CLEMENTON, N.J. – With educational institutions facing safety, security, Lori Perlow is manager of public relations and communications at Camden County Educational Services Commission. — Provided photo and mental health crises, Lori Perlow is managing a new communications initiative to address these issues locally.
Therefore, the Camden County Educational Services Commission (CCESC) recently introduced public relations and communication services to New Jersey’s public and private school districts, as well as to higher education institutions.
In order to establish this strategic effort, the CCESC has hired Perlow, a seasoned school communications professional and president of the New Jersey School Public Relations Association (NJSPRA).
Perlow states that, “Between my years of experience and my commitment to helping schools improve and increase their communications, I’m confident that this initiative will be a success.”
Perlow has 20 years of marketing communications experience in the private, non-profit and public sectors.
She is one of four in the United States to receive the 2017-18 Front-Runner Award from the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA). Perlow has also won several NJSPRA awards.
A provider of shared services to school districts for nearly 40 years, CCESC has responded to the challenges of school district administrators who must be prepared for high-quality, proactive and reactive information exchanges with their stakeholders.
“Public relations planning along with timely and effective communications are critical for school districts,” says Daniel Del Vecchio, superintendent of the CCESC.
He continues that, “However, staffing with this skill set is not practical. Our shared service will provide school leaders an opportunity to consult with an expert and execute a customized, cost-effective campaign.”
That is why Perlow works directly with school districts and higher education institutions to provide them with a wide range of offerings including crisis communications, media relations, website design, marketing/branding, recruitment, social media, community relations, establishing partnerships, internal communications, and more.
As a result, school administrators can now focus on students’ achievements, safety and security while placing district communications in the hands of trained professionals.
However, states such as California, New York and Pennsylvania have provided school communications services through a shared-service model for decades, and New Jersey will now follow suit.
For more information, contact Lori Perlow, manager of public relations and communications at CCESC at LPerlow@CamdenESC.org, or 856-784-2100 x121.
LAWRENCE, N.J. – For the 16th consecutive year, Rider University’s 34th Annual Athletics Golf Gala will be held at Old York Country Club in Chesterfield, Monday, and will benefit Rider’s 20 NCAA Division I varsity programs.
In 1985, the Golf Gala originated at Rider as a means to increase support for the University’s athletics, its programs, and most importantly, its student athletes, according to a statement from Don Harnum, Rider University athletic director.
Harnum also wrote that, “since the Gala’s inception, many improvements have been made in the areas of information technology, facilities, equipment, team travel, uniforms, team rooms and more.”
On Monday, golfers will have choices between two shotgun start times at 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
The golf fee will include Rider or Adidas sportswear and other participant gifts, greens and cart fees, souvenir foursome photos, refreshments on the course, breakfast or lunch in the morning, and lunch or dinner in the afternoon.
After the golf session, there will be a cocktail hour, dinner, awards ceremony, raffle prize giveaway, and the annual silent auction.
This year, Rider Athletics Golf Gala will offer a discounted rate for Broncs of the Last Decade (BOLD) alumni, which will include all the participants’ gifts, breakfast and lunch in the morning session only.
BOLD alumni may register and play in the afternoon, but will be charged the full registration fee.
If you are interested in participating as a golfer or attending the dinner contact Lynn Rugg at 609-895-5778, or via email at lrugg@rider.edu. Online registration is also available at GoBroncs.com.
To participate in corporate sponsorship opportunities, or provide raffle prizes, or silent auction donations, please call Karin Torchia, Rider senior associate director of athletics at 609-896-5249, or by email at ktorchia@rider.edu.
HAMILTON, N.J. — Since 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated in the national Annual Congressional Art Competition, and this year’s winners from NJ 4th Congressional District were awarded at Brynna Fisher from Princeton Day School is a winner this year in the Annual Congressional Art Competition. — Provided photoRobert Wood Johnson University Hospital-Hamilton (RWJ-Hamilton) Lakefront Tower Gallery recently.
Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), who sponsors the annual art show for high school students in NJ 4th Congressional District, announced the 2018 winners.
