Press Releases

Achunike Okafor of Science Park High School Achieves the Highest GPA in the Newark Public Schools Class of 2023, Earns Over 40 Full Scholarship Offers

Achunike Okafor<br>Science Park High School

Science Park High School has a new record holder in academic excellence. Achunike Okafor, a graduating senior at the high school, has achieved the highest GPA in both the school and district with a remarkable 4.625. Okafor's extraordinary achievements, earned him over 40 full scholarship offers to some of the top universities in the nation, including Harvard, Princeton, University of Pennsylvania, Columbia, MIT, Cornell, Brown, University of Southern California, University of Michigan, Boston, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Ramapo, Rowan, Drexel, Penn State, Montclair, TCNJ, NJIT and Stanford, to name a few.

A recipient of International Baccalaureate diploma, Okafor has proven himself to be a distinguished scholar. He has dedicated himself to achieving academic excellence and success. Not only has he set records at Science Park High School and the district, but he has also earned recognition for his exceptional writing, research projects, and contributions to the community.

"I am grateful for the opportunity to attend such esteemed universities and to represent my family and community," said Achunike Okafor. "I do not take lightly the privilege and responsibility to be among the few individuals selected for such an honor."

Okafor's impressive achievements have brought pride and recognition to the Science Park High School and the Newark community. His exceptional academic record and determination to succeed are a testament to the hard work and dedication of both Okafor and his teachers.

Achunike Okafor will be attending Harvard University in the fall to pursue a degree in Neuroscience.

Newark Board of Education Salutes Graduates of 2021-22

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Newark, NJ, [June 23, 2022]. Today, Newark Public Schools is hosting graduation ceremonies for over 2,300 seniors from across 14 district high schools in celebration of the Class of 2022’s remarkable accomplishments.

Family, friends, staff, and community members will witness the achievements of this very special and historic class with 434 seniors achieving a GPA of 3.5 or better, 146 earning Associates Degrees, saving their parents over $12 million by taking college courses while in high school and earning more than $77 million in college scholarships.

In acknowledging their success, Superintendent León stated, “The Class of 2022 is making history. Their high school experience was disrupted by a global pandemic, making two of their four years like no other high school experience in history.” He added, “In adversity there is opportunity and our students have excelled at every level along the way. We are confident that all of our lives will be inherently better because of the accomplishments of the Class of 2022.”

During his comments, Superintendent León thanked the higher education partners, who are invaluable to our student success: Essex County College, Rutgers University-Newark, Montclair State University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Seton Hall University, Kean University, Bard College, Bergen County Community College, and the newest partner to our dual enrollment program, Howard University.

Dawn Haynes, President of the Board said, “I continue to be impressed with our students. While they faced adversity, we continued to challenge them with rigorous curriculum offerings and our new FAFSA graduation requirement. They did exactly what we knew would happen when Newark’s children are challenged, they excelled.”

Graduating from High School comes with great happiness and joy. The graduating Class of 2022 in Newark has made phenomenally noteworthy accomplishments and we are extremely proud of every senior. We know great things are waiting for the Class of 2022 in the future and we wish them continued success and best wishes.

Two Newark High Schools Have a Multiyear Track Record for Making the U.S. News 2022 “Best High Schools in NJ” List

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On Tuesday, April 26, 2022, U.S. News & World Report released their latest rankings of the best public high schools in America.  More than 400 high schools from New Jersey made the list and two of them are from Newark, New Jersey; Science Park High School ranked #27 and Technology High School ranked #38, have a multiyear track record of success in making the U.S. Best Schools List.

Superintendent León shared, “This is an incredible honor and I congratulate the students and their families, and the administrators and teachers at each school for their dedication and hard work, especially during a pandemic.  We look forward to seeing more of our schools on The Best High Schools in America list.”

U.S. News & World Report system uses a scale of college readiness, reading and math performance, underserved student performance, college curriculum breadth, and graduation rates.

#27: Science Park High School is a magnet school located in the Central Ward that prepares students for careers in science, mathematics, and technology. Principal Kcyied Zahir said, “Our rigorous curriculum is punctuated by college-level coursework driven by interdisciplinary study, research, ethical leadership, global perspective, and service. We are proud of what our staff and students have accomplished.” The SAT scores remain some of the highest in the country and the school’s curriculum is highly specialized.

