Newark Tech preparing students for the future with hands on learning opportunities
Newark Tech is a hotbed of higher learning that draws on the best of the 22 towns in Essex County, New Jersey.
Gone are the old stereotypes of vocational and technical schools. This state of the art school on Market Street features world class facilities and world class teachers leading a student body that's eager to learn.
"I would actually describe this, for me, as an educational oasis. For us here, we get to prepare our students for college and career. So we're just not just one-sided. So with the facilities that we have, with the amazing staff members that we have here, our students are really, really being prepared for the future," said Principal Dr. Jenabu C. Williams. "One of our school mantras is that we've said for the last three years that in Essex County, Newark Tech will set the standard for CTE and academic access to become one of the top schools of choice in New Jersey."
The campus and facilities are brand new in parts and second to none. With views of nearby NJIT and a Rutgers campus, it already feels like a college.
The vision is to create a learning community where excellence is expected of everyone. Students come from Essex County's 22 municipalities and, since they choose to be there, absenteeism rates are some of the lowest for big cities in the nation.
"We have dual enrollment programs, early college programs, which really allow the students to take full advantage of NJIT, of Rutgers University, Essex County College and even Rutgers New Jersey Medical School," Williams said. "And so it's really, for us, again, not just career tech programs, but also making sure that our kids are leaving here with college credits up to and including even graduating with an associate's degree in liberal arts in Essex County College."
Next wave of medical professionals
Everywhere you look, students aren't just coming to class, they're getting a jump on a career in the medical field, as the next wave of dentists, dental hygienists, emergency medical technicians, nurses, welders and experts in the fields of robotics or auto mechanics.
"I want to be a crisis nurse in the future. So here, having the opportunity to learn early and get certified as a medical assistant and have that introduction into the workforce before I enter myself through nursing school, it was a really unique opportunity that wouldn't have gone otherwise," senior Vernil Annoh said.
"The programs here are like no other, and I think the most outstanding thing about this school is the teachers that are here to support you. I mean, Dr. Mazri has been the rock for every student here. He's constantly being selflessly dedicated to his students, finding opportunities for them -- internships, field trips, programs -- just to better our education, both in the classroom and outside the classroom," said Warisha Bari.
Bari is a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist and scored a perfect score on her PSAT.
"Next, I do want to go to college, major in physics and, hopefully, commit to a field around there. I want to involve my experience in medicine with that, perhaps make technology related to nanosurgery," she said.
"A golden ticket"
The school has an ambulance simulator, the only one of its kind at a high school in New Jersey and the gold standard of hands-on learning. The automotive and engineering robotics departments are also massively popular for carpentry and welding.
"Welding is a golden ticket. There's just not enough welders out there. We actually were contacted by the U.S. Navy. They have a program looking for welders to build next-generation ships," said teacher Bernard Gomes. "So I run the work-based learning program, so we connect students with the industry. We have partners with PSNG, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. We also work with union apprenticeship programs, so we get them to the next step. When they leave here, they go to the apprenticeship programs."
For Luis Martinez, it's the perfect match.
"I'm really excited about this and this opportunity that my school has given me, because I came from a school freshman year that I wasn't really, like, I had bad behavior and things like that, and this school really straightened me out. And I was second guessing about college, but now I'm pretty sure what I want to do, and this will really help me with such things like really like determining like what I wanna do in the future," he said. "I'm glad that I have a principal like Mr. Williams did, and he preaches every morning, he's like -- It's almost like he doesn't forget none of our names and stuff, he's an amazing guy."