“The 2018 competition was one of the largest in 25 years,” Smith said. “We had many talented entries from across Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean counties. I congratulate ‘Best-In-Show’ winner, Jordan Heine. Her ‘American Graffiti’ was amazing. I congratulate all the winners and participants. The judges had a tough time picking the winners because of the amount of quality entries.”
The students’ artwork was displayed at RWJ-Hamilton art gallery since March 19. Judging took place on March 23, and the award ceremony took place April 12. Student’s artwork in the Lakefront Tower Gallery at RWJ Hospital. — Provided photo RWJ-Hamilton CEO and President Richard Freeman attended the ceremony.
“Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital graciously hosted this competition at its wonderful Lakefront Tower Gallery,” said Smith. “Hospital visitors, as well as employees and patients have again responded positively to the show.”
The eight students who won this year are:
• Best in show – Jordan Heine, 11th grade, Wall High School; “American Graffiti” (acrylic on canvas)
• First place runner-up – Micayla Augustyn, 12th grade, Wall High School; “Dog Daze of Summer’’ (oil on canvas)
• Second place runner-up – Kylie Frew, 10th grade, Freehold Township High School; “City Hall” (colored pencil)
• Third place runner-up – Brynna Fisher, 10th grade, Princeton Day School; “The Point of Construction” (mixed media collage)
• Honorable mention – Sarah Fakult, 11th grade, Freehold Township Regional High School; “Empower the Bully Breed with Flowers” (oil on canvas)
• Honorable mention – Gazal Mathur, 9th grade, Robbinsville High School; “Sea’s Sick” (colored pencil)
• Honorable mention photography – Cece McCarthy, 12th grade, Red Bank Regional High School; “Sky Light (digital photography)
Three judges chose this year’s winners at RWJ March 23. The judges are Debbie Jencsik and Jim Inzero of Ocean County; and Rich Thompson of Mercer County.
“I am grateful to the judges for lending their time and expertise to this show,” said Smith. “I also thank RWJ-Hamilton President Richard Freeman and his staff, as well as the invaluable assistance of Lakefront Gallery curator Sheila Geisier and other members of the Princeton Photo Club which manages shows at the gallery. They all did an amazing job.”
The Congressional Institute sponsors this national high school art competition each year. It is an effort to recognize and foster artistic talent in each congressional district.
Students submit their entries to their Member of Congress office, and a panel of judges selects the winners. Participation in the contest is at the discretion of each member office.
The Best in Show winners are recognized at an annual awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., and the artwork are displayed for one year at the U.S. Capitol.
For more information about eh 2018 NJ-04 show or to view recent years’ winners, click here.
TRENTON, N.J. — A few years ago, a husband and wife team began an initiative called, “operation take our hair back,” which is not only concerned about wealth, but more about the holistic health of their customers.
Donna Jarrett-Paris, co-owner of Paris Hair talks about “operation take our hair back.” — Photo by Michelle Dryden
“Five years ago, we sat and watched a horrific film based on the atrocities of black hair, and we were blown away by what we learned about the amount of money they make from our hair,” said Donna Paris.
“We are less than two per cent of business owners in this trillion dollar industry,” she explained.
Paris went on to say that “operation take our hair back” is about taking back the black hair industry from other ethnicities, such as the Koreans, and utilizing black entrepreneurs to create, develop, and feature their “all-natural” ingredients hair and skin products at Paris Hair store.
She says the idea is about investing money into the black community while relying on holistic doctors and chemists to educate the black community.
The premise is that traditional, or mainstream hair and skin products that are widely available on the shelves of most stores are not ideal for hair and skin of color.
She mentions adverse effects of chemical infusion in the products that cause fibroids, eczema, psoriasis, alopecia, and other illnesses in the black hair and skin community.
But, Paris Hair and Beauty Supplies store offers something different from other hair stores in the area, says Paris.
“When (customers) come in, we get involved in their health, diets, and lifestyles,” she said.
Paris explains that not only does her store cater to the black hair and skin community, but they also empathize and sympathize with them.
She said unlike other stores, they understand why black hair and skin behave the way they do, and they educate their customers about it.
