West Orange HS sophomore poet to receive Governor’s Award

WEST ORANGE, NJ — West Orange High School sophomore Makayla Rivera will receive a New Jersey Governor’s Award in Arts Education for 2022 at an awards ceremony on May 26.

Rivera will receive her award for a poem. She was nominated by the NAACP of the Oranges and Maplewood’s ACT-SO Program for the Humanities following her gold medal award in the organization’s poetry competition. Approximately 100 gifted and talented students and 15 teachers from across the state will be recognized for various achievements in arts education on May 26.

According to the New Jersey Governor’s Awards in Arts Education Planning Council, “The Governor’s Awards in Arts Education program was established in 1980 to celebrate artistic excellence and create visibility, awareness and appreciation for the impact that the arts have on our lives and culture. These awards represent the highest honor given in New Jersey, honoring the outstanding creative achievements of students, the promotion and support of arts education by educators and arts organizations.”