[00:10:01]
[00:10:02]
GREAT.[00:12:57]
I'VE CHEESE, EXTRA CHEESE.[00:15:07]
GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.NOW, HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON.
THEY TOLD ME WE WERE OUT HERE CELEBRATING YOUNG PEOPLE TONIGHT AND I KNOW WE GOT SOME AMAZING YOUNG PEOPLE IN THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN THE BUILDING.
SO WE'RE GONNA TRY IT ONE MORE TIME.
IF YOU ARE HERE TO CELEBRATE THE EXCELLENCE THAT IS YOUNG PEOPLE IN ESSAS COUNTY, I NEED YOU TO MAKE SOME NOISE.
Y'ALL MAKE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR YOUNG PEOPLE BECAUSE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE COULD BE DOING A LOT OF OTHER THINGS, BUT THEY'RE OUT HERE EXCELLING IN SPORTS, EXCELLING IN ACADEMICS, EXCELLING IN EXTRACURRICULARS, AND THEY'RE DOING IT BECAUSE OF A ROOM LIKE THIS OF PEOPLE WHO PRAY FOR THEM, WHO CARE FOR THEM, WHO SUPPORT THEM, WHO SPEAK LIFE OVER THEIR NAME.
SO IT'S AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO WELCOME YOU TODAY AS WE WELCOME ALL OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE HERE TODAY FOR YOUTH DAY HERE WITH THE ESS COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS ADORA MURRAY THOMAS.
I SERVE AS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, BORN AND RAISED RIGHT HERE IN THE GREAT CITY OF NEWARK.
ISN'T THIS BUILDING BEAUTIFUL Y'ALL? ISN'T IT AMAZING HERE? THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME IN THIS PARTICULAR BUILDING.
BUT I ACTUALLY HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF BRINGING UP TWO YOUNG WOMEN WHO HAVE SOME INTRODUCTORY REMARKS WHO I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF GETTING TO KNOW JUST THIS PAST FALL, UH, OR RATHER SPRING AS THEY COMPETED IN AN INCREDIBLE TORICAL COMPETITION THAT WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT BIT MORE ABOUT LATER.
BUT WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I WANNA WELCOME SOME YOUNG PEOPLE TO MAKE SOME WELCOMING REMARKS FROM THE GREAT EQUIPMENT STREET SCHOOL RIGHT HERE IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, KAILA BLACKMAN, AND SUMMER SLYER.
PLEASE GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE, Y'ALL.
MY NAME IS SUMMER AND I'M NYLA.
AND WE ARE EIGHTH GRADERS FROM CHEMISTRY SCHOOL.
WE'RE EXCITED TO WELCOME YOU TO THE 2026 ACCESS COUNTY CELEBRATES YOUTH EVENT.
TONIGHT IS ALL ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE DOING BIG THINGS SUCH AS LEADING, WINNING, SPEAKING UP, AND SHOWING WHAT'S POSSIBLE WHEN YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF.
WE WANNA START BY SAYING A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL TONIGHT'S HONORS.
CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU.
YOU'RE SHOWING THE WHOLE COUNTRY WHAT EXCELLENCE LOOKS LIKE.
YOUNG PEOPLE AREN'T JUST THE FUTURE, WE ARE THE RIGHT NOW.
YOU INSPIRE US AND EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM TO WORK HARD, STAY FOCUSED, AND KEEP GOING.
SO GET READY FOR A NIGHT FULL OF CELEBRATION, JOY AND A, A WHOLE LOT OF CHEERING BECAUSE EXCESS COUNTY, COUNTY YOUTH ARE AMAZING, AMAZING.
WELCOME TO THE 2026 EXCESS COUNTY CELEBRATES YOUTH EVENT.
LET'S GET THIS CELEBRATION STARTED.
WOULD YOU COME BACK HERE REAL QUICK? REAL QUICK? SUPER QUICK SILVER QUACK BECAUSE I NEED Y'ALL TO KNOW THAT A LOT OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE WE'RE CELEBRATING TODAY ARE HIGH SCHOOL OR ON THEIR WAY TO COLLEGE.
BUT YOU GUYS TELL THEM WHAT GRADE Y'ALL ARE IN EIGHTH GRADE.
AND YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO BE, WHAT DO YOU WANNA BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? YOU HAVE AN IDEA.
I WANNA BE A REAL ESTATE AGENT WHEN I GET OLDER.
AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND TELL THEM WHO YOU ARE, WHAT YOU WANNA BE WHEN YOU GROW UP.
UM, MY NAME IS ARDI AND I WANNA BE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
SO THESE YOUNG PEOPLE I HAD THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE OF MEETING AND WORKING WITH EARLIER THIS YEAR FOR THE MONTCLAIR DELTAS OR TORICAL COMPETITION.
AND YOU WERE LOOKING AT GREATNESS FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL TO YOUR, FROM ALL THE WAY FROM EIGHTH, SEVENTH, AND SIXTH GRADE.
Y'ALL, THE FUTURE IS VERY BRIGHT.
LET'S GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE AND WE'RE EXCITED TO CELEBRATE YOU TONIGHT.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH LADIES.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, IT'S MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO BRING UP THE JAZZ HOUSE KIDS.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD THEM BEFORE, YOU ARE IN FOR A TREAT TO PRESENT OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM THROUGH A MUSICAL PRESENTATION.
MAY WE ALL RISE IF YOU ARE ABLE.
[00:21:57]
THANK YOU.WE ROUND AN APPLAUSE FOR JAZZ HOUSE KIDS, EVERYONE.
THIS IS ESSEX, AND WE'RE SO GRATEFUL THAT YOU SHARED YOUR GIFTS WITH US THIS EVENING.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE.
AS WAS SHARED EARLIER TONIGHT, I STAND AND WE ALL STAND AS AN ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS AND PROUD SUPPORT OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
WE ARE SO BLESSED TO CELEBR FOUR DISTINGUISHED HONOREES YOGA BUSI OF MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY, ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR YOGAN, THE EAST ORANGE CAMPUS HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM, THE MALCOLM X SHABAZZ HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM.
AND LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, THE ARTS HIGH SCHOOL LADY JACKS GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM.
TURN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR AND SAY, I'M CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE TONIGHT.
WE ARE CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE TONIGHT.
EXCELLENCE FOR YOU, OUR HONOREES, EXCELLENCE FOR YOU, THEIR VILLAGE, AND EXCELLENCE IN EVERYONE HERE IN SUPPORT.
WE'RE SO HONORED AND PRIVILEGED TO SHARE THAT.
IN ADDITION TO THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS COMMENDATIONS, WE WILL ALSO HAVE CERTIFICATES FROM NONE OTHER THAN OUR UNITED STATES CONGRESSWOMAN NEWARK ZONE, LAMONICA MACGYVER THIS EVENING, EVERYONE, SHE'LL BE MAKING SURE SHE RECOGNIZES YOU.
OUR STATE SENATOR ESA RUIZ, WHO IS ALSO HERE FROM THE GREAT CITY OF NEWARK, WILL BE RECOGNIZING YOU THIS EVENING THROUGH YOUR STATE COMMENDATION AS WELL AS ASSEMBLY MEMBERS, CARMEN MORALES AND MIKE VEIA.
AND I BELIEVE WE MAY HAVE SOME, UM, COM COMMENDATIONS AS WELL.
FROM OUR GREAT, GREAT MAYOR OF THE GREAT CITY OF NEWARK, MAYOR RASHE BARAKA, AND OUR CITY COUNCIL HERE IN THE GREAT CITY OF NEWARK, UH, LED BY NONE OTHER THAN COUNCILMAN CRUMP, WHO I BELIEVE IS HERE WITH US THIS EVENING.
WE WILL, WE HAVE A, A HOST OF DIGNITARIES WITH US THIS EVENING, AND I WILL ANNOUNCE THEM IN JUST A QUICK MOMENT.
BUT I, I'D LIKE TO, UH, BRING UP THIS YOUNG MAN WHO IS AT ONLY 15 YEARS OLD, A MINISTER, AN INSPIRATIONAL LEADER.
AND WHEN WE WERE SEARCHING FOR WHO WOULD GIVE OUR OPENING PRAYER AND BENEDICTION, WE SAID, WE NEED TO CHOOSE A YOUNG PERSON.
AND I SAID, HOLD ON, LET ME CALL MY, MY MINISTER IN CHIEF MINISTER ROUNDTREE, OUR COUNCILMAN IN NEWARK.
I SAID, MINISTER ROUNDTREE, I NEED YOU TO HELP ME.
WHO'S A YOUNG PERSON WHO COULD BRING IT TODAY FOR THE PRAYER AND THE BENEDICTION.
SHE SAID, WELL, MINISTER DARION GASKINS IS THE ONE AND NOT THE TWO.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, IS MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO BRING UP, UH, MR. DARION, WHO'S A STUDENT AT EAST ORANGE CAMPUS HIGH SCHOOL.
[00:25:01]
A PROUD MEMBER.EAST ORANGE IS IN THE BUILDING TONIGHT.
I SEE Y'ALL AND, UM, A PROUD MEMBER OF THE EBENEZER, BETHANY EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH, WHERE HE CONTINUES TO GROW, SERVE, AND DEVELOP AS AN ORDAINED MINISTER TO BRING US IN AN OPENING PRAYER.
CAN YOU GIVE GOD A CLAP OF PRAISE? COME ON.
DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU, LORD.
WE WANT SAY THANK YOU FOR YET ANOTHER DAY THAT YOU HAVE BLESSED US WITH.
IF WE HAD 10,000 TONGUES, IT STILL WOULDN'T BE ENOUGH JUST TO SAY THANK YOU.
IT WOULDN'T BE ENOUGH TO SAY THANK YOU FOR KEEPING US FROM DANGER, SEEING UNSEEN DANGER.
BUT GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR GRACE AND MERCY.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE AND YOUR KINDNESS AND STRENGTHS LIKE NO OTHER.
LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN OUR LIVES TODAY.
BLESS THE YOUNG PEOPLE, FATHER GOD, TOUCH TH HEARTS, FATHER GOD, WE, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HOLDS TOMORROW, BUT WE DO KNOW WHAT HOLDS TODAY.
LORD, YOU ARE THE LIFTER OVER OUR HEADS.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR BEING A GOOD DOCTOR.
WE THANK YOU FOR BEING A GOOD LAWYER.
WE THANK YOU FOR BEING THE SHELTER IN THE TIME OF STORM.
YOU ARE THE LIFTER OVER OUR HEADS, AND WE THANK YOU.
YOU'VE BEEN SO GOOD TO US, AND WE JUST CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH.
AND JESUS NAME I PRAY, AMEN AND AMEN.
AND YOU'LL BE, BE HEARING MORE FROM HIM THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM.
BUT JUST GETTING TO KNOW YOU AS WE PREPARED FOR THIS PARTICULAR EVENING HAS BEEN SUCH A TREAT.
YOUR SPIRIT AND YOUR ANOINTING WAS FELT OVER THE PHONE.
AND SO JUST TO HEAR YOU AND BEING YOUR PRESENCE TONIGHT IS, IS SUCH A GIFT AS WE CELEBRATE YOUNG PEOPLE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING A YOUNG PERSON WHO LEADS IN FAITH.
TURN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR AND SAY, I'M SPECIAL, Y'ALL.
I'M SPECIAL BECAUSE YOU ARE, YOU ARE REAL SPECIAL.
BUT I WANNA HIGHLIGHT SOME OTHER SPECIAL GUESTS WHO HAPPEN TO BE WITH US IN THE ROOM TODAY.
SO AS I SHARED, WE HAVE OUR COUNCIL PRESIDENT FROM THE GREAT CITY OF NEWARK, COUNCILMAN LARRY CRUMP, WHO IS WITH US TODAY THIS EVENING.
WE HAVE OUR SUPERINTENDENT OF THE LARGEST PUBLIC SYSTEM HERE IN THE GREAT STATE OF NEW JERSEY, ROGER LEON.
AND AS A FORMER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, I KNOW A THING OR TWO ABOUT HOW HARD WE WORK ON THE BOARD AND CERTAINLY AS OUR SUPERINTENDENT.
