EAST ORANGE, NJ — The holiday weekend is shaping up to be a busy one. In addition to Thanksgiving on Thursday, Nov. 23, and the kickoff of shopping season with Black Friday sales on Friday, Nov. 24, high schools in East Orange will also be celebrating Alumni Weekend.
On Thursday, No. 23, the alumni of the old East Orange High School and Clifford J. Scott High School traditionally gather at Paul Robeson Stadium on Park Avenue for the annual high school football game with old rivals from Barringer High School in Newark. The game is scheduled to kick off at 11 a.m., along with other Alumni Weekend festivities.
“It’s the alumni weekend, where you have East Orange vs. Barringer; then we have Clyde Bradshaw and his party, which is the kickoff,” said East Orange City Council Chairman, 3rd Ward Councilman and Mayor-elect Ted Green on Friday, Oct. 20.
“We also have the Old Guards and their affair and then we’re going to bounce back on (Nov.) 25, with the basketball game at Campus High School. During that time, we’re also going to have the Hall of Fame at Cicely Tyson School. We’ll be back out here again at Bogies (Lounge in East Orange) on Nov. 25 for the ‘Alumni Weekend Close-Out Panthers and Scotties Meet and Greet with a Little Something Extra,’ hosted by Vinnie from Naughty By Nature,” Green added.
East Orange High School sports teams used to be nicknamed the Panthers and the Cicely Tyson School teams were called the Scottie Dogs, back when they competed against the Barringer High School Blue Bears and the Montclair High School Mounties every year on Thanksgiving. The East Orange Campus High School Jaguars will continue that tradition when they square off against the Barringer High School Blue Bears this season.
According to Green and fellow East Orange High School graduate Melody Scott, it’s also going to be a great kick off for Alumni Weekend.
“I can’t wait for Alumni Weekend and Nov. 25,” said Green. “It’s going to be a great time in the city of East Orange.”
Scott said she plans to attend every scheduled event, along with Green and Brown, a fellow East Orange native of the rap group Naughty By Nature. Brown will host the Panthers and Scotties Meet and Greet.
“It’s hometown, homegrown,” said Scott on Friday, Oct. 20. “The Saturday after the Thanksgiving alumni basketball game, we will be having a party at Bogies and we’re going to be honoring some folks. The Scottie Dogs from Clifford J. Scott High School are going to be there, too. They’re invited. Everybody’s invited. We’re all one from East Orange.”
“East Orange High School, Clifford J. Scott High School, Essex Catholic; it was all one,” said DJ Red as he manned the turntables at a party on Friday, Oct. 20. “The tradition has always been about East Orange and we have a great history and tradition here in East Orange.”
For more information about the East Orange Alumni Weekend events, call 973-303-0220 or 973-416-6237.
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