Irvington coaches honored by Essex County Freeholders

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IRVINGTON, NJ – The Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders honored Irvington coaches Marvin Hawkins, Jenna Weiss, and Jessica Ragone during the Irvington Council meeting on August 22.

Hawkins, who is the cross country head coach, indoor track and field head coach and boys’ outdoor track and field coach at IHS, was the first Irvington coach elected to the New Jersey Coaches Hall of Fame.

Weiss, who is the IHS head softball coach, earned the NJEA Teachers Who Rock Award.

Ragone, the head cheerleading coach at University Middle School and the assistant softball coach at IHS, received the JOPERD Young Professionals Award.

The NJEA Teachers Who Rock Award goes to a teacher who demonstrates care and compassion for their students outside the classroom, and the JOPERD Young Professionals Award goes to a physical education teacher who demonstrates great instructional methods, but has less than five years of teaching experience.

After learning about these accolades, the Freeholders Association stated they wanted to honor all three coaches when they met in Irvington on August 22. The three were presented framed proclamations in a special ceremony prior to the start of the regular monthly meeting.

Irvington Mayor Tony Vauss, Irvington Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Neely Hackett, Irvington Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Dr. April Magee, and Irvington Athletic Director Dr. John Taylor were all on hand for the ceremony. Dr. Hackett and Dr. Taylor spoke on the coaches’ behalf during the ceremony.

Photos courtesy of Felicia Laguerre Owens

  Jenna Weiss, Lebby Jones, Marvin Hawkins, Mayor Tony Vauss, Neely Hackett, Pat Sebold