SO IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU WITH US.
WE HAVE OUR COUNCILMAN OF EAST ORANGE.
COUNCILMAN MONK IS IN THE BUILDING WITH US, Y'ALL.
AND AS Y'ALL KNOW, I SAID EARLIER, I'M FROM WHERE NEWARK BORN AND RAISED, BUT MY MOTHER IS FROM ELIZABETH AND MY DAD IS FROM GUYANA.
AND WHERE DO ALL THE GUYANESE PEOPLE GO WHEN THEY COME TO NEW JERSEY TO EAST ORANGE? SO SHOUT OUT TO THE EAST ORANGE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE BUILDING WITH US AGAIN TODAY.
ALL RIGHT, WE'VE GOT OUR ARTS HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, MR. RONALD FAZIO, WHO'S HERE WITH US TODAY.
WE HAVE OUR LIVINGSTON COUNCILMAN, MR. SEAN KLEIN, WHO IS HERE WITH US.
AND MAYOR, ABSOLUTELY PUT SOME RESPECT ON THAT NAME.
MAKE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE EVERYONE.
AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE MISS MADELINE ROWE OF CONGRESSWOMAN LAMONICA MACGYVER'S OFFICE, WHO IS HERE WITH US TODAY.
GOOD TO SEE YOU IF WE MISSED YOU.
'CAUSE REMEMBER, EVERYONE IN HERE IS SPECIAL.
BUT IF YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE A TITLE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE US TO RECOGNIZE FROM A, YOU KNOW, ORGANIZATION, AN INSTITUTION OR PUBLIC GOVERNMENT, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU FIND ADAM IN THE BACK, UH, WHO HAPPENS TO BE HIS BIRTHDAY.
IT'S ONE OF THE HARDEST WORK EVENT IN THAT THIS COUNTY.
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU GET, UM, YOUR INFORMATION TO HIM SO WE CAN CELEBRATE YOU.
I'D BE REMISS IF I DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE MY DISTINGUISHED BOARD COLLEAGUES WHO ARE HERE WITH US THIS EVENING.
SO NONE OTHER THAN MY BROTHER, MR. ROBERT MERCADO, WHO IS HERE WITH US.
COMMISSIONER MERCADO, EVERYONE.
COMMISSIONER WAYNE RICHARDSON, A BROTHER OF NEWARK.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I'M MAKING SURE I'M NOT MISSING ANYONE BEFORE I GET TO THE PERSON WHO I'M ABOUT TO ALSO BRING TO THE PODIUM OF MONTCLAIR, MR. BRENDAN GILL, COMMISSIONER GILL, WHO ARE INVITE TO THE PODIUM TO RECOGNIZE OUR FIRST HONOREE.
LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR COMMISSIONER MOR MURRAY THOMAS DOING A WONDERFUL JOB.
OUR YOUNGEST, OUR YOUNGEST MEMBER OF THE BOARD,
[00:30:01]
BUT UM, IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, HAS ABSOLUTELY, UM, DISTINGUISHED HERSELF AND HER SERVICE, UH, AMONG A LONG LIST OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT SHE ALREADY HAS AT A VERY YOUNG AGE.AND I'M ALWAYS HONORED AND PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU AND TO SERVE WITH YOU.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN, ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS.
UM, I DO NOT HAIL FROM THE CITY OF NEWARK.
I HAIL FROM THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTCLAIR
UM, AND, UM, OTHER THAN I KNOW WE HAVE QUITE A FEW HONOREES, AND I'M ABOUT TO BRING UP, UH, A YOUNG MAN WHO HAS DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF, UH, QUITE A BIT.
UM, I DO WANT TO CONGRATULATE, OF COURSE, THE EAST ORANGE, UM, BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM, THE SHABAZZ HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM, AND THE ARTS HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM, UH, AND ALL OF OUR HONOR, JAZZ HOUSE KIDS, UM, DELTA SIGMA THETA, WHO'S HERE, AND ALL OF THE HONOREES, UH, PARTICULARLY ON THE, UM, ON THE BASKETBALL FRONT.
I WAS WITH YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY UNLESS YOU WERE PLAYING MONTCLAIR
THAT'S DIFFERENT
UM, I ALSO WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY, AND YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER, YOU HIT ON THIS, UH, THAT YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, UM, PARTICULARLY WITH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, UH, THERE SEEMS TO SOMETIMES BE AN OVERFOCUS ON WHAT'S NOT GOING RIGHT VERSUS WHAT IS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME WE DO THIS EVENT, I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD FOR 15 YEARS, AND WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE TREMENDOUS YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, I'M REMINDED THAT WE'RE GONNA BE OKAY.
UM, EVEN IN THESE TOUGH, TOUGH TIMES.
AND THIS IS NOT A, THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL EVENT, THIS IS A GOVERNMENTAL EVENT, BUT I WISH I COULD SAY, UH, TO SOME OF OUR NATIONAL LEADERS, UM, SOME WHO I WILL NOT NAME
THIS IS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
THIS IS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND, UM, MR. SUPERINTENDENT, UM, I KNOW YOU KNOW THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, AS A, AS A LEADER OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL, OF OUR LARGEST PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, UH, THAT EVEN THOUGH MAYBE WE HAVE NOT SOLVED ALL THESE ISSUES THE WAY WE SHOULD HAVE, THAT THE PEOPLE IN FRONT OF US ARE GOING TO, UH, AND THEY'RE GOING TO.
SO WE'RE HERE TO SAY THAT WE LOVE YOU, WE SUPPORT YOU, AND WE'RE PROUD TO STAND WITH YOU ALWAYS.
SO, WITH THAT, I'M GONNA ASK, UH, MY, THE FIRST HONORARY OF OUR PROGRAM, UH, FROM MONTCLAIR YOGAN BUSSY TO COME ON UP TO THE STAGE RIGHT IN FRONT.
SO, UM, ALLOW ME TO SHARE A FEW HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE ACCOMMODATION ABOUT YOGAN.
YOGAN BUSSY IS A SENIOR AT MONTCLAIR HIGH SCHOOL, AND WE'LL BE ATTENDING RUTGERS UNIVERSITY, NEW BRUNSWICK IN THE FALL.
MY SON'S A JUNIOR, SO IF YOU SEE HIM, TELL HIM TO MAKE SURE HE GETS THE CLASS
HE'S THE CO-PRESIDENT OF THE MHS BLACK STUDENT UNION, WHERE HE FACILITATES BIWEEKLY MEETINGS TO BOLSTER SOLIDARITY AMONG BLACK STUDENTS.
FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH LAST YEAR, HE SPOKE AT A SCHOOLWIDE ASSEMBLY ABOUT BLACK HISTORICAL FIGURES AND FASHION DEVELOPMENTS.
THIS SCHOOL YEAR, OGEN LED A MEETING ABOUT MICROAGGRESSION AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE PSYCHE OF BLACK STUDENTS.
HE ALSO DELIVERED A SPEECH IN MONTCLAIR ON DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
SPEAKING ABOUT THE PHRASE, EACH ONE TEACH ONE AND THE OBLIGATION HE FEELS TO POSITIVELY IMPACT THE BLACK COMMUNITY.
IN FEBRUARY, HE RECEIVED THE NEXT GENERATION LEADERSHIP AWARD FROM STATE SENATOR BRITTANY TIMBERLAKE, A TESTAMENT TO THE POSITIVE IMPACT HE MAKES IN OUR COMMUNITY EACH AND EVERY DAY.
HE'S A FOLLOWER OF THE HINDU RELIGION.
HE'S A SON TO AN AFRICAN AMERICAN FATHER AND A TIAN MOTHER OF INDIAN DESCENT.
SOME OF HIS HOBBIES INCLUDE READING, WRITING, AND PLAYING GUITAR.
THE BOOK THAT HAS THE MOST PROFOUND IMPACT ON HIM AS THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MALCOLM X.
AND MALCOLM X HAS BECOME ONE OF HIS FAVORITE HISTORICAL FIGURES.
IN THE FUTURE, HE'LL BE PURSUING MEDICINE TO BECOME A DOCTOR.
SO, UM, GAN, ALTHOUGH WE ARE MEETING FOR THE FIRST TIME ACTUALLY TONIGHT, UM, YOUR IMPACT ON YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY IS ALREADY KNOWN FAR AND WIDE, NOT ONLY IN THE GREAT TOWNSHIP OF MONTCLAIR, AND I THINK YOUR SERVICE IS IN THE BEST TRADITION OF OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO ACROSS THIS COUNTY AND ACROSS THIS STATE.
WE LOOK FORWARD, UH, TO WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO IN THE FUTURE.
WE COMMEND YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK, YOUR COMMUNITY SERVICE.
IT'S MY PLEASURE TO PRESENT TO YOU THE BOARD'S COMMENDATION.
[00:35:04]
THANK YOU BOTH.AND ALSO, WE HAVE ACCOMMODATIONS AS, UM, AND CERTIFICATES AS NOTED FROM CONGRESSWOMAN MACGYVER, SENATOR TERESSA RUIZ, ASSEMBLY MEMBERS MORALES AND VEIA.
OKAY, GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
ON GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
ALL RIGHT, HOPE WE'RE DOING ALL RIGHT.
FIRST THINGS FIRST, I'D LIKE TO GIVE A, A WARM THANK YOU TO THE BOARD OF ESSEX COUNTY, UH, COMMISSIONERS FOR RE UH, RECOGNIZING ME TODAY AND WELCOMING ME TO THIS EVENT.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE SOME CONNECTIONS WITH YOU ALL TODAY ABOUT MY PERSONAL FAVORITE QUOTE.
UM, THIS IS FROM THE PAN-AFRICAN FREEDOM FIGHTER, THE CREATOR OF THE PAN-AFRICAN FLAG, THE HONORABLE MARCUS GARVEY.
SOMETIME IN THE 20TH CENTURY, MR. GARVEY PROCLAIMED THAT A PEOPLE WITHOUT A KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR PAST HISTORY, ORIGIN AND CULTURE IS LIKE A TREE WITHOUT ROOTS.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I'M HAPPY, AND I'M BLESSED TO SAY THAT IN MY HOUSEHOLD, MY PARENTS HAVE, UH, MADE IT SO, UH, CENTRAL THE KNOWLEDGE OF SELF AND THE CULTIVATION OF THE UNDERSTANDING OF THIS IDENTITY.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, FITTINGLY, THIS, UM, APPRECIATION FOR IDENTITY ALSO COMES WITH AN APPRECIATION OF HISTORY AND THE WORLD OF HISTORY.
SO, THUS, THUS, UM, I'M CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN AP AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES AT MY SCHOOL.
UM, THIS, THIS COURSE HAS BEEN ABLE TO GROUND ME IN MY CONNECTIONS TO THE AFRICAN CONTINENT, UM, AS WELL AS RECOGNIZING THE FREEDOM FIGHTERS AND THE, THE STORY THAT CONTRIBUTES TO MY LIFE.
AS, UH, COMMISSIONER GILL MENTIONED, I'M THE CO-PRESIDENT OF MY SCHOOL'S BLACK STUDENT UNION.
UH, RECENTLY, A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, I, I COORDINATED A MEETING THAT AIMED AT, UH, PROVIDING THE UPCOMING JUNIORS AND SENIORS OF THE BLACK STUDENT UNION WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE AP AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES COURSE.
UM, IN SHORT, I SHARED THAT, UM, THAT I SHARED THE VERY QUOTE FROM, UH, MR. GARDY WITH THE MEMBERS WHO ATTENDED THIS MEETING, THAT THIS COURSE CAN HELP THE STUDENT IN THEIR RESPECTIVE JOURNEY OF SELF-DISCOVERY TO PLANT AND OR CULTIVATE THESE METAPHORICAL ROOTS OR SEEDS THAT MR. GARVEY SPOKE ABOUT.
INDEED, I, I'VE COME TO THE UNDERSTANDING THAT HIGH SCHOOL AND GENERALLY THE, THE PHASE OF YOUNG ADULTHOOD IS THE OPPORTUNE AND TIME TO PLANT THE SEEDS FOR OUR FUTURE LIVES.
