next week."
Dr. Donovan Smalls, SOMS Assistant Principal, said that Douglas was invited to speak to the Empowerment Club as part of the club's Black History Month activities. Smalls started the club at the beginning of this school year as a way to engage young men in activities to help them succeed at school and in their community.
While most of the people gathered to listen to Douglas were boys, there was one girl in the mix. Lucy Deibolt, an eighth-grader, came dressed for the occasion in Bills swag.
"My dad's from Buffalo," she said. "I was kind of raised loving the Bills."
Members of the SOMS Empowerment Club with Buffalo Bills Cornerback Rasul Douglas.
From left, Assistant Principal Dr. Donovan Smalls, Rasul Douglas, Principal Lynn Irby Hill, Assistant Principal James Waldron, and Data Entry Manager Sabina Eillis
Members of the SOMS Empowerment Club
Middle School Thespians Put On Great Productions
Under the leadership of MMS Choral Director Regina Bradshaw, Maplewood Middle School’s students and volunteers put on an excellent production of “Mean Girls, Jr.” Meanwhile, at South Orange Middle School, the Select Drama Club also gave outstanding performances of their spring drama, “The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon.”
Achievements In Columbia High School Athletics
The Cougar Girls Fencing Team won the NJSIAA District 3 on Feb. 4th and advanced to the NJSIAA Team Tournament.
Columbia High School Wrestlers scored great successes at NJSIAA District 11 in Morristown on Feb. 18th. Jared Van Allen won District Champion, while August Kata and Reid Ordower both won 2nd Place prizes.
Achieve' Foundation Gives Record Amount of Funding To District Teaching Projects
Congratulations to all of the District’s teachers who are recipients of the 2024 Achieve Foundation’s Deborah Prinz Educator Grant Awards. More than $81,000 in grants were awarded to teachers throughout the District, which is a new Achieve Foundation record.
"These grants support our educators’ innovation and creativity in teaching," said Dr. Kevin F. Gilbert, Acting Superintendent of the South Orange and Maplewood School District. "We thank the Achieve Foundation for their continuing partnership in supporting our teachers, and we thank all who made donations to make these grant awards possible."
SOMSD ELA Supervisor Co-Authors Literacy Study
Dr. Jane Bean-Folkes, District Supervisor of English Language Arts, has co-authored an article that has been published in “Literacy” magazine, an academic journal published by the United Kingdom Literacy Association. The study examined students using social annotation, which is students reading and thinking about a text together, and how it can be a pathway to understanding in the learning process.
Seth Boyden School Community Ends Black History Month With Performances, Heroes
Seth Boyden Steppers
The Seth Boyden Elementary School community ended Black History Month with spectacular performances by the Fifth Grade Steppers and the Fourth and Fifth Grade Chorus. Before they took the stage, students and their families took in the All-School Gallery of Heroes that was displayed through all of the school’s hallways. Among the highlights were students’ portraits of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., students’ original artwork created in the style of artist Jean-Michael Basquiat, and – in a salute to Hip-Hop – students performing their original raps. People could read the lyrics posted on the bulletin board and then watch the students performing their raps with the help of a QR code and a smartphone.
Portraits of MLK
Artworks ala Basquiat
Third-graders' wall of Hip-Hop.
The Day When Everyone Was 100 Years Old
"Once I was seven years old," sang pop singer Lukas Graham. Now, a bunch of people at Clinton Elementary School can look back on a day when they were all 100 years old. That's because they all marked the 100th day of the school year on Feb. 16th by dressing as if they were 100 years old.
CHS Juniors, Seniors Inducted Into National Honors Society
NHS & MAC (Minority Achievement Community) Director Marcia Hicks gives her remarks to the inductees.
The new NHS inductees take the NHS pledge, led by Assistant Principal Luisa Iuliano-Cabrera.
More than 200 Columbia High School juniors and seniors were inducted into the National Honors Society (NHS) on February 8th. The NHS recognizes students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, service, leadership, and character. These characteristics have been associated with membership in the organization since its beginning in 1921. In order to be inducted into the NHS, students must maintain a 3.5 grade point average or higher and complete a lengthy application process that includes a personal interview with the school’s NHS faculty council.
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