Newark, NJ - Newark Public Schools is thrilled to announce that Nakaylah Jenkins, an 8th-grade student at Louise A. Spencer's Elementary School, has been chosen to receive the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) Outstanding Achievement Award (OAA) for the year 2024. This prestigious award recognizes Nakaylah's exceptional contributions to supporting NJHS's five pillars: scholarship, service, leadership, character, and citizenship.
The NJHS Outstanding Achievement Award is a prestigious national award that recognizes only a few exceptional student leaders nationwide. Nakaylah has demonstrated her commitment to academic excellence, and her hard work and achievements have earned her this coveted award, along with a $500 deposit in a 529 college savings account that can be applied towards her higher education.
Superintendent Roger León commented, "Our principals teachers, counselors, and staff are passionate about empowering every single student with the knowledge, resources, and supports needed to unlock their full potential. With their dedicated commitment, our Newark Public School students have proven time and time again that they can achieve greatness locally and on the national level."
Board President Hasani Council commented, " I am constantly amazed by our students' incredible and inspiring accomplishments here at Newark Public Schools. It fills me with pride to hear about them and their positive impact on our community. Congratulations to Nakaylah, her family, and the Louise A. Spencer family for this outstanding achievement!"
Nakaylah's achievements are a testament to the dedication, hard work, and passion of the entire NPS and Louise A. Spencer school community. She has set her sights on attending High School in Newark and eventually going to college, with the ultimate goal of becoming a nurse. We have full confidence that Nakaylah will continue to reach significant milestones in her future endeavors, inspiring her peers to do the same.