#38: Technology High School is a magnet high school located in Newark’s North Ward with a vision of developing global leaders by providing them with tools to succeed in a world driven by technology. “We develop global leaders by providing them with the tools to succeed in a world driven by technology,” said Principal Edwin Reyes. “This recognition is evidence of what can happen when you have dedicated students and staff.”

Board President Dawn Haynes echoed the Superintendent’s sentiment, “I am excited and proud that two of our high schools received this honor.  They set the bar high and we are confident that more will be added in the future.”

Four High Schools in Newark Win the GreatSchools College Success Award – Gold

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[Newark, NJ, September 27, 2021] We are extremely proud to announce that GreatSchools, the leading national non-profit that empowers parents to unlock educational opportunities for their children, recognizes and celebrates public high schools across the country that excel in helping students enroll and succeed in college.

In 2021, 1,838 high schools from 25 states won the annual College Success Award. And to celebrate schools with a multiyear track record of postsecondary success, GreatSchools added an additional elevated level of distinction, the College Success Award – Gold.

As outlined in the District’s strategic plan, The Next Decade 2020-30, this award is made possible because of the collective accountability for what we do in service of preparing students for excellence. “We are extremely proud to have 3 of New Jersey’s 116 high schools receiving this distinctive honor: Bard, Science Park, and Technology High Schools. We also want to congratulate Payne Tech, the fourth school in Newark to receive this honor” said Superintendent Roger León.

Board President, Dawn Haynes said, “I am excited and proud that three of our high schools received the honor and I look forward to seeing more of our schools on the GreatSchools awards list in the coming years.”

Newark Board of Education Installs the First Remote Power Unit Off-Grid Wind/Solar LED Street Light in the City of Newark

Newark Board of Education Installs the First Remote Power Unit Off-Grid Wind/Solar LED Street Light in the City of Newark

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The Newark Board of Education takes great pride in the upkeep of our campus and adopting cutting edge technologies. We continue to invest in and provide our students and staff with the best facilities and educational experiences possible.

In the fall of 2019, Rodney Williams, Director of Energy & Sustainability of the Newark Board of Education and staff members, met with Aris Wind to discuss renewable energy solutions for the district. They were particularly interested in Aris’ wind and solar powered streetlight that is called a Remote Power Unit (RPU).

“I want to thank Superintendent León and Mr. Steve Morlino for allowing me and my staff to be a part of such a progressive team.  We took advantage of the opportunity to do something beyond the need of light, and our students and community will benefit from years to come,” said Rodney.

After extensive research, the decision was made to locate the RPU outside of the flagship Science Park High School.  The District felt this investment would be a wonderful improvement to the campus landscape and provide a great learning opportunity for the student body.  The RPU is off the grid and will provide resilient power and light. The district plans to incorporate the unit’s wind and solar data into its STEM curriculum at Science Park High School.

“The RPU is an important key that unlocks a wealth of cutting edge 21st Century technology and is aligned with the priorities outlined in our strategic plan, The Next Decade: 2020-30,” said Superintendent of Schools, Roger León.  “The installation of the RPU is the first of its kind to be installed in the City of Newark.  It will teach and expose our students to different ways to be leaders in helping their community become more sustainable,” he added.

The wind turbine and solar panel on the RPU will provide 100% renewable clean energy. Improving the safety and security of the grounds, it will provide power and light, even in the event of a grid outage. The RPU will capture wind and solar energy year-round which can be stored for up to five-days, depending on usage and demand.

The Newark Board of Education is very enthusiastic about the many opportunities this RPU will create for the students to learn about the science of renewable energy.

Dan Connors, COO of Aris Wind commented, “We are very pleased with the opportunity to provide one of our RPU’s to Newark Schools, particularly at this location!   The Science Park team’s commitments to sustainability, their STEM curriculum, and security of their students, is perfectly matched to the RPU.”

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For more information, please contact:

Newark Board of Education
Nancy Deering, Interim Executive Director
Communications
973-733-6265

About The Newark Public Schools District
The Newark Public Schools District, with 66 schools, 5,877 employees and a student population of 37,291 is the largest and one of the oldest school systems in New Jersey. Its origin dates back to 1676. Barringer High School, in Newark’s North Ward, is the third oldest public high school in the nation. The ethnic diversity of the city provides a rich educational experience for pre-kindergarten to secondary school students. The district continues to revise its services to meet the changing needs of students.