IF YOU COULDN'T TELL, I'M A BIG FAN, GIVEN THE, THE QUOTE FROM MR. GARVEY.
I'M A BIG FAN OF THE FLORA OF THIS WORLD, THE PLANTS AND TREES.
SO, TO CONTINUE THIS MOTIF, UM, IT CAN BE SAID THAT THE STRONGEST OF TREES TAKE THOSE GIANT REDWOODS.
YOU SEE, IN CALIFORNIA, FOR EXAMPLE, IT CAN BE SAID THAT THE STRONGEST OF TREES HAVE THE STRONGEST OF ROOTS.
THAT'S WHY THIS CONCEPT OF KNOWLEDGE OF SELF THAT MR. GARVEY PROCLAIMS IN THIS QUOTE IS SO VITAL, VITAL TO ANY HUMAN BEING, BUT ESPECIALLY TO SOMEBODY LIKE MYSELF.
AND LIKE MANY OF YOU ALL IN THE CROWD RIGHT HERE, INDIVIDUALS OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA, FOR EXAMPLE, IF I WERE TO BLINDLY INTERNALIZE THE MYRIAD NOTIONS OF RACISM OR, OR OF OTHER BIASES CONCERNING MYSELF, EVEN MY LAST NAME, BUSSY, FOR EXAMPLE, BUSSY IS NOT, YOU KNOW, I'M COMMISSIONER GILL SAID IT, I'M THE THE SON TO A TRINIDADIAN MOTHER OF INDIAN DESCENT.
MY FATHER DESCENDS FROM THE AFRICAN CONTINENT SOMEWHERE.
WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE, BUT BUSSY, I REMEMBER BEING IN FOURTH GRADE LOOKING IT UP.
SO IF I WERE TO BLINDLY INTER INTERPRET, UH, THESE, THESE NOTIONS THAT I MAY SEE OF, OF EURO CENTRICITY OR WHITE SUPREMACY FROM THE TEXTBOOKS IN SCHOOLS, UM, I WOULD END UP WITH A LESSER SELF IMAGE.
THAT'S WHY THIS KNOWLEDGE OF SELF IS SO, SO PARAMOUNT TO HOW WE GROW UP AND SEE THE WORLD.
AND I'M TALKING TO SPECIFICALLY THE PEOPLE OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW.
UM, NEXT, UH, TO CONTINUE, I'M EXTREMELY GRATEFUL THAT I CAN SAY THAT, UM, CONCERNING ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL OF THIS AFRICAN DIASPORA, I'VE PLAYED A ROLE IN HELPING THEM CULTIVATE THEIR OWN KNOWLEDGE OF SELF.
YOU SEE, SINCE OCTOBER OF 2025, LAST YEAR, UM, EVERY WEDNESDAY AT MY LOCAL LIBRARY FROM 6:00 PM TO 7:00 PM I'VE VOLUNTEERED MY, WELL ONE HOUR OF MY TIME TO HELP TUTOR A FOURTH GRADE STUDENT.
AND THIS FOURTH GRADE STUDENT, HE'S A, HE'S A DISTINGUISHED YOUNG MAN.
HE GOES BY THE NAME OF RYDER, UM, RYDER GOES TO A SCHOOL IN MY HOMETOWN, MONTCLAIR.
UM, SO THE, THE MAIN FOCUS OF THESE MEETINGS THAT I'VE HAD WITH HIM IS TO HELP HIM DEVELOP HIS SKILLS AS A READER.
SO, THROUGH TEXTS THAT I'VE CHOSEN FOR HIM TO READ OUT ALOUD, I'VE, UH, INTRODUCED HIM TO FIGURES, PROMINENT FIGURES OF OUR AFRICAN AMERICAN STORY.
THESE INCLUDE, UM, MALCOLM X, THE HONORABLE MARCUS GARVEY, LANGSTON HUGHES, OR EVEN TRACING IT BACK TO THE CONTINENT IN AFRICA WITH A FIGURE LIKE MOUNT MUSA, FOR EXAMPLE, THE RICHEST MAN WHO EVER LIVED
UM, SIMILARLY, I'VE ALSO MADE IT A POINT TO TEACH MY NEW FRIEND ABOUT THE AFRICAN CONTINENT, FOR EXAMPLE, PROMPTING HIM TO RECOGNIZE THAT, AGAIN, DISPROVING THOSE MANY NOTIONS WE SEE THAT CAN, UH, PROMPT US TO LOOK DOWN ON OURSELVES, INTRODUCING HIM TO THE FACT THAT THERE'S 54 COUNTRIES ON
[00:40:01]
THE MOTHERLAND, AND THAT THERE'S OVER 2000, 2000 ETHNIC GROUPS.AND WHEN I, WHEN I SHARED THAT WITH HIM, HE FIRST ASKED ME WHAT AN ETHNIC GROUP WAS WHEN I EXPLAINED THAT HIS EYES WIDENED.
BECAUSE SO MANY TIMES IN OUR CURRICULA THAT WE INTERACT WITH THAT STUDENTS IN THE MEDIA THAT WE SEE, WHETHER THAT'S ON CNN OR CBS, THE AFRICA, THE WORD AFRICA IS SEEN AS JUST A MONOLITH AS A ONE PEOPLE, ONE WAY OF LIFE, ONE LANGUAGE.
WHEN THAT'S REALLY, REALLY FAR FROM THE CASE, IT COULDN'T BE FURTHER FROM THE CASE.
SO, IN SHORT, BOTH RYDER AND I HAVE TAKEN A LIKING TO OUR MEETINGS AND CONVERSATIONS.
AND THIS IS THE PART THAT I'M MOST PROUD OF, IS THAT, UM, I WAS STRUCK TO, I WAS PROMPTED TO UNDERSTAND THAT I HAVE MADE A PROFOUND IMPACT ON THIS YOUNG MAN.
DURING ONE OF OUR MEETINGS, A COUPLE, A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, I WANNA SAY ABOUT FIVE OR SIX WEEKS AGO, UM, IN ORDER TO, UH, SUPPLEMENT A POINT THAT HE WAS MAKING MY NEW FRIEND, HE ACTUALLY QUOTED THE MINISTER, MALCOLM X, UM,
THIS QUOTE WAS SOMETHING THAT I HAD SHARED WITH HIM ONLY ABOUT A WEEK OR TWO PRIOR, RIGHT THEN AND THERE, SITTING NEXT TO MY NEW FRIEND WITH A LANGSTON HUGHES POEM THAT I BROUGHT IN FOR HIM TO READ ON THE TABLE IN FRONT OF US, IT STRUCK ME THAT THE ROOTS OF WRITER'S MIND AND SENSE OF SELF WERE ACTIVELY BEING CULTIVATED.
WHY? BECAUSE HE WAS GAINING THAT PARAMOUNT, QUOTE, UNQUOTE, KNOWLEDGE OF HIS PAST HISTORY THAT MR. GARRY MAKES MENTION OF PERSONALLY RIDER SHARING THIS QUOTE FROM SUCH AN AMAZING FIGURE IN OUR STORY PROMPTED ME TO OBSERVE VERY SUDDENLY THAT THERE WERE TEARS WELLING IN MY EYES, AND I DID FIGHT THESE TEARS OFF.
BUT, UM, THESE TEARS CAME BECAUSE I HAD NEVER FELT SO FULFILLED IN MY LIFE.
I RECOGNIZED THAT ONLY A COUPLE WEEKS BEFORE THAT QUOTE, RYDER MY FRIEND, HE HAD NEVER HEARD OF MALCOLM X.
HIM, QUOTE HIM USING HIS WORDS, PROVE TO ME THAT HE WAS WILLING TO LEARN ABOUT HIMSELF.
HE WAS WILLING TO UNCOVER THE TRUTHS ABOUT, UH, GOING BACK TO THE AFRICAN CONTINENT.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST PROUD MOMENTS I'VE EVER HAD.
UH, SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE FUNNY IS THAT EVERY WEEK WHEN I GO INTO MEET WITH HIM, I BRING IN MY SCHOOL ISSUED CHROMEBOOK.
AND WHAT I'VE DONE ON MY CHROMEBOOK, ON THE, THE COVER OF IT, I'VE TAPED, UH, FOUR IMAGES OF THEM ON, ON THE, ON THE COVER.
ONE OF THE IMAGES IS OF GIL SCOTT HERRON, ONE OF MY FAVORITE JAZZ POETS AND MUSICIANS AND ACTIVIST.
ANOTHER ONE IS, UH, JAY COLE, ONE OF MY FAVORITE MUSICIAN,
UH, THE THIRD ONE IS OF THE TRINIDADIAN BORN ACTIVIST, KWAME TORE AND SOCIALIST AS WELL, PAYING AFRICAN.
AND THE LAST ONE IS A MINISTER, MALCOLM X.
THIS WAS A COUPLE WEEKS AGO WHERE, UM, I WAS, I WAS LOOKING UP RESEARCHING SOMETHING FOR RYDER TO LOOK UP ONLINE FOR HIM TO READ.
AND WHEN I GOT TO THE WEBSITE, I SHOWED, I, I SHOWED HIM MY COMPUTER SCREEN, AND RYDER WAS JUST, HE WAS JUST STARING AT ME WITH THIS ELBOW, KIND OF RESTED RIGHT HERE ON HIS OTHER HAND.
AND HIS HAND, THERE WAS HIS CHIN RESTED ON HIS HAND.
AND I, I ASKED HIM, RIGHT, ARE YOU ALL RIGHT? HE WASN'T RESPONDING TO ME.
I ASKED HIM ONE MORE TIME IF EVERYTHING WAS OKAY.
HE TOLD ME THAT HE ASKED ME TO CLOSE MY CHROMEBOOK, AND HE POINTED AT THE IMAGE OF MR. MALCOLM.
AND IN THAT PHOTO THERE, HE WAS IN THIS SAME POSE WITH THAT STOIC FACE.
AND THAT REALLY, REALLY HAD A GREAT IMPACT ON ME BECAUSE I RECOGNIZED THAT RYDER WAS INTERNALIZING, AND AS WE INTERACTED, HE WAS BECOMING TO, UM, A BETTER APPRECIATE HIS, THOSE WHOM HE DESCENDS FROM.
SO, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF I COULD LEAVE YOU ALL WITH ONE THING, I THINK IT IS, UH, ONE OF THE MOST, ONE OF THE MOST PROFOUND THINGS THAT WE CAN TAKE AWAY IS THAT IF PEOPLE, AS WE INTERACT WITH THE WORLD, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHERE WE COME FROM.
I KNOW THAT I COME FROM, I'M, I'M GRATEFUL NOW.
I LIKE TO, UH, REPRESENT MY IDENTITY WITH TWO FLAGS AND ONE OF THEM BEING THE PAN-AFRICAN FLAG, THE MARCUS GARVEY FLAG, IF YOU WILL.
AND THE OTHER ONE BEING THE TRINIDADIAN FLAG, WHERE MY MOTHER, MY GRANDPARENTS, MY UNCLE, WHERE THEY ALL HAIL FROM.
SO, INTERACTING WITH THE WORLD, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHERE WE COME FROM.
LET'S GIVE IT A TREMENDOUS JOB AGAIN, FROM GAN.
UM, I KNOW WE'RE GONNA BE HEARING MUCH MORE FROM YOU IN THE FUTURE, SO, UM, THAT'S JUST TREMENDOUS.
BUT ANOTHER DIGNITARY, I WANNA MAKE SURE, UH, COUNCILMAN COUNCILWOMAN NOR COUNCILWOMAN AT LARGE ROUND TREES IN THE BUILDING WHERE THERE SHE IS IN THE BACK.
SO THANK YOU FOR, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
IT IS NOW MY PLEASURE TO REINTRODUCE OUR TALENTED MUSICIANS FROM THE JAZZ HOUSE KIDS TO PERFORM ANOTHER SONG.
BEFORE THEY DO THAT, LET ME SAY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS EXCELLENT
[00:45:01]
ORGANIZATION.NOW, IN ITS THIRD DECADE, IT'S A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED JAZZ HOUSE.