Thus, they have an all-natural ingredients products section in their store, where they feature products developed by black entrepreneurs, holistic doctors, and chemists.
These chemists list all the natural ingredients in their products, which they promise have been tested and are safer and better for blacks than the more common products.
“When you take a product to use, just like your food, you should know what the ingredients are,” said Paris.
“And the names should be familiar and make sense,” she said.
She states that anything people add on to their hair or skin becomes a part of the body by potentially seeping into their bloodstreams, and so it is important to choose products wisely.
Larry J. Livingston is interim president of the WCCAC that will manage Westminster Choir College next July. — Provided photo
PRINCETON, N.J. — After an exhaustive due diligence process, Rider University has selected Kaiwen Education from among approximately 280 candidates to keep the financially failing Westminster Choir College (WCC) in Princeton.
Additionally, Rider has established Westminster Choir College Acquisition Corporation (WCCAC), and appointed Larry J. Livingston as interim president of this New Jersey non-profit that will assume operation of WCC next July.
Livingston, who has been project manager of the corporation, also has an extensive track record as several music schools’ administrator. He is optimistic about his new role.
“Actually what excites me is not so much being named interim president, though I am honored by the WCCAC’s Board of Trustees confidence, but rather the prospect of helping WCC, a venerable and first-class music school, enter into an even brighter future,” states Livingston.
He believes WCC will evolve and prosper with Kaiwen Education as a partner.
Kaiwen Education is a financially stable, exceptional educational company located in the Haidian District of Beijing, China. It presently manages two prominent K-12 schools for serious and talented youth.
“There is no reason that this transaction should do other than create a bright future for WCC,” writes Livingston.
He states, “Kaiwen is a well-funded, dynamic entity, financially healthy and therefore ideally positioned to help WCC grow and flourish.”
Kaiwen is also growing and planning to open several more international school campuses. Its premise is based on educating young people to become open-minded, inquiring, courageous, reflective, principled, and caring citizens.
Kaiwen Education focuses on humanities, science, arts, and sports. It believes quality is priority and maintains excellence.
It does this by stressing the equal importance of educating the mind and training the body. Thus, Kaiwen campuses feature exceptional athletic and music performance facilities.
Therefore, Kaiwen is ideally positioned to fulfill its mission to sustain and grow Westminster Choir College’s reputation as a world-class institution while maintaining it as an artistically pre-eminent, academically rigorous, and fiscally sound institution.
Both Rider and PriceWaterhouseCoopers Corporate Finance spent more than a year undertaking intricate and thorough diligence to focus on applicants that would keep WCC in Princeton.
They chose Kaiwen because it would complete this transaction. Also because of their sound fiscal state, experience operating prominent schools for talented youth, and their motivation to move Westminster forward.
Although Kaiwen does not have experience managing a higher education institution, “there is an abundance of higher education expertise available both within the WCC community, as well as domestically and globally,” states Livingston.
He also comments that, “working together with all WCC constituents, Kaiwen is determined to help WCC improve its fiscal health, to see it evolve as an even stronger music school and one which can stand on its own solid financial footing.”
A Leon Rainbow mural for the Trenton Health Team office. — The Times Image
TRENTON, N.J. – The Trenton Health Team (THT) has recently moved to a new office location at the famous “Corner Historic” at 1 West State Street, Fourth Floor in Trenton.
“We are truly humbled to call 1 West State Street our new home,” said Gregory Paulson, executive director of THT.
1 West State Street is famous for several reasons.
First, the location was famously home to First Mechanics National Bank of Trenton. Prior to that, it was the City Tavern, where the New Jersey delegation ratified the U.S. Constitution in 1787, and hosted George Washington and his family when he was inaugurated as the first President of the United States.
The site has origins dating back to 1730 when John Dagworthy purchased the property from William Trent and built a large homestead.
Now, the building is currently owned by Maestro Technologies that specializes in big data solutions and web security.
Kamal Bathla, managing director of Maestro Technologies, purchased the building in 2017 and is excited about the new possibilities.
He said, “We intend to ignite Trenton with start-up culture, incubator space, training facility, lab and much more. Stay tuned as we write the next chapter in Trenton’s history!”
