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Link Alumnus to speak at A Taste of Newark

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Link is pleased to announce that Khalid Jordan, Link Class of 2006, will be the Alumni Speaker at Link’s Annual gala fundraiser, A Taste of Newark, to be held on Wednesday, November 13, 2019 at NJPAC in Newark. Khalid, who is pursuing a career in the entertainment industry, will speak to the impact that Link had on his life.

After graduating from Link in 2006, Khalid Jordan attended Science Park High School for his freshman year before transferring to and graduating from Arts High School, where he was following the family legacy and majored in Television Production. During high school, Khalid played football for Malcolm X. Shabazz High School which led to an athletic scholarship to play football at Howard University in Washington, D.C. While at Howard, Khalid procured various internships with companies such as Sesame Workshop as well as  BET (DC and NY) and other Viacom companies. After graduation from college, he moved to California to work in the entertainment industry, beginning his career in the mailroom at William Morris Endeavor talent agency. After three and a half years working in the Television Literary and Digital Department, Khalid gained employment as a manager at Mass Appeal and then landed his current position as a Creative Development Executive at Warner Brothers Television.

We are thrilled that Khalid will share his reflections with our guests at A Taste of Newark, and hope that his fellow Link alumni come out that evening to reconnect with him and with Link!

Link Alumnus gives back to his community

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Jeremiah serving breakfast to those in need.

“It’s not about the accolades that you earn. It’s about inspiring those around you to do better. It’s your job to uplift people.” Link alum, Jeremiah McElroy ’08, recently updated us on what he’s been doing since graduating Link. Jeremiah attended Immaculate Conception High School before going on to get his ABA (Associates of Business Administration) from Essex County College. Currently, Jeremiah is working towards getting his bachelor’s degree in Accounting in the coming years. He noted that Link not only prepared him for high school, but also for college. When attending Immaculate Conception High School, he noticed that “all of the students who came from Link were placed in the top math classes.” The skills that Jeremiah learned at Link, carried through to the college level.

Outside of academics, Jeremiah continues to live Link’s Core Values each day. Specifically, he has found a passion for serving his community. Jeremiah, a Newark resident, has begun to serve the homeless population around Lincoln Park. He stated that “there are always people asking for food and money. I was tired of seeing the same issues with little to no change. I wanted to do more than just give the change that I had in my pocket; I wanted to do something bigger that would have a lasting impact.” This is how Jeremiah got the idea to hand out breakfast platters to those experiencing hardships. The first time he set out to serve the community in this way, he fed over 60 people. As friends and neighbors learned of his service, they began to gather donations to support his efforts. The second time Jeremiah served breakfast, he fed over 100 individuals. He said that his goal is to continue to grow and help more people in his community.
“I was surprised that Link wanted to reconnect with me. I wasn’t in the top of my class and I got in trouble a lot; but, I did something small and made a lot of people, including myself, proud.” Jeremiah is and continues to be a great role model for our current students and alumni.

Alumnus donates art to Link

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Thomas Johnson, Link Class of 2010 donated a podium to Link that he created in Graphic Design class during his senior year at Rutgers University-Newark.  His class was tasked with creating art within the theme of “Stood at the Border: Im/migrant Voices & Stories Retold,” wherein students were to develop “individual statements addressing issues of im/migration and belonging.  Inspired by American novelist Toni Morrison’s statement, “I stood at the border, stood at the edge and claimed it my central,” the art students conducted research and then demonstrated their findings in art in their own unique media platform. Thomas chose to depict African American history and narrative on vinyl that was wrapped around a podium.  The art features line portraits of famous African Americans and organizations. Thomas’s art, and that of his peers, was exhibited at the Project for Empty Spaces gallery in Newark last spring, and then he delivered the piece to Link where has been used for Black Lives Matters week and other school events. Link appreciates both Thomas’ talent and his gift to Link, and wishes his well as he graduates from Rutgers U.

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Link’s Class of 2015 heads off to college!

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What exciting news we have from Link alumni – the Class of 2015 – who graduated from high school this past June! We have already reached 60% of the class and ALL have enrolled in college for the fall of 2019! Link has made a tremendous effort in locating our alumni and in making connections and we will continue to report on connections made.

We congratulate the Class of 2015, which was first class to graduate from Link after the conversion to a public charter school and wish them well on the next leg of life’s journey. Here is the list of colleges and universities the Class of 2019 will attend in the fall:

4-Year Private Institutions
Bloomfield College
Caldwell University
College of Saint Elizabeth
Drew University
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Felician University
Hastings College
Loyola University (Baltimore)
Rider University
University of Rochester
Vassar College

Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Bowie State University
Delaware State University
Howard University
Jackson State University
North Carolina A&T State University

4-Year Public Institutions
Georgia State University
Kean University
Montclair State University
The Pennsylvania State University
Rowan University
Rutgers University
Stockton University
William Paterson University

2-Year Public Institutions
Chattahoochee Technical College
Essex County College
Union County College

Link Alumni speak to Life Skills class

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Jalen Coleman ’17, Caleb Jakes ’18, Kelsey Cruz ’18, and Tre-Elijah Williams ’18 served on a panel during Ms. Dandie’s Life Skills class (Team Veritas, grade 5) and spoke with students about coping in school, what it takes to succeed, the preparation and then transition to high school and so much more. Our young scholars were very inspired – in fact, in awe – of our alumni. They asked a lot of great questions. The alumni, on spring break from their respective high schools, also helped with various projects throughout the school – “giving back to the community.”

Jalen studies at the prestigious Pingry School in Martinsville, NJ. Caleb, Kelsey, and Tre are attending great boarding schools – Caleb at The Masters School in NY, Kelsey at West Nottingham Academy in MD; and Tre at The Governor’s Academy in MA. All are very happy with the selections they made for high school and progressing well academically and socially. We are proud of these young people who are willing to share their time and talents at Link!

Laila Little ’98 gives back to the community

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Laila Little, Class of ’98, is giving back to her community…to Link, the City of Newark and beyond. To Link, Ms. Little has brought her passionate concern for children’s health and Double Dutch jump roping to a weekly elective class. Ms. Little started jumping rope at a young age at the Boys and Girls Club in Newark and continued competitively through high school and college. The mentoring and support she received plus the awareness of the socio-economic issues facing the underprivileged inspired her to give back to others. Ultimately she founded Jump Kids Health, an organization with the mission to combat childhood obesity and mental health issues through therapy, nutritional counseling, and competitive Double Dutch training in Newark, Philadelphia, the Bronx, Brooklyn and, soon, West Virginia. Joining Ms. Little in Jump Kids Health are two other Link alumnae – Khaila Cross ’98 and Tiffany Walker ’02.

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