KIDS TRANSFORMS LIVES THROUGH USING THE POWER AND LEGACY OF JAZZ THROUGH WORLD CLASS EDUCATION AND PERFORMANCES THAT CREATE AVENUES OF ACCESS, LEARNING, CAREER DEVELOPMENT, AND COMMUNITY BUILDING.
THE ORGANIZATION AND STUDENTS HAVE RECEIVED MORE THAN 150 AWARDS AND HONORS FOR EXCELLENCE IN JAZZ AND JAZZ EDUCATION.
EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK, THROUGH A SERIES OF IN AND OUT SCHOOL PROGRAMS, JAZZ HOUSE HELPS YOUNG PEOPLE GAIN AN ARTISTIC EDGE, FOSTERING COMMUNITY LEADERS AND GLOBAL CITIZENS WHO HELP BUILD THRIVING COMMUNITIES.
JAZZ HOUSE PRODUCES OVER 150 FREE PUBLIC CONCERTS EACH YEAR, INCLUDING THE ORGANIZATION, SIGNATURE PROS PROGRAM, THE AWARD-WINNING MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL, THE LARGEST FREE JAZZ FESTIVAL IN THE NEW YORK CITY AREA, ATTRACTING OVER 25,000 ATTENDEES TO DOWNTOWN MONTCLAIR EACH YEAR.
VERY HONORED TO BE ABLE TO WORK ON THAT WITH JAZZ HOUSE KIDS.
IT'S A TREASURED PART OF OUR, UH, COMMUNITY.
UM, BOTH, AS I MENTIONED, I HAVE A 17 AND A 14-YEAR-OLD WHO'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE, UH, IN THEIR PROGRAMMING.
UM, MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER PARTICIPATED IN THE CHICA POWER, UM, PROGRAM, UH, WHICH SHE, WHICH SHE LOVED.
UM, AND WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE THESE YOUNG PEOPLE TONIGHT, UH, LEAD US THROUGH, LEAD US THROUGH ANOTHER MUSICAL SELECTION.
SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING HERE AND TAKING THE TIME.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, JAZZ HOUSE KIDS.
[00:52:27]
LET'S GIVE ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO JAZZ HOUSE FOR THAT WONDERFUL MUSIC POOL SELECTION.I AM COMMISSIONER TAMI COOPER, AND I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF, UM, CALLING UP OUR NEXT HONOREE, THE EAST ORANGE CAMPUS HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM, ALONG WITH THEIR COACH.
SO THE, SO BEFORE I BEGIN BRAGGING ABOUT THE COACH AND THE WONDERFUL TEAM, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR PRINCIPAL, PRINCIPAL ENGLISH, EVERYWHERE THAT THE TEAM WENT, THE PRINCIPAL WAS ALWAYS THERE SUPPORTING HIS STUDENTS.
SO LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR WONDERFUL CONSISTENT LEADERSHIP.
THE EAST ORANGE CAMPUS BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM, AKA, THE JAGUARS ENJOYED A STELLAR SEASON THIS YEAR, AND THE TEAM OVERCAME NU NUMEROUS OBSTACLES TO FINISH WITH A 1813 OVERALL RECORD.
UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF COACH BALTIMORE, THE TEAM HAS UNDERGONE A LOT OF CHANGES RESULTING IN SUCCESS OVER THE PAST EIGHT SEASONS.
THE VARSITY TEAM HAS AN IMPRESSIVE 133 WINS TO A HUNDRED TO 71 LOSSES.
THAT'S THEIR RECORD OVER EIGHT YEARS.
DURING THE SPAN, THE TEAM CAPTURED THE SEC DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2020 AND THE NEW JERSEY GROUP FOR SECTION ONE CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2026.
COACH BALTIMORE'S LEADERSHIP HAS EARNED HIM MULTIPLE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
SEE, WHEN GET OLD, YOU GOTTA TAKE THE GLASSES ON AND PUT THE GLASSES ON TO MAKE SURE YOU READ RIGHT, INCLUDING THREE SUPER ESSEX CONFERENCE.
AMERICAN DIVISIONS COACH OF THE YEAR, HONORS FROM NJ.COM, THE NJ, BCA ESSEX COUNTY COACH OF THE YEAR, AND THE SIDELINE CHATTER.COM, ESS COUNTY COACH OF THE YEAR, SEVERAL PLAYERS ALSO ARMED ALL SUPER ESSEX CONFERENCE HONORS.
SO LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR THESE YOUNG PEOPLE AS I CALL THEM.
THE FIRST TEAM WAS JAMES ROBERTS.
THE SECOND TEAM WAS ELIJAH CALDWELL AND WILLIAM DYER, AN HONORABLE MENTIONS SIAN KING AND JAY-Z LEWIS.
PLEASE FORGIVE ME IF I MISPRONOUNCED YOUR NAME.
[00:55:01]
JAMES ROBERTS WAS ALSO NAMED NJ DOT COM'S, ESS COUNTY PLAYER OF THE YEAR.AND HE EARNED YES, GIVE IT UP FOR THAT.
AND HE ALSO EARNED SELECTIONS TO N-J-B-C-A, ALL SES COUNTY FIRST TEAM.
FIRST TEAM, ALL SEC, AMERICAN DIVISION, FIRST TEAM, ALL GROUP FOUR AND THIRD TEAM, ALLSTATE BY NJ.COM.
LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR MR. ROBERTS.
BEYOND ALL THE WINS AND ALL THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS, COACH BALTIMORE TAKES THE GREATEST PRIDE IN HIS OVERALL TEAMS, UM, PLAYING TOGETHER THEIR ABILITY TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER AND TO KEEP STRIVING TOWARDS RENTING THE STRONG SENSE OF FAMILY WITHIN THIS PROGRAM.
AMONG THE COACHES, THE PLAYERS, THE TEAM, AND THE PRINCIPLES AND OTHER LEADERSHIP REALLY EXEMPLIFY WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A GOOD TEAM, GOOD STUDENT PRIDE AND SUPPORT.
AND WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WE'RE GONNA CALL COACH BALTIMORE UP AS WELL AS THE PRINCIPAL TO GIVE SOME, UM, COMMENTS.
I'M, UH, I'M A MAN OF A FEW WORDS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, A COUPLE PEOPLE.
I HAVE EAST ORANGE CAMPUS PRINCIPAL, MS. WHITAKER HERE IN THE BUILDING, AS WELL AS VICE PRINCIPAL, MS. HAYES, UH, SITTING NEXT TO HER, UH, WHO SUPPORTED US ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
COME ON UP, IF YOU CAN COME ON UP.
YOU ARE PART OF THIS TEAM TOO THAT HELPED KEEP THE WINNING AND GOING AND MOVING.
SO LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR THE PRINCIPAL AND THE VICE PRINCIPAL THAT COMING ON UP.
AND AS MENTIONED, WE HAVE PRINCIPAL ENGLISH UP HERE WHO ALSO, UH, SERVES A DUAL ROLE BECAUSE HE'S ALSO ON MY STAFF AS AN ASSISTANT COACH.
SO THANK YOU TO PRINCIPAL ENGLISH AS WELL.
A COUPLE WORDS I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WAS, UM, NOT SO MUCH ABOUT OUR TEAM.
I'M TREMENDOUS, TREMENDOUSLY PROUD OF THESE GUYS AND THE WORK THAT THEY PUT IN.
UH, NOT ONLY ATHLETES, BUT THEY'RE GREAT STUDENTS OFF THE COURT.
UH, MOST OF THEM ARE ON HONOR ROLL.
UH, JAMES HAS MENTIONED A 4.0, BUT IT'S NOT JUST HIM.
WE HAVE 3.4, UH, 3.5, 3.0, ET CETERA, AND I COULD GO DOWN THE LINE.
SO SUPER PROUD OF THEM FOR THAT AND THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND OVERCOMING A LOT OF THINGS THAT THEY NEEDED TO, UH, BUT BIGGER THAN THEM.
IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE YOUTH THAT ARE HERE.
SO SHOUT OUT TO, UH, THE JAZZ BAND OVER THERE WHO'S TERRIFIC.
UH, SHOUT OUT TO THE YOUNG LADIES AT ARTS HIGH SCHOOL ON A TREMENDOUS SEASON.
THE YOUNG MAN WHO SPOKE, UH, SO ELOQUENTLY HERE, MR. BUSSY, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU.
AND, UH, BIG SHOUT OUT TO THE SHABAZZ, UH, BOYS HIGH SCHOOL TEAM.
AND, AND SO IN CELEBRATING YOUTH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY WE'RE, WE'RE COMPETITORS ON THE COURT.
UH, WE, WE BATTLE IT OUT, WE BATTLE WITH SHABAZZ, BUT UM, BEHIND ALL OF THAT, WE, WE ARE ALSO FROM, UH, WHERE WE'RE FROM IN THE SAME COMMUNITY AND WE ACTUALLY SUPPORT EACH OTHER.
LIKE WHAT SHABAZZ PROBABLY DOESN'T KNOW.
LAST YEAR, UH, WHEN WE GOT ELIMINATED FROM THE STATE TOURNAMENT, UH, THEY WENT ON AND I DROVE OUT TO WEEHAWKEN AND I SAT ON SHABAZZ'S SIDE AND I WAS ROOTING THEM ON BECAUSE IT'S ALL ABOUT ALL OF US.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT ONE TEAM, RIGHT? UM, SO WITH THAT SAID, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UH, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT'S EVER SUPPORTED US.
THE PARENTS THAT ARE HERE, UH, A COUPLE OF MY GUYS ARE NOT HERE.
WE ACTUALLY HAD A, A TYPO IN THE GROUP CHAT.
THEY THOUGHT IT STARTED AT SEVEN, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
SO SOME OF THEM ARE GONNA MISS, UH, THIS PORTION OF IT, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
AND WE, WE APPRECIATE YOU ALL.
I'M NOT A WOMAN, SO
UM, BUT I DO WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR YOUTH THAT ARE IN THE BUILDING.
YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING AND YOU ARE DOING AMAZING JOB.
A BIG SHOUT OUT TO MY BABY OVER THERE.
UM, WE CALL HIM PK, THE PREACHER'S KID.
AND HE LITERALLY, WE'VE HAD HIM SINCE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND SO WE TRAVELED FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL TO THE HIGH SCHOOL WITH HIM.
AND I AM SO, I WAS SO SHOCKED AND PROUD TO SEE YOU IN THE BUILDING TODAY AS A MINISTER.
GOD IS GOOD AND HE IS CONSTANTLY WORKING, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
BUT TO MY TEAM, I, I KID YOU NOT, WE LOVE THESE KIDS.
THESE ARE BEHIND ME ARE SOME AMAZING KIDS.
THEY'RE JUST NOT GOOD ON THE COURT.
THEY'RE GOOD ON AND OFF THE COURT.
THEY'RE NOT STUDENTS THAT GET INTO TROUBLE.
THEY HAVE GREAT GPAS AND IT'S, I I IT'S, WE GIVE HOMAGE TO THEIR PARENTS, BUT WE ALSO GIVE HOMAGE TO THEIR COMMUNITY.
[01:00:01]
AND PART OF THEIR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN THEIR COACH.UM, WHERE IS HE? OH, COACH BALTIMORE.
HE SETS A STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE.
AND HE, IF YOUR GRADES ARE NOT IN LINE, IF YOUR BEHAVIOR IS NOT IN LINE, HE HAS A HIGH EXPECTATION FOR ALL OF HIS BOYS.
AND THEY KNOW IF THEY GET IN TROUBLE, THEN THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH COACH BALTIMORE.
SO WE ARE VERY PROUD OF YOU GUYS.
I AM SO, YOU KNOW, I'M A BIG FAN.
THESE ARE SOME OF MY MIDDLE SCHOOL BABIES THAT I TRAVELED FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH THEM.
AND IT'S JUST AMAZING TO SEE THEM GROW AND WE ARE SO HAPPY AND I'M SO HAPPY THAT WE WON UNDER MY LEADERSHIP.
I'M TELLING YOU, I'M, I'M SUITED UP AND I AM SO HAPPY.
I WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST, UM, PEOPLE OUT THERE SCREAMING AND YELLING AND FUSSING AND FIGHTING AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT, JUST SO THAT THEY COULD BRING HOME THE CHAMPIONSHIP.
SO WE ARE VERY HAPPY ABOUT THEM, UH, FOR THEM.
AND ALSO, I JUST WANNA, UM, MR. ENGLISH IS OUR, ONE OF OUR COACHES AND HE DOES NOT GET PAID FOR THIS JOB.
ADMINISTRATORS DO NOT GET PAID TO COACH.
AND HE GIVES UP HIS TIME DILIGENTLY TO BE A PART OF THE THIS TEAM.
SO I DO WANNA GIVE HIM A SHOUT OUT.
AND WE, UH, THIS COACH JOHN SAID, I WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO TY GREEN WHO'S NOT HERE.
UM, JUST, THEY'RE ALL AMAZING AND THEY DO THE WORK EVEN IN THE SUMMERTIME.
THEY'RE IN THERE, THEY'RE LIFTING WEIGHTS, THEY'RE JUST, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE CONSTANTLY WITH THESE KIDS MENTORING, WITH SCHOOLWORK AND EVERYTHING.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU GUYS, THANK YOU FOR POURING INTO THEM AND CONTINUING TO POUR INTO THEM.
AND WE DO NOT TURN A BLIND EYE.
WE APPRECIATE YOU BECAUSE WHEN OUR SPORTS TEAMS ARE DOING WELL, WHEN OUR KIDS ARE INVOLVED IN EXTRA CURRICULUMS, OUR BUILDING, OUR CULTURE GOES UP AND IT CHANGES THE DYNAMIC.
AND EAST ORANGE CAMPUS IS ON THE RISE.
WE HAVE CHANGED THE DYNAMIC OF EAST ORANGE CAMPUS HIGH SCHOOL.
I DO WANNA SAY THAT I'M A NEWARK, UM, CHILD.
I WENT FROM JAGUARS TO JAGUARS.
SO I WAS VOTING, I WAS WITH YOU GUYS THE WHOLE TIME CHEERING YOU.
OH, HANG UP ONE OF MY BABIES TOO, ELIJAH.
I WAS, WAS WITH YOU GUYS THE WHOLE TIME, JUST CHEERING YOU ON.
I'M SO PROUD TO BE A A NEWARK CHILD.
AND I'M SO PROUD TO BE ABLE TO POUR, POUR INTO THESE AND THESE STUDENTS, THEY COME FROM EAST ORANGE CAMPUS, CICELY, TYSON AND STEM ACADEMY.
THREE SCHOOLS IN EAST ORANGE CAMPUS HEIGHTS IN EAST ORANGE.
AND WE ARE TRULY, TRULY PROUD OF THEM.
AND I WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO MY RIGHT HAND PERSON.
UM, IT'S ONE OF MY ADMINISTRATORS, MS. KRISTEN HAYES.
SHE IS MY RIGHT HAND PERSON AND SHE'S ALSO ONE OF THE RIGHT HAND PEOPLE FOR THE BASKETBALL TEAM.
SO I DO WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO, UM, YOU ALL FOR HONORING THEM AND JUST LET'S JUST KEEP IT GOING.
LET'S JUST KEEP ON CONGRATULATING OUR KIDS, POURING INTO OUR KIDS BECAUSE IT REALLY DOES MATTER WHAT WE POUR INTO THEM.
THEY WILL EVENTUALLY POUR OUT INTO SOMEONE ELSE AND WE WANNA POUR INTO THEM GOOD THINGS.
WE WANNA POUR INTO THEM BLESSINGS, WE WANT POUR INTO THEM STRENGTH.
WE WANNA POUR INTO THEM FAITH.
IF NOTHING ELSE, WE NEED TO POUR SOMETHING THAT WHEN THINGS GET HARD, THEY WILL HAVE SOMETHING TO LEAN ON AND THEY WILL HAVE SOMETHING TO TRUST IN.
SO LET'S NOT FORGET, IT'S ALL THE MATERIAL THINGS IN THE WORLD.
IT'S NOT ENOUGH, IT'S NOT ENOUGH.
LIFE WITHOUT FAITH IS NOTHING.
AND TO YOU YOUNG MAN, YOU GOING SOMEWHERE? MY DAUGHTER IS ALREADY AT NEW, UM, RUTGERS NORTH BRUSWICK AND SO, AND SHE'S A PART OF THE BLACK STUDENT UNIT NEW UNION.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HER MEETING YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY.
PRINCIPAL WHITAKER, COME BACK, PLEASE COME.
ALRIGHT, TIGHTEN UP JUST A LITTLE BIT, PLEASE.
[01:05:05]
THANK YOU.AND ONE MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR EAST ORANGE.
UH, EVERYONE, I AM COMMISSIONER WAYNE RICHARDSON AND THIS IS WHO YOU ALREADY MET.
UH, A DORIAN MURRAY, A VICE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD, AND IT'S OUR PRIVILEGE TO INTRODUCE OUR THIRD HONOREE OF THE NIGHT.
I'D LIKE TO ASK, UH, VICE PRESIDENT WHO'S ALREADY HERE, SHE'S JOINING ME.
PLEASE WELCOME MALCOLM X SHABAZZ HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM.
SO A A A ALLOW ME TO, UH, SHARE A FEW DETAILS, BUT I WANTED TO TELL YOU A STORY.
UH, A LITTLE EARLIER, WE WERE OUT IN THE HALLWAY AND I WAS INTRODUCING MYSELF TO THE TEAM AND, AND I LOOKED AT ONE OF THESE YOUNG MEN, THE TALLEST ONE OVER HERE.
I SAID, UH, I THINK I COULD TAKE YOU ON A ONE-ON-ONE.
HE LOOKED DOWN AT ME AND SAID, I DON'T THINK SO,
SO, UH, MALCOLM X SHABAZZ TEAM HAD AKA THE BULLDOGS HAD A GREAT 25, 26 SEASON ENDING WITH A 29 AND ONE RECORD AND A SEVEN GAME WINNING STREAK.
PLACING 14TH IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
THE TEAM TOOK HOME THE 2026 N-J-S-I-A-A GROUP ONE, GROUP ONE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP ON MARCH 15TH IN A 51 TO 48 VICTORY OVER THRIVE CHARTER.
THE BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM HAS AN AMAZING HISTORY THAT INCLUDES 20 SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AND 10 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS.
WE ARE PROUD TO COMMEND THESE YOUNG MEN AND RISING STARS FOR SUCH EXCELLENCE, DEDICATION, AND TEAMWORK.
I AM PROUD TO PRESENT YOU WITH THE BOARD ACCOMMODATIONS.
WE HAVE CERTIFICATES FROM CONGRESSWOMAN MACGYVER, SENATOR RUIZ, ASSEMBLY MEMBERS MORALES VENETIA, AND FROM MAYOR RA BARAKA AND THE CITY COUNCIL, WHICH WE HAVE TWO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE.
WE LIKE TO CALL UP, UM, AT LARGE MINISTER ROUNDTREE AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT CRUMP LEON.
LATER WE'RE GONNA SAVE YOU FOR LAST.
SO PLEASE, UH, WANNA SAY A FEW WORDS? SURE I DO REAL QUICK.
I JUST WANNA SAY, DON'T THEY LOOK AMAZING, NUMBER ONE, Y'ALL DON'T, THEY LOOK INCREDIBLE.
BUT I HAVE TO SAY, I WAS ONE OF THE PRIVILEGED PEOPLE WHO WERE IN THE ROOM AT THE GAME IN NEW BRUNSWICK, AND WHEN I TELL Y'ALL THE NBA AIN'T GOT NOTHING ON MALCOLM X CHAVA HIGH SCHOOL, Y'ALL, THIS WAS ONE OF THE MOST NAILED BIDEN GAMES I HAVE SEEN IN A LONG TIME.
THE HUSTLE, THE STRATEGY, THE COMMITMENT, THE WAY THE WHOLE CITY, I'D SAY THE WHOLE STATE, THE WAY WE SHOWED UP FOR YOU GUYS, WE ARE JUST SO PROUD OF YOU.
MANY OF YOU HAVE ACTUALLY KNOWN AND GOTTEN TO MEET AND GET TO WORK WITH FOR OVER SEVERAL YEARS NOW.
AND AS HAS ALREADY BEEN SHARED ABOUT EAST ORANGE, THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT JUST EXCELLENT ON THE COURT, BUT OFF THE COURT.
THEY'RE LEADERS AT THE SCHOOL, THEY'RE LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY, THEY'RE BIG BROTHERS AND PROUD SONS.
AND WE'RE JUST SO HONORED AND PRIVILEGED TO CELEBRATE YOU.
NOT JUST ON THE COURT, BUT OFF THE COURT.
AND LIKE OUR YOUNG BROTHER YO SAID SO BEAUTIFULLY EARLIER, KNOW YOUR HISTORY BECAUSE YOU ARE GREATNESS.
AS KENDRICK SAID, GREATNESS RUNS IN YOUR DNA.
SO GREATNESS BECAUSE YOU ARE GREATNESS, THUS IS THE EXPECTATION.
KEEP STRIVING, KEEP EXCELLING, KEEP GIVING BACK.
WE ARE WATCHING YOU, WE ARE PRAYING FOR YOU AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR COACHES AND YOUR YOUR COACHES.
Y'ALL, CAN WE JUST GET ROUNDUP APPLAUSE FOR THESE COACHES, Y'ALL, I WOULD BE HERE ALL NIGHT IF I SPOKE ABOUT HOW HARD THEY GO IN FOR THEIR YOUNG PEOPLE AND PRINCIPAL BUCKMAN.
I KNOW SHE WOULD BE HERE IF SHE COULD.
WE ARE ROOTING FOR YOU, WE'RE PROUD OF YOU AND WE'RE EXCITED TO GIVE YOU SO MANY COMMENDATIONS.
FIRST OF COURSE FROM OUR NONE OTHER, THE COUNCILWOMAN ROUND HERE, THE GREAT CITY OF NEWARK.
[01:10:01]
AND I'M PROUD OF IT.EXCUSE ME, CAN YOU GET ME THE RIGHT ONE? NO, NOT YOU.
TO COACH MARINO AND TO THESE WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL ASSISTANTS BECAUSE HE DIDN'T DO IT ALONE AND HE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT THESE YOUNG LOOK AT THEM.
THEY DON'T LOOK LIKE THEY, THEY LOOK LIKE THEY READY TO GET THE NBA RINGS.
THEY THEY DRESS, THEY DRESS FOR THE, YEAH.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU.
IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO GIVE YOU JUST A COMMENDATION AS EVERYONE IS SO ELOQUENTLY SPOKEN BEFORE TO OUR SUPERINTENDENT, TO ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS AND TO ALL OF YOU WHO'VE GATHERED HERE TODAY TO COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON.
AND IT'S JUST AMAZING TO STAND BEFORE PEOPLE.
AS I ALWAYS TELL MY DAUGHTER, COMMISSIONER A DORIAN, I TELL HER ALL THE TIME THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE PREPARATION FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.
WE'VE GOT TO NOT BE IN THE WAY OF THIS GREATNESS.
AND WHILE WE ARE POURING INTO THEM, WHATEVER WE ARE POURING, WE GOTTA MOVE OUT THE WAY SO WE CAN SEE ON ANY DAY THAT THEY'RE POURING INTO SOMEONE ELSE BECAUSE THEY LISTEN TO US.
THEY DIDN'T JUST HEAR US, THEY DIDN'T JUST HEAR THEIR COACHES AND THEY DIDN'T JUST LISTEN TO THEIR COACHES.
BECAUSE AFTER LISTENING COMES THE ACTION.
WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD AND YOUR MOTHER TOLD YOU NOT TO DO SOMETHING, YOU HURT HER.
BUT THEN YOU WENT ON AND DID SOMETHING SHE TOLD YOU NOT TO DO, WHICH MEANS YOU REALLY WASN'T LISTENING.
BUT THEY LISTENED TO THEIR COACHES, PASTOR GASKINS, THEY LISTENED.