The company chose to relocate to Trenton to develop public and private partnerships and find innovative solutions in healthcare, technology, and other industries.
THT new office space includes a mural painted by Leon Rainbow, a local Trenton artist. The painting features several landmarks, including the Capital Building and Battle Monument.
The mural was commissioned by THT to illustrate the organization’s vision of a healthy, vibrant capital city.
“Our goal is to improve health outcomes for Trenton residents through strong community partnerships, and based in our new historic location, honor the history of Trenton and the State of New Jersey,” said Paulson of THT.
THT is a nationally recognized community health improvement collaborative serving the six zip codes of Trenton.
The collaborative is an innovative partnership among Capital Health Hospital, St. Francis Medical Center, Henry J. Austin Health Center, and the Department of Health and Human Services of the City of Trenton.
The vision of THT is to make Trenton the healthiest city in the state. Its mission is to transform healthcare for the city by forming a committed partnership with the community.
THT also wants to expand access to high quality, coordinated, cost-effective healthcare.
Capital City Music Ambassador, and renowned Grammy Hall of Fame Inductee, Sarah Dash, stands with Trenton Mayor, Reed Gusciora, at the “Lifting Trenton Together” Concert during the Levitt AMP Music Series in Mill Hill Park, last Thursday.
TRENTON, N.J. – Trenton native, Grammy Hall of Fame Inductee, and the City’s inaugural Music Ambassador, Sarah Dash, along with an entourage of local musicians performed free music at the “Lifting Trenton Together” Concert during a Levitt AMP Music Series in Mill Hill Park, last Thursday.
The event was planned in response to the Arts Fest violence that occurred in the City nearly two months ago.
“Trenton has its challenges but as a city – one city—we are so much more than the violence that erupted at Art All Night on June 17th, so I wanted to take this opportunity to showcase some of the best that Trenton has in terms of pure talent,” says Dash.
The “Lifting Trenton Together” concert last week featured several hometown musicians headlining Dash and the Trenton Children’s Chorus.
Other local musicians included: Donald “Pup” Bolding, who is a composer or lyricist and expressive singer and guitarist. Singer-songwriter, Sarah Copley was also in the lineup. Also, there was singer, saxophonist, percussionist and flautist, Roy Richardson. And, Felton D. Rowe, Jr., who is a self-taught musician, was also among the entertainers for the evening.
The evening’s artists hoped to shine light on the positive talents in Trenton, and to bring media attention to the accomplishments of the local musicians.
“The chaotic tragedy that left one dead and 23 others injured caught the attention of media outlets from across the country, and I would encourage those same outlets to cover this positive, ‘Lifting Trenton Together’ concert as we raise our voices in songs of hope, healing and unity,” says Dash.
PRINCETON, N.J. — Powerful and poignant, heartfelt and Stogie Kenyatta — Provided photohumorous, Jamaican-born, Brooklyn-bred Stogie Kenyatta celebrated our common humanity with his popular one-man show, “The World is My Home, A Tribute to Paul Robeson”, in Princeton this week.
For the first time, Kenyatta brought his nearly 20-year-old play, as a fundraiser, to the birthplace of the man whose life he celebrates. Proceeds will benefit an At the Well Conferences, Inc. program — From the Fire: Leadership Academy for Young Men.
Kenyatta wrote this entertaining and educational story about an historical African-American figure that he admires. He said Robeson is the most unique of our heroes.
“We have great academia, great athletes and intellectuals…He succeeded in all of those,” said Kenyatta.
Robeson fought globally for social justice for blacks, Jews, Welsh, and Spanish workers. Kenyatta’s play spans from the horrors of the slave trade to the shame of the Holocaust.
He uses theater as a vehicle for social change. Stogie Kenyatta performs at Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton Tuesday. — Photo by Michelle Dryden
The play journeys from the artistic wonders of the Harlem Renaissance and the Jazz-Bebop era to McCarthyism, blacklists, racism and lynching.
“This passion piece is more than a show for me; it’s a prayer for the forsaken and forgotten enslaved Africans who found enough forgiveness in their tortured souls to live, love and laugh,” Kenyatta states.
