From the South Orange-Maplewood School District:
Students at Columbia High School’s gMAC program led a powerful evening of recognition on March 12, honoring South Orange Middle School Principal Mrs. Lynn Irby Hill, a longtime educator whose leadership and mentorship have shaped generations of students across the South Orange & Maplewood School District.
The program was organized by educator Marcia Hicks and students in Columbia High School’s gMAC program, who selected Irby Hill as the honoree after discussing which leader in the district had made the greatest difference in students’ lives.
“This program really came from the students,” Hicks told the audience. “I asked my leadership group who they wanted to honor, and every one of them said Lynn Irby Hill. When students see someone who is truly doing the work for kids, they know it.”
Speakers throughout the evening reflected on Irby Hill’s decades of service in the district and the reputation she has built as a direct, passionate advocate for students.
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Kevin Gilbert said the recognition carried special meaning because it came directly from students.
Lynn Irby Hill listens to Dr. Kevin Gilbert speak.
“One of the greatest compliments educators can receive is when students recognize that our care is authentic,” Dr. Gilbert said. “These students chose her because they know she lives by the question that matters most: ‘How are the children?'”
Gilbert recalled watching Irby Hill in action in school hallways and meetings alike.
“I have seen her stop students in the hallway just to check in,” he said. “And I have sat in meetings where she made all of us uncomfortable asking the right questions about how we are building systems that truly support children.”
Clinton Elementary School Principal Melissa Butler described Irby Hill as both a mentor and a close friend whose leadership has influenced countless educators across the district.
“Her leadership is grounded in integrity, compassion and an unwavering commitment to ensuring every student feels seen and valued,” Butler said. “She always says something I carry with me: ‘I can teach someone curriculum, but I cannot teach them to love my kids.'”
Butler said that belief has defined Irby Hill’s approach to leadership.
“She is an advocate for equity, a champion for every student’s potential and a guiding light for colleagues,” Butler said. “She inspires people not just through words, but through action.”
Students and alumni offered some of the evening’s most emotional moments, sharing personal reflections about the role Irby Hill has played in their lives. One former student told the audience that Irby Hill had helped guide her through many of life’s first milestones.
“Because of her, I graduated from high school. Because of her, I went to college,” she said. “She helped me see what life could be.”
Current students echoed that sense of encouragement and belonging.
“You made me believe I could do hard things,” one student said. “Just having someone who makes it hard to have a bad day changes everything.”
Several speakers also reflected on the influence of Irby Hill’s annual “My Black Is Beautiful!” event at South Orange Middle School, a program that creates space for students, particularly Black students, to celebrate identity, culture, and expression.
One participant described the event as transformative for students who often struggle to find spaces where they feel fully seen.
“Too many young people carry things they never feel safe enough to express,” one speaker said. “But during that program, something opened up. Students felt like they could finally speak from their hearts.”
Another family member reflected on the importance of the environment Irby Hill has helped build.
“What happens when you give someone who truly loves children the time to put down roots?” he asked the audience. “People blossom. Connections last a lifetime.”
Lauryn Hill, the renowned singer and musical artist and a member of the Hill family, also joined in the evening’s reflections. Speaking warmly about the community that helped shape her family, Hill highlighted the important role educators like Irby Hill play in nurturing and sustaining generations of young people.
“I believe there is a kind of frequency in communities that brings people together,” Lauryn Hill said. “A garden where people nurture one another and help others grow.”
Principal Irby Hill has been a vital part of that garden for many families.
“When I was traveling, I knew my children were safe with you,” Lauryn Hill said. “That kind of care matters. The love you pour into your students is obvious in any room you walk into.”
When Irby Hill took the stage, she spoke directly to the students who organized the recognition.
“There is a special kind of warmth to an award that comes from students,” she said. “You are the heartbeat of everything that I do.”
She reminded them that her work has always been rooted in helping young people understand their worth and potential.
“I want each of you to leave here knowing that you are brilliant, you are necessary, and you are meant to take up space in this world,” she said.
By the end of the evening, the tribute had become something more than a ceremony. It was a reflection of the community that Irby Hill has helped shape for decades, and of the many lives that continue to carry her influence forward.
