Orange and East Orange High School and Middle School Students To Present Plans For Main Street Redevelopment: Wednesday, August 12th 10am-Noon, City Hall Council Chamber, 29 N. Day St, Orange

Press Opportunity to interview students, instructors and Mayor Eldridge Hawkins and tour the site.

In a unique program, Orange and East Orange students have been working all summer to plan the redevelopment of the city’s historic Military Commons on Main Street. The location is the gateway to Orange from East Orange. They will present their plans and drawings of their concepts to city officials and the public Wednesday, August 12th 10am-Noon, City Hall Council Chamber, 29 N. Day St, Orange. The city expects to incorporate the students’ ideas into the redesign of park.

Working as student interns for Community Technical Assistance, Inc (CTA), the students have been studying the principles of urban planning while actually redesigning an important Orange landmark. The students attend Orange Middle and High Schools and East Orange’s Washington Academy, Cicely Tyson, and Campus 9 High School.  More than 54 students competed for 30 student intern positions for the summer program, which included a structured work environment for 7 weeks.

The site is along Main Street, beginning at Glenwood Avenue and ending at the intersection of Main and South Main Streets.   Military Commons was donated in 1718 for public grazing land from the Mountain Society by the First Presbyterian Church.  In 1780 and 1860, Military Commons served as training and recruiting grounds for the American Revolution and Civil War.  It currently houses war memorials of the American Revolution, Civil War, World War I and II, Yorktown Battle, Korean and Vietnam Wars and fallen City public servants, Police Lt. Herman V. Peccarelli and Fire Fighter Captain Daniel Pepe.

Community Technical Assistance, Inc. is a non-profit organization with a mission to provide technical assistance to low-to-moderate income neighborhoods in order for youth, residents, focus groups, community and faith based organizations to transform their communities.  Since the founding of CTA in 2002, the organization has engaged youth in the transformation of their urban communities through its TDC program.  TDC is an applied learning based program that links students’ academic education with real world community development projects.  CTA has designed a rigorous and challenging curriculum that provides differentiated learning and is in direct alignment with the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards (NJCCS).

Statement by Mayor Eldridge Hawkins, Jr.
“This partnership with our public schools and CTA shows how much students can contribute to shaping the future of their community.   The City is working with the students to develop a plan to make Military Commons a world class entrance to Orange and the gateway to our Main Street shopping district.  These programs, including my mentoring and clean up programs, help students become involved and take pride in their community.  I look forward to creating other opportunities for students to get involved with the transformation of Orange.  ”

Statement by Valerie Jackson, Director of Planning and Development
I am so excited that the students have the opportunity to learn about the history of their community and explore career opportunities such as urban planning, landscape architecture, and horticulture. Even more important they will have the opportunity to see their ideas materialize into real projects where they can say I did that.  Our next step will be to incorporate their ideas into the plans using Essex County Open Space and Urban Enterprise Zone funding.

Statement by Roland Whitley, Executive Director CTA
“This is a win-win program. The students benefit by learning the basics of planning and learning about the demographics and history of their community. It is wonderful preparation for college and for success in life. Orange benefits by having a creative plan to redevelop one of its most important landmark areas.

College student mentors from NJIT and Rutgers University serve as program managers to give the high school and middle school students a better connection to and appreciation for higher education.  Our goal is that all of our past and current student interns will serve as future college mentors to students in their communities.

Statement by Jevonna Morrison, College Mentor and former student intern
“Being a student intern was the most enjoyable and challenging experience that I could have taken part in during my high school year.  First, the program helped me to realize how important my grades and GPA was to go to college. Second, the program introduced me to different types of academic learning and the urban planning profession.  Third, I learned the importance of helping someone else as a student intern.  As a college mentor, I realized how important being a role model is for the middle and high school students.  When I speak in our group discussions, I always share with them that they can go to college just like me.  I feel really good about returning to my community and giving back especially doing planning.”
----------------- 
Jevonna was a student intern for three years starting in her 10 grade year from East Orange Campus High School.  She is currently attending Rutgers University in New Brunswick, pursing her Masters of City and Regional Planning (MCRP) at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy.