Mercy A. Quaye Photos
Davis Arts and Academics Magnet School student Indira Akilotan with Mayor Harp.
The following was submitted by Mauro-Sheridan teacher Eva Schultz.
On Tuesday March 28, 2017, over 50 honorees from the New Haven school district and their ecstatic families gathered for “Rising Stars” Awards. Mayor Toni Harp, addressing the audience, praised the students for helping to change their school climate.
The students proudly shook her hand as they came up to the front of the hall to receive their certificates acknowledging their academic and personal improvement since the beginning of the school year. Students representing 33 schools from the district, dressed in their best, were celebrated at the Yale African American Cultural Center. At the reception following the awards, Superintendent Dr. Reggie Mayo came around to congratulate the students and their families.
Hill Regional Career High School student Gabrielle McWilliams.
The awards ceremony resulted from a policy paper written by a team of New Haven teachers two years ago with the support of the advocacy group Educators for Excellence (E4E). The policy paper focused on ways to improve school climate, with student motivation being one of the focus areas.
Mauro Sheridan teacher Eva Schultz and school district science coordinator Matt Erickson took the idea and developed it further this year with the help of E4E and NHPS. Teachers and principals recognized students through a recommendation after the close of the second marking period. These are students who have struggled with academics or behavior in the past but had made a deliberate effort to turn things around!
The hope is to continue this awards program next year with even more students involved.
Erickson, Mayo, E4E’s Justin Boucher and Schultz.
Following is a list of the students honored and their schools:
Ross Woodward: Maddox Guest
Jepson: Robert Stephens, Carl Curry, Jaden Fraguada
Ross Woodward Classical Studies: Curiah Walker
Clinton Avenue School: Justin Chapman
Lincoln-Bassett: Destiny Harris
Edgewood Magnet School: Giovanni Ferri
Brennan-Rogers School: Talin Hall-Jackson
Barnard Environmental Studies Magnet School: Ronnie Gordon
Mauro Sheridan: Justin Givens
New Haven Adult and Continuing Education: Alicia Johnson, Fabian Calderon, Shirell Shaw
Quinnipiac: Jomar Rodriguez
Christopher Columbus Family Academy: Alberto Saldana
Celentano Biotech Health and Medical Magnet: Denzel Brenes, Layla Brown
Hill Regional Career High School: Marquise Avery
Wexler Grant Community School: Adrian Mitchell, Eric Anthony Burru
Truman: Jostin Malaret
Columbus: Orlin Lopez
East Rock Community Magnet School: Armon Hyslop
Quinnipiac STEM School: Jomar Rodriguez
John S. Martinez: Farrakhan Shabazz, Jayden Jacobs
New Horizons: Kayla Marie Vasquez, Tyrone Felton
Truman School: Jariel Guffey
Hill Regional Career High School: Gabrielle McWilliams
West Rock STREAM Academy: Nazir Hobby Wynn, Da’Vonni Malloy Johnson, Javon Rodriguez
James Hillhouse High School: Davonte Fletcher
Roberto Clemente: Jaquan E. Minor
Davis Arts & Academics: Cionna Wilson, Indira Akilotan
Betsy Ross Arts Magnet School: Christian Riley, Jacob Fox
Conte West Hills: Lindell Jaynes
Bishop Woods Architecture and Design School: Jonathan Alvarez, Kamari Dixon
King/Robinson: Janiela Gore
Fair Haven School Angel Alvarez
Worthington Hooker School: Nabaa Shareef
Clinton Avenue: Delnacer Acosta, Christian Robles
Nathan Hale: Dylan Irizarry, Emma Colonnese
Troup: Trachaun Rumley, Naoimy Alvarez