West New York Mayor Felix Roque and his fellow commissioners hosted a fundraiser for the Children First Board of Education ticket on Thursday, which saw at least 150 supporters in attendance.
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The second floor of Las Palmas was filled with familiar faces who support BOE candidates David Morel (a current trustee), Jose Alcantara and Adam Parkinson – the current board president.
During a lengthy hour-long program emceed by BOE Trustee Jonathan Castaneda, all four commissioners, Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner, Roque, and Superintendent of Schools Clara Brito Herrera all had high praise for the latest incarnation of the Children First team.
For what it’s worth, this board of commissioners all have connections to education: Cosmo Cirillo was the BOE president at 21 years old, Sue Colacurcio and Margarita Guzman are teachers and Gabriel Rodriguez’s father is a school principal.
Morel, Alcantara and Parkinson then had their chance to take the podium and explain why November 8 is an important day.
“We have a very important election coming up: myself, David Morel, Michael Alcantara, Adam Parkinson, our names are on the ballot. Our schools’ progress is on the ballot. Democracy is on the ballot. For the next five weeks I intent to work as hard as I can to ensure that 6, 7, 8 is great in [sic] November 8,” said Morel.
“At the end of the day, we call ran as candidates for the board of education because we want to make a difference in our children’s lives and to ensure their academic success. Because they are the future leaders of the great nation,” added Alcantara.
Parkinson, the veteran of the group at just 21 years old, implored the room full of politicos to come out and vote.
“6, 7, 8 will be victorious on November the 8th … but we need your help. The only way that we will win this election is if we get out the vote. It’s a presidential election … a huge amount of people are going to be coming out to vote. We need to make sure that they come out and we win,” the board president exclaimed.
Eight candidates are seeking three, three-year terms on Election Day and Children First is the only slate that has formally announced in West New York, though one more is expected soon.
Others who attended the event included BOE Trustees Silvio Acosta and Steven Rodas, Weehawken BOE President Richard Barsa, former Trustees Dr. Christine Piscitelli and Vilma Reyes, ex-West New York Mayor Sal Vega, former WNY Commissioner Ruben Vargas, among many more.