MINISTER DORIAN, YOU'RE LISTENING.
DORIAN IS LISTENING AND THE REASON I KNOW SHE'S LISTENING IS BECAUSE GOD IS ELEVATING HER, ELEVATING YOU, AND ELEVATING ALL OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THIS ROOM.
BROTHER BUSTER, WE HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU AS WELL, BUT WE THANK GOD THAT WE CAN ARCHIVE, UH, THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION THAT THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS DECIDED TO PUT INTO THEIR RECORD THE CITY OF NEWARK.
SUPERINTENDENT LEON WANTED TO DO THE SAME THING.
SO AS WE STAND HERE TODAY PRESENTING A RESOLUTION TO OUR COACH, FARINO, HIS ASSISTANCE, AND THIS ENTIRE TEAM, WE PRESENT A RESOLUTION TO YOU.
AND I'M GOING TO LET COUNCILMAN PRESIDENT CRUMP TELL YOU JUST HOW SIGNIFICANT THESE RESOLUTIONS ARE BECAUSE WE DO VOTE ON THEM.
YOU WANT ME TO READ IT TOO? OR YOU WANT ME TO READ IT TOO? COUNCIL MORE.
SO THE COUNCILWOMAN HAS TASKED ME WITH READING THE RESOLUTION.
UH, I, I'M A FIRM BELIEVER THAT WE DON'T TAKE THESE LIGHTLY.
THE, THESE ARE VERY IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS THAT WE WROTE ON AS A CITY COUNCIL.
BEFORE I READ IT, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT MY MOTHER WOULD ALWAYS SAY, UH, IS THIS, THESE RESOLUTIONS ARE PART OF THE HISTORY OF THE CITY OF NEWARK.
THEY'RE ENTWINED, INTERTWINED WITH THE NAME NEWARK.
AND AS LONG AS THERE'S A CITY OF NEWARK, THERE WILL BE THE NAME OF THIS RESOLUTION FOR MALCOLM X'S HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAM.
AND SO I WILL READ THE CITY OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.
THE NEWARK MUNICIPAL COUNCIL HEREBY ISSUES THIS RESOLUTION COMMENDING MALCOLM X SHABAZZ HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAM, BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM.
WE, THE MEMBERS OF THE NEWARK MUNICIPAL COUNCIL WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU AS AN HONOREE DURING THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR THE ESSEX COUNTY CELEBRATING YOUTH ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22ND, 2026, AND IS SIGNED BY MYSELF.
UH, THAT'S COUNCIL PRESIDENT AMINA BAGS COUNCILWOMAN OF CENTRAL WARD PATRICK COUNCIL OF THE SOUTH WARD, CARLOS M GONZALEZ OF THE AT LARGE DUPREE KELLY, THE WEST WARD, COUNCILMAN LUIS, A ANA, THE LARGE COUNCILMAN, A NEBEL RAMOS, NORTH WARD COUNCILMAN LUIS SCOTT ROUNDTREE AS OUR COUNCILWOMAN AT LARGE, AND MICHAEL SILVA AS OUR EASTWARD COUNCILMAN.
AND IT'S ATTESTED BY KEISHA DANIELS, OUR CLERK.
AND THE DATE IS APRIL 22ND, 2026.
AND, AND LEMME JUST SAY, I'M GLAD TO PRESENT THIS 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, I, I LIKE THE WAY THEY LOOK.
Y'ALL LOOK SHARP, YOU'LL LOOK SHARP, SHARP, SHARP, SHARP.
[01:15:01]
SCHOOL, THEY SAY THOUGH, CASKET SHARPALRIGHT, I SAID, BUT WE SAY SHARP.
AND I, I, I'M GONNA STEAL A LITTLE, LITTLE QUICK THING.
YOU KNOW, MY, MY WIFE WENT TO ARTS HIGH.
MY, UH, MY DAUGHTER IS AT HEARTS ARTS HIGH.
NOW, IF Y'ALL KNOW MARGE, TELL HER YOU SAW ME AND, AND MY WIFE IS THE PTSO PRESIDENT.
SO I HAVE A STRONG AFFINITY FOR ARTS HIGH AND ALL THAT.
BUT, BUT I'M, BUT CONGRATULATIONS RIGHT NOW TO, TO THE BOYS HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAM ON YOUR VICTORY.
LAST, BUT LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UM, DANA, YOU KNOW THAT WHEN I COME AND I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM REPRESENTING THE HIGHEST OFFICE, IF HE CAN'T MAKE IT HERE, NO MATTER WHERE I GO, COUNCIL PRESIDENT MILDRED CRUMP USED TO DO IT AND OTHER COUNCIL PEOPLE HAVE REPRESENTED THE MAYOR.
AND IT IS AN HONOR TO BE ABLE TO READ HIS CONGRATULATORY REMARKS.
I DO HAVE A RESOLUTION FOR ARTS HIGH AS WELL THAT IS GOING TO BE PRESENTED TO MAKE SURE THIS DAY GOES DOWN IN HISTORY OF, OF NEWARK FOR YOU AND BROTHER BUSSY, WE GOT ONE FOR YOU TOO BROTHER.
WE HAVE A RESOLUTION FOR YOU AS WELL BECAUSE NOT JUST WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN MONTCLAIR, NOT JUST WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN THE MUNICIPALITY THAT YOU REPRESENT, BUT WHAT YOU'RE GETTING READY TO DO THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY IS GOING TO BE MAGNIFICENT.
PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER ONCE AGAIN FOR THIS YOUNG MAN.
I SORT OF GOT MYSELF TOGETHER.
NOW, WHEN I FIRST WALKED UP HERE, I FELT I WAS STANDING IN FRONT OF THE ANTI BAND.
I WAS LIKE, WAIT A MINUTE, THIS IS MALCOLM X AZZ BASKETBALL PLAYERS.
AND I SAW THE BOW TIES AND THE SUITS AND I SAID, NOW WAIT A MINUTE.
NOW MY SUPERINTENDENT, I WAS LIKE, 'CAUSE THEY DRESSED SO WELL.
'CAUSE YOU DRESSED ALL YOUR STUDENTS WELL BY THE WAY, SOMEBODY GIVING UP FOR THE WAY THEY DRESSED AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF NEWARK.
IT'S MY PLEASURE TO HONOR AND CONGRATULATE YOU AS WE CELEBRATE THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
ESSEX COUNTY CELEBRATES YOUTH.
THE MAYOR STATES HE APPLAUDS NOT JUST TO COACHES, BUT FOR SURE THE MALCOLM X SHABAZZ HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM FOR YOUR DILIGENCE AND DEVOTION OF EXCELLENCE, NOT JUST ON THE COURT, BUT THROUGH YOUR SCHOLASTIC STUDIES AS WELL.
HE SAYS, WE ARE ALSO PROUD TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU FOR THE MANY CONTRIBUTIONS THAT WE KNOW THAT ARE ON THE WAY AND THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY MADE AND WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE.
AND FOR THE STRONG FOUNDATION, NOT JUST IN SPORTS, BUT THROUGH LIFE THAT YOU ARE BUILDING AND WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THIS JOURNEY.
THE MAYOR STATES TO ALL OF YOU, I KNOW YOU WILL CONTINUE TO BE AN INSPIRATION TO US ALL AND THAT YOUR GREATEST DAYS ARE IN FRONT OF YOU.
THE MAYOR STATES, MAY GOD CONTINUE TO KEEP THE GIFT YOU ARE AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE FOR HUMANITY.
ONCE AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS AND MAY THIS DAY BE A MOST MEMORABLE ONE.
SINCERELY, RA JAB BARAKA MAYOR, CITY OF NORTH NEW JERSEY.
LET ME SIT DOWN BEFORE THEY TAKE THE MIC.
AND LET ME JUST SAY THIS THOUGH, THERE'S SOME PREACHERS IN THE HOUSE, MINISTER REVEREND DR.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING FOR THE CHILDREN, THE STAFF, THE TEACHERS, THE COACHES, THE PARENTS.
BECAUSE YOU CAN'T FORGET THE PARENTS.
YOU CAN'T FORGET THE TEACHERS.
YOU CAN'T FORGET THE SUPPORT STAFF.
YOU CAN'T FORGET THE SUPERINTENDENT.
AND YOU SURE CAN'T FORGET THE COMMISSIONERS THAT THOUGHT IT NOT ROBBERIES.
SO BABIES, LET ME SAY THIS TO ALL OF YOU BECAUSE Y'ALL BABIES, TO ME, I HOW WAS YOUR AGE ONCE, WHETHER YOU BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
BUT LISTEN, MAY GOD CONTINUE TO KEEP THE GIFTS THAT ALL OF YOU ARE.
MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BE YOUR STRENGTH, BE YOUR GUIDE.
BE YOUR PEACE AND ANGELS AND CAMPED ON YOU AS A SHELTER BECAUSE MANY ANCESTORS HAVE PAVE THE WAY FOR YOU TO BE HERE TODAY.
WE WILL NOT TAKE CREDIT FOR THE GREATNESS IN UP, BUT WE ARE GONNA SAY TO GOD, BE THE GLORY.
BUT THIS IS THE DAY THE LORD HAS MADE AND WE GONNA REJOICE AND EVERYBODY PUT HANDS TOGETHER.
WE ALMOST DONE COACH, COACH MARINO, WOULD YOU PLEASE JUST TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TEAM? THIS TO YOU TOO? OKAY.
CAN WE GET A PICTURE WITH YEAH, WE, OKAY.
[01:20:01]
UH, THANK Y'ALL FOR COMING OUT.UH, THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT AND THAT'S IT.
UH, I WANT, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK EVERYONE THAT PUT THIS EVENT TOGETHER.
UH, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING LIGHT TO WHAT WE'VE DONE THIS SEASON AS FAR AS ARTS HIGH SCHOOL AND EAST ORANGE AND OURSELVES.
UM, THANK YOU TO ALL THE PARENTS AND SUPPORTERS THAT SHOWED US, SHOWED UP FOR US DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU GUYS.
I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR AD AND PRINCIPAL BUCKMAN FOR ADVOCATING FOR US TO GET THE PROPER RESOURCES TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND NOW WE'RE SUPERINTENDENT ROGER LEON, FOR FULFILLING THESE WANTS AND NEEDS.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THIS INCREDIBLE TEAM AND COACHING STAFF TO THE PLAYERS.
YOUR COMMITMENT, DISCIPLINE, AND WILLINGNESS TO PUSH YOURSELVES EVERY SINGLE DAY.
MADE THE SEASON SEASON SOMETHING SPECIAL.
YOU SHOWED HEART RESILIENCE AND WHAT IT TRULY MEANS TO PLAY FOR ONE ANOTHER TO MY COACHING STAFF.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION.
LONG HOURS AND CONSTANT SUPPORT YOUR KNOWLEDGE, LEADERSHIP, AND BELIEF IN OUR VISION.
HELP GUIDE THIS GROUP EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
I'M PROUD OF EVERYTHING WE'VE BUILT.
IT'S BEEN THE HONOR TO BUILD A BROTHERHOOD WITH YOU GUYS, TO EVERYONE BEHIND ME, STATE, LEGENDARY, AND WHERE TO LEAVE YOUR LEGACY.
THANK YOU, MR. SUPERINTENDENT.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS? MR. ROGER LEON, YOU HEAR THEM BEHIND ME, RIGHT? THIS IS GONNA BE LONG
FIRST, LET'S TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE ALL OF THE PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, AUNTS, UNCLES THAT ARE HERE.
A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO YOU.
THE REASON WHY I WANNA DO THAT IS BECAUSE THIS IS EVIDENCE OF YOUR HARD WORK, YOUR COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE, YOUR SWEAT, YOUR TEARS, THE SACRIFICES THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE.
THESE YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS RECOGNITION TODAY BY THE COMMISSIONERS AND I COMMEND THE COMMISSIONERS FOR DOING THIS, IS NOT ABOUT THEM.
EVEN THOUGH WE'RE RECOGNIZING THEM.
THIS IS ABOUT WHAT WE NEED THEM TO DO BECAUSE THEY HAVE A MORAL RESPONSIBILITY.
