On Wednesday, August 19, Columbia High School held its first August graduation.
New Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Ramos was in attendance, as was Principal Elizabeth Aaron, Assistant Principal Charles Ezell and Terry Woolard – currently Director of Media and Technology – whoe will become CHS’s new assistant principal as of September 1.
The August ceremony provided an opportunity for students who weren’t able to attend the June graduation or who weren’t able to complete classes and credits in time, to receive their diplomas in style — after recovering any necessary credits.
While 12 students were eligible for the ceremony, four participated: Alonzo Steadman (who addressed the graduates), Joseph Oyenuga, Osinakachukwu Nwigwe, and Brooke Olivia Peterson.
All four have plans to pursue higher education in September: Steadman is headed to Essex County College to study Arts and Psychology, with plans ultimately to transfer to Rutgers University. Oyenuga is headed for Morris County College to study Chemistry. Nwigwe, like Steadman, will start at Essex County College with plans to transfer — in his case, to NJIT to study Information Technology. And Peterson is bound for the University of Delaware where she will study Early Childhood Education and will be earning a Certification as an EMT (Peterson is a member of the South Orange CERT and the South Orange Rescue Squad).
“We are so proud of our August graduates,” said CHS Principal Elizabeth Aaron, who stressed the importance for students to “have the opportunity to put on that cap and gown and have those pictures.”
Click on any image below to see a slideshow of photos from the ceremony.