This show is about the triumph, tragedy and mistreatment of Robeson, who Kenyatta describes as an American genius.
He not only promotes diversity, brotherhood, tolerance, and education; but he challenges us to examine the notion that “if we accept the fatherhood of God; then we must accept the brotherhood of man,” Kenyatta explains.
Robeson shows us that in spite of our differences, we still have more in common than we do in conflict, he said.
Kenyatta said he titles his play “The World is My Home,” because Robeson spoke 15 different languages, and he would travel to these foreign countries and communicated in their languages.
He said like Robeson’s life, his play serves as a cultural ambassador inspiring us to greater understanding, achievements, and nobility.
“This is a spiritual mission for us. The objective of the show is to inspire. The goal is to awaken, enlighten, and uplift,” he stated.
“The World is My Home” is winner of Hollywood Beverly Hills NAACP Award for best one-man show, and number one solo show in the United States and the Caribbean.
There have been almost 400 shows, and the play has been to 16 different countries.
Kenyatta has also appeared in television, films, soaps, and sitcoms. He was classically trained at the Afro-American Studio in Harlem, Henry Street Settlement, and Al Fann Ensemble. He studied Screenwriting and Political Science at California State University, Long Beach, and privately with Ivan Markota at the Van Mar Academy.
The event was held at Nassau Presbyterian Church in collaboration with Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church, where Paul Robeson’s late father, William Robeson, was the former pastor.
Danny Glover will speak at From the Fire: Leadership Academy for Men to minority boys at Princeton U. Sunday. — Provided photoPRINCETON, N.J. – Actor, producer, and humanitarian Danny Glover will join other celebrities and notable speakers who are scheduled to address young minority students attending leadership programs at Princeton University Sunday.
At The Well Conferences, Inc. will be offering two leadership academies for black boys and girls who are in the ninth to 11th grades. The program for young women is in its eight consecutive year on the campus of Princeton University, while a similar program for young men is in an inaugural stage, beginning this year. These academies started July 22 and will run through Aug. 3.
The young women’s premiere program called At the Well Young Women’s Leadership Academy is designed for current 10th and 11th grade girls. The new program for young men is called From the Fire: Leadership Academy for Young Men, and it offers guidance for boys in the ninth to 11th grades.
“We are offering guidance and instruction that encourages these students to see the power within them and others,” states Toby Sanders who is the co-founder and director of curriculum of From the Fire. He also holds a Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary.
From the Fire: Leadership Academy for Young Men focuses on leadership development, mentoring, and rites of passage. The girls’ leadership program concentrates on developing leaders through academic, social, and career segments.
Speakers at these conferences will provide encouraging messages to inspire, uplift, and motivate the young men and women throughout the two weeks.
For the men, the leadership component will provide transformative education, while the mentoring activities will offer a form of “deep caring” to overcome widespread indifferences to these most vulnerable young men, states Linda Peavy, director of communications for At the Well Conferences, Inc.
She also states that the rites of passage leadership sector of the program will be a journey of self-discovery that unlocks the hidden resilience of the boys as fundamental to their manhood.
Meanwhile, At the Well Young Women’s Leadership Academy encourages the girls to participate in small group projects that build lasting bonds.Nicole Ari Parker will address the girls leadership academy segment of The At the Well Conferences, Inc. programs at Princeton U. — Provided photo
The girls have a curriculum that includes critical reading, essay writing, and leadership workshops.
Academics are intense, and there is nightly tutoring with teachers who are also Princeton University professors.
Workshop topics include financial literacy, body image, entrepreneurship, health and wellness, and self-esteem.
The girls’ academy offers a safe place for them to share the challenges of their daily personal and school lives.
“For the first time in forever, I am able to read books in a day and actually understand what I am reading because I am using these techniques you have taught me. I will continue to use these skills throughout my career,” said Dahnielle Milton, a 2017 alumnus of the program.
The curriculum and programming for these conferences are research-based and is designed by educators and leaders with decades of experience in young adult education and social change activism.
