EAST ORANGE, NJ — Eighth-graders at the Cicely L. Tyson Community School of Performing Arts graduated on June 18 at Paul Robeson Stadium and are looking forward to the next stop on their academic journeys. Reflecting on their middle school years, students recently shared some favorite memories from their tenure at Tyson.
“I was dancing around and was not embarrassed to show my moves. It felt like I was with family,” future FBI Agent Kanya Lewis Robinson, 14, said, recalling the school’s Winter Ball.
“It was in seventh grade,” future basketball player Adrian Clarke, 13, said. “A classmate made a joke and everybody laughed, including the teacher. It was fun to see everyone happy. Just having us all together enjoying a moment felt good.”
“I was in seventh grade at the time. I was seated with a classmate in the lunchroom, and we were making silly sounds for fun: ‘woo, woo.’ At that moment I felt like I fit in with everyone. They matched my energy,” said Maliyah Battle, 14, an aspiring actor and future psychologist.
“Sixth grade was memorable,” future football player Isaac Mathurin, 14, said. “The teachers helped me improve my reading over the year in language arts.”
Sixth grade was also memorable for future plastic surgeon Ronald Gwaltney, 14, who said, “We had to write a story and the teacher picked mine as the best. I won first place and got a candy prize, too.”
“My stage performance during Black History Month in seventh grade stands out,” aspiring prima ballerina Naziya Smith, 14, said. “I felt so connected to the music and the movement. It was also a lot of fun.”
“On our birthday, the teacher made us say, ‘The world is a better place with me in it.’ It made us feel special,” future pediatrician Maddyson Harris, 14, said.
“My favorite memory is when I met one of my best friends in sixth grade. She makes me smile more,” future business entrepreneur Kayla Jefferson, 13, said.
“In seventh grade, one of my teachers would sometimes let us dance to a song before we started class,” aspiring neurosurgeon or neurologist Nyla Bey, 13, said “We got our work done and still had fun.”
Future scientist Tyron Everson, 14, said his favorite memory was “playing basketball in the gym. It was exciting.”
Despite the challenges associated with remote learning, Principal John English commends the recently graduated eighth-grade students for persevering.
“I am immensely proud of this eighth-grade class. They have been out of the building for more than a year receiving remote and virtual instruction, yet they have learned how to weather storms and persevere. It’s been great to have some of them opt to return back to the building, many having grown taller than me. I wish them all a great high school experience,” English said, adding that this class will always hold a special place in his heart as his only son is a member of it. “This will definitely be a memory that I won’t let go of.”
Photos Courtesy of Mirvetk Tonuzi
Eighth-grade graduates reflect on their time at Cicely Tyson School added by Editor on
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