District Leaders Host Biannual High School Design Strategy Meeting

NEWARK, N.J. – An NFL quarterback who fights for civil rights and works to enable young people’s storytelling abilities. A current high school student who is a former homeless shelter resident and is now an American Idol hopeful with the help of a Grammy-award-winning producer. A former teacher who is now head of New Jersey’s only woman-led commercial real estate firm.

These people were among the participants in the District’s recent “Redesign Strategy Partner Meeting,” a biannual meeting that is aligned with the District’s continuing efforts to redesign its high schools.

Dr. Maria Ortiz, Assistant Superintendent overseeing the District’s high schools, and Sandra Marques, Director of College, Career, and Technical Education, orchestrated the meeting that focused on leveraging the expertise of professionals from various fields to enrich students’ learning experiences. This is one part of a three-part strategy in the redesign of Newark’s high schools.

Among those professionals was Colin Kaepernick, who showcased his new platform, Lumi, which uses artificial intelligence to enable students to unlock their abilities to become authentic storytellers.

“We are focused on helping democratize storytelling,” Kaepernick said. “One of the key things we can focus on is student voice and how do we put students at the center of their own stories. How do we give them the power and the agency to tell the stories that actually matter to them. We have built the platform to enable that.”

Grammy-award-winning producer Jerry “Wonda” Duplessis, (The Fugees, Shakira, Santana) gave a presentation that included a poignant vocal performance by his protégé Kyla Barbosa, an East Side High School senior who came to the United States from Angola with her family and was living in a shelter only three years ago. She is now vying to be a contestant on American Idol.

Suzanne Newmark, who taught at the Miller Street School in the early 1970s, spoke about how she came to lead the largest women-owned commercial real estate company in New Jersey. Her company, Newmark Properties, has provided internship opportunities for Newark students.

Rosetta Bryson, CEO of Simple Trader Pro, detailed her company’s initiative, which provided high school students with hands-on experience in the stock market. Students not only developed their STEM skills but also had the chance to visit the New York Stock Exchange. According to video testimonials shared during the presentation, several students reported significant earnings from their newly acquired trading skills.

Allan Houston, renowned two-time NBA All-Star and New York Knicks legend, his initiative he launched called FISLL (Faith, Integrity, Sacrifice, Leadership, and Legacy) which helps students develop a positive mindset to enhance their lives, performance, and leadership capabilities by promoting healthy, emotional, and civic habits.

“Winning starts with a winning mindset,” Houston said. “We are trying to develop a mindset of success in students.”

Students have also received social-emotional learning opportunities through equestrian therapy provided by Davida Cummins and her team at Aspire NJ.

Several students shared their experiences participating in programs offered by the district’s partnering colleges and universities:

• Yasmin Barros from East Side High School completed a program at Harvard University.
• Kareemah Taylor from the Newark School of Fashion & Design completed a program at Parsons School of Design.
• Angelina Armijos from the Newark School of Fashion & Design completed a program at the Pratt Institute.
• Kamiya Jones from University High School completed a program at Montclair State University.
• Seydi Maury from the Newark School of Global Studies completed a program at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT).
• Kudus Lawal from Central High School completed a program at Seton Hall University.
• Yasmin Caldwell from University High School completed a program at Essex County College.
• Mileyca Ortiz and Tatiana Cintron from the Newark School of Global Studies completed a program at Concordia College.

Superintendent León emphasized the importance of forming genuine, reciprocal relationships with partners that benefit both the district and the participating organizations.

“In this school system, we don’t need you because you think we’re needy,” León said. “This is about you becoming a better person. Every single one of you is going to be impacted by the incredible lives of our children.”

Echoing that sentiment was Nilda Rosario, a media personality whose resume includes working at Univision, Telemundo, and MEGA 97 radio. Rosario ran a media studies program for high school students.

“I was thinking that I would change them,” Rosario said. “They changed me.”

“I want to commend the District for its outstanding efforts in organizing the annual ‘Redesign Strategy Partner Meeting,’ which continues to play a pivotal role in reshaping the learning experiences of our high school students,” said Board of Education President Hasani K. Council. “I extend my deepest gratitude to Superintendent León, Assistant Superintendent Ortiz, and Director Marques for their leadership in organizing such an impactful event. Through their efforts, and the efforts of all who work with them, we are giving our students unparalleled opportunities to grow and learn.”