The Jersey City Public Schools Foundation honored four local leaders and handed out 10 student scholarships during an afternoon tea gala, which also included a public and silent auction, at the Culinary Conference Center at Hudson County Community College today.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“We know that we’re very diverse, and we know we have all types of kids, so we’re not just looking for your top students … there’s no GPA requirement for our scholarships. What we want to do is offer scholarships for trade schools, for junior colleges, and for the university,” explained Alika Muhammad, who sits on the JCPSF’s board of directors.
“So we want to include everyone, so it’s very important for us to reach out and start to grow our community and you being here is part of our community and we really appreciate that.”
She joked that since this was not a Jersey City Board of Education meeting, Vice President Dejon Morris could be escorted out for heckling, referencing the now infamous arrest of Emily Pecot at the May 21st BOE meeting, drawing great laughter and applause.
“That was a good one,” Morris said after laughing it off.
JCPSF Board of Directors Chair Dr. Kinna Perry thanked Muhammad and advisory board member Natalia Ioffe, also a BOE trustee, for bringing her into the fold before welcoming the dozens on hand to the Sunday afternoon event.
She then announced their four honorees: Hudson County Executive Craig Guy, who had to leave early, Assemblyman Jerry Walker (D-31), Jersey City BOE President Noemi Velazquez, and Alamo Insurance Group Founder and President Luis Alamo.
After auctioning off trips to Costa Rica, Mexico, as well as a VIP tour of New York Yankees stadium, that includes pictures and autographs with players and four field-level tickets to a game the same day, the honorees received their awards and said a few words.
“It’s about giving back to the community, it’s about tomorrow and the tomorrow is our children … I definitely need to honor those students who have worked hard enough to get here and get their honors today,” Velazquez said.
“To me, working with the community has been everything in my life. From the moment I had any knowledge, it was instilled in me that the first thing you have to do in life is give to others.”
She also recounted a Spanish saying which roughly translates to “if you don’t live to serve, you don’t deserve to live” she stated to great applause, before joking about the recent turmoil on the school board.
“Serving on the board, I thank my colleagues that are here, although let me tell you, serving on this board lately has been … I think I’ll take my 13-and-a-half hours in labor again. I welcome those again, a few times,” she said to great laughter.
“But anyway, serving on this board has been an honor, working for Jersey City has been a pleasure, but working for the students has been in my heart and will forever be, whether I’m on this board or not.”
Before calling it a day, Ioffe then gave $1,000 scholarships to the four students present, beginning with Superintendent of Schools Dr. Norma Fernandez introducing Anastasia Espinosa, who is still learning english and is attending HCCC in the fall.
“She’s only been in the country two years, but to be recognized, she’s very thankful to the foundation, to the United States, and everyone for welcoming her,” Espinosa said in Spanish, which was translated by Fernandez.
The other students receiving JCPSF scholarships are Marina Boules, Eva “Nene” Wade, Jonathan Murray, Zamiya Short, David Cabrera, Sariya Fanning-Orange, Jessica Sewiha, April Pelc, and Kenny Julden.
Other dignitaries who attended were U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez (D-8), who was part of their initial event last year, Assemblywoman Katie Brennan (D-32), BOE Trustees Afaf Muhammad and Dr. George Blount, and Jersey City Deputy Mayor for Education Dia Bryant.