THEY HAVE AN OBLIGATION IN ORDER TO MAKE OUR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES BETTER.
WHO BETTER TO TAKE CARE OF US THAN THESE INCREDIBLE STUDENTS THAT ARE BEING RECOGNIZED TODAY? THE, THE, THE TALENT OF YOGAN, THE MINISTRY OF DARIEN, THE INCREDIBLE TALENT OF MY TWO ELEMENTARY STUDENTS FROM EQUIPMENT STREET SCHOOL, THE GUYS FROM SHABAZZ, THE GUYS FROM EAST ORANGE AND MY LADY JAGUARS.
THE COMMITMENT THAT THESE YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE DEMONSTRATED IS SECOND TO NONE.
AND YESTERDAY I SPENT THE EVENING WITH THE EAST ORANGE SUPERINTENDENT STUDENTS FROM EAST ORANGE, UH, FROM BARRINGER, FROM UM, UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL AND JOHN LEGEND.
AND WE HAD AN ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE EVENING AT NJPAC.
OUR STUDENTS WERE WORTHY OF BEING THERE.
NOT BECAUSE THEY LACKED, BUT BECAUSE JOHN LEGEND DESERVED TO BE IN THE PRESENCE OF THE GREATNESS OF THE STUDENTS OF OUR RESPECTIVE CITIES.
SO FINALLY, SOMETIMES WHEN YOU APPLAUD A LOT, YOU WANT THE PERSON TO SIT DOWN.
COACH MARINO, PLEASE COME HERE.
COACH MARINO, COACH BROWN, CAN YOU PLEASE STAND THESE TWO MEN AND THE TEAM OF ASSISTANT COACHES THAT THEY CREATED, THE STRATEGIZING THAT THEY DID, WHILE THESE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA BE RECOGNIZED TODAY, THE YOUNG GUYS HERE AND THE LADIES THAT ARE COMING, THE IDEA THAT THESE TWO MEN WERE SMART ENOUGH TO FIGURE OUT THAT THE GREATEST WAY TO DEMONSTRATE GREATNESS IN OUR ENTIRE STATE WAS TO BE WORK.
THEY COULD HAVE WORKED IN AT ANY OTHER, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THEY CHOSE TO BE HERE IN NEWARK PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THEY'VE COMMITTED THEIR SWEAT AND THEIR TEARS TO THE GREATNESS THAT HAS RESULTED IN THE, UH, EXCELLENCE.
SINCE THEY'VE RECEIVED THIS RECOGNITION, THE LADY JAGUARS, THE FIRST PERFORMING ARTS HIGH SCHOOL IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, CREATED AND OPENED IN 1932.
1932 IS WHEN THAT SCHOOL WAS OPEN.
AND THEY'VE NEVER WON A CHAMPIONSHIP UNTIL THIS YEAR.
I'M PROUD OF THESE YOUNG LADIES AND THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSIONERS FOR HONORING ALL OF THEM.
[01:25:37]
I NEED THAT EXTRA.WE ARE SO PROUD OF OUR LADY JACK.
OUR MALCOLM X SHABAZZ HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONS.
BY THE WAY, MY FIRST, MY FIRST HIGH SCHOOL, MY HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEART WAS A EAST ORANGE ACT.
SO SHOUT OUT TO EAST ORANGE WITH A LIVE OF TIME AT CAMPUS,
AND WE'RE JUST SO, SO PRIVILEGED TO CELEBRATE ALL OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
TONIGHT WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO HAVE ANOTHER MUSICAL, MUSICAL SELECTION FROM JAZZ HOUSE KIDS.
I JUST WANNA TELL Y'ALL WHO WE HAVE HERE.
SO WE HAVE, WE WHITELOCK ON THE GUITAR, EVERYONE ROUND PAUL WEST.
WE GOT VIOLET MOKA ON THE TRUMPET, THE LONE LADY DOING HER THING ON THAT TRUMPET.
WE'VE GOT ELLA I ON THE SAXOPHONE.
SEBASTIAN CHANG ON THE DRUMS. Y'ALL AND SIMON FUENTES ON THE BASS.
[01:32:57]
JAZZ HOUSE KIDS, EVERYONE.AND THAT'S, IT SHOULD BE CALLED JAZZ HOUSE GROWN BECAUSE Y'ALL DON'T PLAY LIKE THOUGH YOUNG PEOPLE.
Y'ALL PLAY LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE AND UM, WE THANK GOD FOR YOU AND THE MINISTRY THROUGH YOUR ART AND YOUR MUSIC.
IT'S MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO INTRODUCE, UH, TWO SPECIAL HONOREES.
ONE IS A SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT, UM, IS VERY PERSONAL TO ME.
'CAUSE MONTH AGO I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF PRESENTING ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONER COMMENDATIONS TO THE YOUNG WOMEN OF THE DELTA SIGMA THETA ORATORICAL COMPETITION.
I'VE BEEN BLESSED TO BE A PART OF THIS PARTICULAR ORATORICAL COMPETITION.
IT'S A MIDDLE SCHOOL COMPETITION, SPECIFICALLY FOR ORATORY FOR A FEW, FOR A FEW YEARS NOW.
BUT WHEN I TELL YOU I WAS ABSOLUTELY BLOWN AWAY BY EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE YOUNG SPEAKERS, ALL BETWEEN THE AGES OF 10 AND 13, TO THE POINT WHERE I CALLED UP, YOU KNOW, OUR DEPUTY CLERK, UH, KATHY AND, AND ADAM.
I SAID, LISTEN, I KNOW WE ALREADY HAVE THE HONOREE SCHEDULE FOR NEXT MONTH'S APRIL YOUTH DAY, BUT I HAVE TO DO A SPECIAL RECOGNITION FOR THESE DISTINGUISHED YOUNG PEOPLE WHO BUILDING ON THE THEME FROM GABBY DOUGLAS.
UH, GABBY DOUGLAS IS A FAMOUS QUOTE, OF COURSE, AN OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST WHO SAYS, DON'T BE AFRAID TO SPEAK UP FOR YOURSELF.
KEEP FIGHTING FOR YOUR DREAMS. GAVE ORIGINAL SPEECHES THAT BROUGHT THE ROOM TO TEARS AND WE FOUND IT NOT ROBBERY TO DO A SPECIAL RECOGNITION FOR EACH OF THESE FINALISTS TODAY.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A SPECIAL MOMENT TO BRING UP, TO RECEIVE COMMENDATIONS, WHICH AS I SHARED BEFORE, MARKING YOU GUYS AS WITH ALL OF OUR HONOREES IN THE HISTORIC ARCHIVES IN THE GREAT COUNTY OF ESSEX, NOT JUST FOR WHAT YOU'RE ALREADY DOING AS AMAZING MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS TODAY, BUT FOR WHO YOU'LL CONTINUE TO BE.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'D LIKE TO
[01:35:01]
INTRODUCE FIRST UP, THE YOUNGEST OF THE BUNCH WHO ALSO HAPPENED TO PLACE FIRST.FIRST PLACE, EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTYWIDE ORATOR COMPETITION, MISS ALYSSA YARDI, SIXTH GRADE OF THE RE SCHOOL AS OUR FIRST EE.
WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS TO MCKAYLA HOLLIS OF NORTH STAR ACADEMY IN ABSENTIA.
WE RECOGNIZE YOU WILL GET HER HER AWARD AT A LATER TIME.
TE KELYN MCKELVY OF ROOSEVELT MIDDLE SCHOOL AT ABSENTIA, WE WILL GIVE HER AWARD AT A LATER TIME.
AND TO NILA BLACKMAN EQUIPMENT STREET SCHOOL, ONE OF OUR BEAUTIFUL FIRST WELCOMERS TODAY, WHO IS A FINALIST.
AND LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, MISS SUMMER SEILER OF QUITMAN STREET SCHOOL.
ALL THREE OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE WERE EXTRAORDINARY, WERE EXCEPTIONAL.
THIS YOUNG LADY CAME IN FIRST PLACE AND WE ARE JUST SO PROUD OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM.
WE ALSO ARE RECOGNIZING VICTORIA PBIS AND ABSENTIA AS WELL.
WE ARE PROUD OF YOU, WE SALUTE YOU AND ON THIS ESSEX COUNTY YOUTH DAY, KNOW THAT WE SEE YOU AND WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT YOU'LL CONTINUE TO DO NEXT.
AND ASK SOMEONE WHO WAS TOLD WHEN I FIRST RAN FOR OFFICE AT 23 YEARS OLD, BECOMING THE YOUNG, BECOMING THE YOUNGEST WOMAN EVER ELECTED TO THE NEWARK BOARD OF EDUCATION.
WHY YOU RUNNING TO TALK AND AND TALK ABOUT KIDS AND STUDENTS ANYWAY, WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE ANY CHILDREN YOURSELF.
I SAY TO YOU, THE YOUNG LADIES OF OUR ORAL COMPETITION AND TO EACH OF YOU THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE HONORING TODAY, YOU ARE NOT TOO YOUNG FOR ANYTHING.
WE CELEBRATE YOU AND WE SALUTE YOU.
IT'S MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO BRING UP ANOTHER GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ONLY YOUNG AND EXCELLENT AND BEAUTIFUL AND BRILLIANT, BUT THEY ARE CHAMPIONS FAMILY.
WON'T YOU JOIN ME IN COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON AND WELCOMING NONE OTHER THAN ARTS HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAM.
OUR LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT OUR LEAST HONOREE, THE LADY JACKS OF THE GREAT ARTS HIGH SCHOOL, ONE OF THE MOST HISTORIC HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE NATION.
AND AS I SHARED EARLIER, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING AT BOTH GAMES, BEING AT OUR YOUNG MEN FROM MALCOLM X SHABAZZ GAME AND BEING IN OUR LADY JAGUARS GAME.
AND WHEN I TELL YOU THEY DID NOT COME TO PLAY, WE HAD THE WHOLE, WE HAD ONE PART OF THE GAME.
WE HAD THE WHOLE ROOM DECKED OUT IN OUR ORANGE AND GOLD BLACK COLORS, AND THEN WE WAS ALL IN GREEN.
Y'ALL, WE WERE NOT PLAYING ABOUT THE LADY JACKS AND THEY WEREN'T PLAYING WITH US EITHER.
SO LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS INCREDIBLE TEAM.
THE ARTS HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAM, AKA, THE JAGUARS HAD A HISTORIC 2025 THROUGH 2026 SEASON, AN INCREDIBLE 27 THROUGH FOUR RECORD AND HAD BEEN UNDEFEATED AT HOME FOR TWO YEARS STRAIGHT.
THE TEAM TOOK HOME THE 2026 N-J-S-I-A-A-S-I-A-A GROUP ONE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, A FIRST FOR THE SCHOOL AS OUR SUPERINTENDENT SHARED EARLIER IN A 57 45 VICTORY OVER NEW PROVIDENCE.
THE TEAM WAS CROWNED THE INDEPENDENT, INDEPENDENT DIVISION CHAMPIONS SUPER ESSEX CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS, THE SEC TEAM OF THE YEAR.
THE GROUP WON TEAM OF THE YEAR AND THE NORTH ONE SECTION TWO SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS.
ANOTHER FIRST FROM THE SCHOOL.
WHEN I TELL Y'ALL THEY DID NOT COME TO PLAY, THEY CAME TO SLAY THE LADY.
JACKS ARE EXCEPTIONAL ON AND OFF THE COURT.
YOU'RE NOT JUST LOOKING AT ATHLETES, YOU'RE LOOKING AT SCHOLAR ATHLETES, YOU'RE LOOKING AT PUBLIC SERVANTS, YOU'RE LOOKING AT MENTORS IN THEIR SCHOOL.
YOUNG WOMEN WHO EXCEL EVERYWHERE.
SEVERAL PLAYERS ALSO DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES INDIVIDUALLY.
IN THE 25 THROUGH 2026 SEASON, MS. NYLA RIVERA WAS SELECTED FOR ALL STATE.
SECOND TEAM, FIRST TEAM, ALL GROUP ONE, FIRST TEAM, ALL COUNTY, THE ALL CONFERENCE, FIRST TEAM AND THE NORTH BOARD OF EDUCATION HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT.
