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February 28, 2005
ASBURY PARTNERS HONORS LOCAL STUDENTS AS
PART OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATIONS
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Asbury Partners recently hosted a luncheon at the Paramount Theatre to
recognize winners of the Black History Month Poster Contest. The
event was the culmination of a series of Black History Month events
sponsored by Asbury Partners. Pictured standing left to right are
Antonio Apencio, first-place winner for the High School and Jean
Johnson, High School art teacher.
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Students, teachers and family members from the Asbury Park Elementary,
Middle and High Schools joined representatives from the City of
Asbury Park and Asbury Partners for a luncheon at the Paramount
Theatre recently, where winners of the Black History Month Poster
Contest were announced. The event was the culmination of a series
of Black History Month events sponsored by Asbury Partners in February.
Asbury Partners, master developer of Oceanfront Asbury, the 56-acre
waterfront redevelopment in Asbury Park, New Jersey, hosted the
contest for local schoolchildren, with a total of $1,000 in U.S.
savings bonds and a $500 college book scholarship as awards for
the winners.
"The point of the contest was to give the students a chance to display their
talents and provide them with an outlet to express their feelings about the past,
present and future of Asbury Park," said Dr. Guy McCombs III, community
outreach liaison for Asbury Partners. "And the future of Asbury Park is
really about the children."
As part of the contest, the students' posters were displayed at the Convention
Hall/Paramount Theatre.
"This was a very successful activity, which helped us to bridge the City
with businesses and the schools," noted Sharon Harris of the Asbury Park
School District. "Guy McCombs continues to outreach in this area, and we
look forward to working with him again in the future."
"The theme of the Poster Contest, "Honoring Our Past, Present and Future," motivated
the students to read about Black History in Asbury Park and to learn about the
issues of slavery and civil rights," said Jean Johnson, a teacher at Asbury
Park High School. "It was a powerful experience for the students."
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Pictured standing left to right are: Sharon Harris, Asbury Park School
District; John Loffredo, Councilman; Hazel Samuels, City of Asbury
Park; Terry Reidy, City Manager. Pictured kneeling left to right
are: Antonio Apencio, high school student; and Jan McLaren, Asbury
Park Middle School art teacher. Also standing are two grandchildren
who enjoyed the event.
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The Black History Month events, which are among many community
outreach programs sponsored by Asbury Partners, included a film
festival, with special free viewings for area students. "About 60 students from the Middle School attended a
free showing of "Remember the Titans," a film about a town struggling
with racial prejudice," said Jan McLaren, an art teacher at the Middle School. "It
was really significant for them, and a great opportunity for learning outside
the classroom."
An official judging panel, consisting of Honorary Judge Chairperson Ed Johnson,
City Councilman; Eve Silver; Shonda Neal; and Laranah Phipps, selected the winners
from three age groups. The winners are: Elementary School students Candace Demery,
Joel Carpio, Kean Stevens; Middle School students Elizabeth Mascali, George Mercado,
Anthony Mayo; and High School students Antonio Apencio, Clarence Jackson, and
Amber Motley.
Each winner was presented with a certificate at the luncheon, and all will be
invited with their parents to attend the next Board of Education meeting where
they will receive their awards.
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