Several performances took place before the start of the March 15 Elizabeth Board of Education meeting at Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson (JVJ) STEM Academy in celebration of Youth Art Month, including “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid Jr., performed by William F. Halloran School No. 22 eighth Grade Student Cielo Y. Arevalo, “Oh, The Thinks You Can Think!” from Seussical the Musical, performed by Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy students, “When I Grow Up” from Matilda Jr. the Musical, performed by The Saturday Arts Theatre students, and “La Rebelion” by Joe Arroyo, performed by “Projecto Latino” students from the Saturday Arts Latin Band.

Also prior to the official start of the business meeting, the Board recognized several students and a team member for their excellent accomplishments. Those honored include seventh grade Nicholas S. La Corte – Peterstown School No. 3 student Johana Sanchez Benitez and seventh grade Chessie Dentley Roberts Academy School No. 30 student Ethan Alexander Arroyave for winning the Port Authority Bus Terminal Advisory Council Poster Contest, William Halloran School No. 22 students Shaniyah Leah Rivera (8th grade), Andrew Romano Cuzzi (6th grade), Laura Gabriela Serrano (6th grade), and Christina Geneve Martin (6th grade) for having their artwork selected for the Union County Art Educators of New Jersey Youth Art Month Exhibit, sixth grade School No. 22 student Christina Geneve Martin for having her artwork selected for the Art Educators of New Jersey State Youth Art Month Exhibit, eleventh grade Elizabeth High School – Frank J. Cicarell Academy student Valerie Rodriguez whose drum solo earned her an honorable mention award for Best Soloist at the New Jersey Association for Jazz Education Preliminary State Competition, eleventh grade Elizabeth High School – Frank J. Cicarell Academy student Makayla Marie Lecky for being the recipient of the Black Youth Excellence Award by the New Jersey Legislative Black Caucus Foundation (NJLBCF) and New Jersey Legislative Black Caucus (LBC), and Supervisor of Art Tracy C. Monteiro for her contributions to the excellent achievements throughout Elizabeth Public Schools in the fine and performing arts.

During the meeting, the student representative of the Board from J. Christian Bollwage Finance Academy, Bryant Garcia, was presented by school principal John Byrne. Garcia is the vice president of the school’s student government who is ranked No. 5 in his graduating class and has been accepted into Rutgers University’s business school where he hopes to study finance. Bryant’s leadership and dedication to academic success makes him an excellent person to serve as the student representative to the Board on behalf of Bollwage Finance Academy.