THE FIRST TEAM ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM, THE SIDELINE CHATTER PLAYER OF THE YEAR AND A 1000 POINTS SCORE.
SO THEY CAN SEE WHO YOU'RE, HOLD ON.
WHO DID THAT? OKAY, VEO SWEETHEART, WE SEE YOU.
[01:40:01]
YOU.'CAUSE NIJA TROUTMAN, OKAY, HOLD ON.
NIJA TROUTMAN WAS SELECTED FOR THE SECOND TEAM.
ALL GROUP ONE, ALL CONFERENCE, FIRST TEAM AND THE NEWARK BOARD OF EDUCATION HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT TEAM.
CAN WE MAKE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE? WHERE YOU AT, SWEETHEART? COME ON, RAISE YOUR HEART SO THEY CAN SEE YOU NOW.
BURGESS WAS SELECTED FOR GUESS WHAT? THE ALL CONFERENCE, FIRST TEAM.
HELLO, THE NORTH BOARD EVENT, HOLIDAY ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM AND THE SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.
MVP, ROUND APPLAUSE FOR HARMONY.
WHAT? YOU AT HARMONY? COME ON.
AND LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, WE HAVE AYANA, LAFON, NICOLE RAY.
AM I SAYING THAT RIGHT? YES, THAT'S RIGHT.
NICOLE, RAY BOGAN, BOGAN BOGAN AND MORGAN HARE OR JAIR HARE, EACH OF THEM SELECTED ALL CONFERENCE.
Y'ALL ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ALL OF LIKE, I WANT YOU TO NOTICE SOMETHING THAT JUST HAPPENED HERE.
I READ THEIR NAMES AND THEY CORRECTED ME.
OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO COME FROM BLACK AND ROUND IN ALL COLOR COMMUNITIES WHOSE NAMES ARE BEAUTIFUL AND DISTINCT ON PURPOSE, DESERVE TO HAVE THEIR NAMES SAID THE RIGHT WAY, THE WAY THEIR MAMA AND THEIR DADDY AND THEIR WILLOW RIGHT? THE WAY THAT ALL THEIR FAMILY SAYS THEIR NAME.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IT'S SAID THAT WAY.
AND I WANT WANT YOU TO NOTICE SOMETHING.
THEY COULD HAVE SAT HERE QUIETLY AND HAD ME SAY IT THE WRONG WAY, BUT THEY DIDN'T.
AND YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE THESE ARE YOUNG WOMEN WHO ARE PROUD OF THEIR VOICE, WHO HONOR THEIR VOICE, WHO HONOR THE FACT THAT WE OUGHT TO CALL OUR CHILDREN BY THEIR NAMES.
AND SO YOUNG PEOPLE, LADY JAGS, WE CALL YOU BY YOUR NAME, THE FUTURE AND THE RIGHT NOW, CREATIVES, ENTREPRENEURS, COLLEGE GRADUATES, FUTURE LAWMAKERS, LAWYERS, NURSES, DOCTORS, INFLUENCERS.
WE CALL YOU BY YOUR NAMES, GAME CHANGER, SELF-STARTERS, WAY MAKERS, YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WILL BE THE HEAD AND NOT THE TELL TO ALL OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE.
YOUR PERSEVERANCE AND COMMITMENT TO SELF-IMPROVEMENT CARRY YOU TO GREAT HEIGHTS IN YOUR FUTURE.
WE CANNOT WAIT TO CONTINUE CELEBRATING YOU, GIVING YOU THESE COMMENDATIONS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE SEE YOU AT THE NEXT FINISH LINE FROM CHAMPIONSHIPS TO HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE GRADUATIONS AND SO ON AND SO ON.
COACH BROWN, WHY DON'T YOU COME AND JOIN US AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THESE EXCELLENT SCHOLARS.
ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR COACH BROWN.
EVERYONE, I GOTTA SAY, ME AND PRINCIPAL SHARP ACTUALLY GO WAY BACK, BACK FROM WHEN SHE WORKED AT BARRINGER AND WHEN I USED TO WORK IN THE DISTRICT.
AND WHEN I TELL YOU SHE LOVES YOU, SUPPORTS YOU, AND IS SO PROUD OF YOU AND EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, WE APPRECIATE YOU, YOUR COACHING STAFF, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU CELEBRATING YOUR YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY.
UM, FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UM, ES COUNTY, UH, BOARD OF COUNTY, UM, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR HAVING US AND HONORING US.
I WANNA THANK, UH, SUPERINTENDENT LEON.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UH, PRINCIPAL MS. SHARP.
I AD MR. FAZIO, ALL THE PARENTS, THE YOUNG LADIES, MY WIFE THAT SACRIFICING AND, AND PUT THAT WITH ME.
YEAH, YEAH, A LOT OF LATE NIGHTS.
UM, I CAN SAY THIS NOW BECAUSE THIS WAS DONE.
I WON CHAMPIONSHIPS ON COLLEGE LEVEL, EVERY ELEMENTARY LEVEL, HIGH SCHOOL, EVERYTHING.
THIS IS THE BEST TEAM I'VE EVER COACHED.
I CANNOT, I CAN HONESTLY SAY IT.
AND THE REASON WHY I SAY THAT IS THEY ALL WERE COMMITTED.
THEY G WE HAVE AN AVERAGE GP AT 3.5 AS A TEAM, RIGHT? UM, ALL OUR YOUNG LADY'S BEEN ACCEPTED TO PRESTIGIOUS UNIVERSITIES.
I HAVE TO SPEAK FOR HER RIGHT HERE.
NILA RIVERA, SHE'S VERY HUMBLE.
BUT THIS YOUNG LADY HAS GOT A FULL SCHOLARSHIP TO HAMPTON UNIVERSITY.
UM, I'M GONNA LET THE YOUNG LADY SPEAK BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT THEM, BUT OUR MAIN THING IS THE STANDARDS, THE STANDARD, AND FROM ACADEMICS TO ATHLETICS TO EVEN CHARACTER, THEY'VE SHOWN IT.
SO I'M GONNA LET MY CAPTAIN SPEAK.
UM, HI, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS NIRA TROUTMAN HERE REPRESENTING THE ARTS LADY JAGS.
UM, I JUST WANT TO GIVE A GREAT THANK
[01:45:01]
YOU FOR HONORING US ON TODAY.UM, A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO OUR COACH, COACH BROWN AND THE ASSISTANT COACHES, UM, OUR SUPER, UM, OUR SPORTS SUPERINTENDENT.
UM, I JUST AM SO HONORED ON TODAY, UM, TO BE WITH AMAZING YOUNG LADIES WHO ARE ABLE TO SHOW UP EVERY DAY.
UM, THEY PUT IN SO MUCH HARD WORK AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO BE WHERE WE ARE ON TODAY.
UM, AND BEING THAT MILA RIVERA CAME FROM A, UM, SCHOOL THAT WAS CLOSED IMMACULATE CONCEPTION HIGH SCHOOL, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH GOALS ON THAT LEVEL AND BEING ABLE TO COME INTO A NEW SPACE AND A NEW SYSTEM WITH NEW PEOPLE, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO JUST BE GREAT.
UM, AND THAT WASN'T JUST BECAUSE OF OUR, OF, OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN OURSELVES, BUT THE SUPPORT SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE, UM, AT ARTS HIGH SCHOOL.
AND LIKE I SAID, THANK YOU ON TODAY.
ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US.
THIS IS AN AMAZING HONOR, UH, EVERYTHING THAT NIJA SAID, I AGREE.
AND I'M JUST REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THIS TEAM.
UM, LIKE SHE SAID, WE CAME FROM A SCHOOL THAT CLOSED DOWN, BUT A SCHOOL THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH AN AMAZING GOAL OF WINNING A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.
AND WE CAME IN AND WE KNEW THAT WE WERE GONNA HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES AS SENIORS.
AND I'M JUST SO GRATEFUL FOR OUR COACHING STAFF, FOR SUPPORTING US EVERY STEP OF THE WAY AND GIVING US ALL THAT WE NEEDED TO ACHIEVE THAT GOAL.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO WIN A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP ON A LEVEL WHERE IT HAD NEVER BEEN DONE.
SO I'M JUST GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND GRATEFUL FOR MY TEAM.
SO I LOVE YOU GUYS AND THANK YOU.
CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO THE LADY JAGS.
WE LOOK FORWARD, WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO ALL THE AMAZING THINGS YOU'LL CONTINUE TO DO.
LET'S TAKE A QUICK PHOTO, EVERYONE.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM AGAIN.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR HONOREES WHO ARE IN THE BUILDING.
WE'VE GOT SOME FOOD FOR Y'ALL.
WE GOT THIS SPACE, SO WE'RE EXCITED TO WELCOME YOU TO OUR CONCLUSION OF THE PROGRAM.
I DO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE MS. BRINKLEY PALMER.
BRINKLEY, CAN YOU STAND SO WE CAN RECOGNIZE YOU? SWEETHEART BRINKLEY, WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU.
THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF THE MONTCLAIR OR HISTORICAL COMPETITION.
YOU ARE AMAZING, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CELEBRATING YOU AS WELL.
ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR YOU, BRINKLEY.
Y'ALL, ALL YOUNG PEOPLE ARE JUST OUT OF THIS WORLD.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, IT'S MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO BRING UP EAST ORANGE CAMPUS HIGH SCHOOL MINISTER DARION GASKINS.
AS YOUR PRINCIPAL AFFECTIONATELY CALLS YOU PK TO GIVE US A CLOSING PRAYER AND TO BLESS OUR FOOD, FAMILIES, FRIENDS, AT THE END, OUR PHOTOGRAPHER, MR. LLOYD, WILL BE AROUND.
SO IF YOU WANNA TAKE PICTURES WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND YOUR FAMILIES, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO DO SO.
WE WELCOME YOU AND THANK YOU AGAIN.
[01:50:01]
YOU CLAP YOUR HANDS FOR JESUS? ONE MORE TIME? CAN YOU CLAP YOUR HANDS FOR JESUS? DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU.WE WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THIS GREAT EVENT THAT YOU HAVE BLESSED US WITH.
LORD, YOU'VE BEEN MIGHTY GOOD TO US.
YOU'VE BEEN A GOOD FATHER, YOU'VE BEEN A GOOD MOTHER, YOU'VE BEEN A GOOD DOCTOR, YOU'VE BEEN A GOOD LAWYER.
IF WE HAD 10,000 TONGUES, THERE STILL WOULDN'T BE ENOUGH JUST TO SAY THANK YOU, FATHER GOD.
I ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO BLESS OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
FATHER GOD, I REBUKE THE SPIRIT OF DEPRESSION.
I REBUKE THE SPIRIT OF SUICIDAL THOUGHTS.
I REBUKE THE SPIRIT THAT MAY TRY TO CONDEMN US FROM BEING WHO WE, WHO YOU WANT US TO BE, FATHER, NO WAY PERFORMED AGAINST US.
SHALL I BE ABLE TO PROSPER? 'CAUSE WE KNOW THAT YOU CAN DO ALL THINGS BUT FAIL.
YOU CAN DO ALL THINGS BUT LIE.
YOU ARE A GOOD LAWYER, AND WE THANK YOU LORD JESUS.
SAY I REBUKE YOU, DEVIL YOU ARE A LIAR.
AND SAY, IN, I REBUKE YOU AT THE NAME OF JESUS, LORD, BLESS THIS FOOD, LORD, IT BE NOURISHMENT TO OUR BODIES.
ALL RIGHT, THE FOOD HAS BEEN BLESSED.
WE DO ASK THE HONOREES, ALL OF THE HONOREES COULD JOIN US FOR ONE GROUP PHOTO WITH ALL OF OUR COMMISSIONERS AS WELL.
AND YOU KNOW, HELP YOURSELF ENJOY THE SPACE.
TAKE PICTURES BY THE CHERRY BLOSSOM TREE.
THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST, MOST DIVERSE COLLECTIONS OF CHERRY BLOSSOMS IN THE COUNTRY RIGHT HERE IN WICK PARK.