It is rooted in the spiritual and intellectual traditions forged in the justice struggles of African Americans.
Dynamic speakers are the highlight of the leadership component of the programs.
The program chair for From the Fire is Delroy Lindo, who has appeared in memorable film performances such as The Cider House, Heist, Clockers, Crooklyn, Malcolm X, and Ramson.Delroy Lindo will chair the men’s leadership academy at From the Fire program. — Provided photo
Lindo hopes “…that the experience of From the Fire will give students a boost to take the next steps in whatever goals they have planned for their lives.”
From the Fire will also feature additional speakers who include retired NBA players Charlie Ward and Jason Richardson, Hon. Ras J. Baraka, mayor of Newark; Artist Hank Willis Thomas; Attorney Kevin Harden; Life Coach Pervis Taylor; MacArthur Fellow and Music Educator, Aaron Dworkin; and Bishop Donald Hilliard, pastor of Cathedral International.
Also, other speakers from the Academy for young women will include actress Erika Alexander; the D.L. Hughley Show co-host Jasmine Sanders; Scholar Julianne Malveaux; Motivational Speaker Brandi Harvey; 2016 Democratic National Committee Chief Leah Daughtry; Dr. Michele Reed; QVC inventor Lisa Ascolese; Attorney Renee Hill; and Supermodel Liris Crosse.
Currently, 100 per cent of the women Academy alumni have been accepted to colleges.
Jacqueline Glass, the Academy founder and Princeton Theological Seminary alumnus states, “The Academy lives out our mission to empower young women locally to become effective leaders globally.”
Both programs are unique to Princeton University and to an Ivy League campus.
The Trenton community continues to come out to the Levitt AMP Summer Music Series/concerts to support these social events. — Photo by Michelle Dryden
TRENTON, N.J. – A few weeks after the arts festival shooting in Trenton, hundreds of residents continue to come out for events in the City, saying that they will not let that incident stop them from enjoying themselves.
The community has been enjoying similar outdoors and indoor events such as the weekly Levitt AMP Trenton Music Series every Thursday that began June 28 to Aug. 30 at 5 to 8 p.m. in Mill Hill Park.
This 2018 Levitt AMP concert series started a few days after the Arts Festival tragedy in Trenton. It was one of the first major events in the City that would attract a sizeable crowd following that problem.
Since then, “I think every concert we have had, a little more people came out,” said Tom Gilmore executive director of Trenton Downtown Association (TDA).
Gilmore explained that they have increased security measures at the concert events even last year — prior to the recent Arts Festival incident.
“We reviewed our security plan that we had for last year, and last year we even upped it because there were some situations where people where driving cars into public events,” he said.
Nevertheless, the recent tragic event at the Arts Festival also had an impact on security improvements at the music concerts, Gilmore said.
He said that the TDA deliberately makes sure the concerts are early evening events, so people can feel safe.
“I think everybody here feels relaxed,” said Sgt. B. Stokes. “The police presence definitely helps. That other event is not gonna stop the good things from happening in Trenton.”
Another resident said he was being brutally honest when he commented that he believes the Arts Festival issue was “staged.”
“I think it was done on purpose,” said Ron Horton. “There’s never been an issue. It’s a pleasant event. Why would something like that happen on that particular night, at that particular place? It makes no sense.”
However, Horton also said he feels safe at the Levitt AMP music concerts even after that tragedy.
Similarly, there is music, vendors, and art outdoors and inside at First Fridays block parties at Front and Warren streets, and attendees at these events have also been saying they do not want to live in fear.
“I don’t have fear of anything,” said Tim Johnson. “This is a much more mature crowd. I think people need to stop letting fear kinda parlay and take away from them enjoying themselves.”
Folks have been saying that it is important that we do not let the violence win, and that we should still come out to support positive events.
Jeffrey Augustin, who was vending at First Fridays, said business is good, and that “Trenton does not let anything stop us. We still keep on going.”
Among other outdoor events in Trenton this summer, is also Capital City Farmers Market during the days on Thursdays from 11a.m. to 2p.m. until October. This outdoor event also features live music from noon until 2p.m. through August.
