2008 June 25 | southorangemaplewoodnj.com

Respect, Reflect and Remember’

This was an awesome event sponsored by the South Orange Middle School – People came from all over to help the students of the South Orange, New Jersey Middle school- SOMS respect, reflect and remember. TechOSS as part of its SOMSNOW initiative volunteered to develop the internet marketing communications website graphic display and mini graphic movie . As speakers saw themselves profiled on the website MLK Cultural Club.org word spread and more speakers agreed to speak. The kids were really moved by this awesome event. – gregory burrus TechOSS.com Website Development

Newsrecord of South Orange Maplewood – June 26 2008 Page 12

SOMS Students ‘Respect, Reflect and Remember’

By Jenna Nierstedt Staff Writer rrr, south range middle school event
While many South Orange Middle School students were still a twinkle in their fathers’ eyes, Eugenie Mukeshimana was running for her life from Rwandan political officials who wanted her dead.
In early April 1994, Mukeshimana was a 23- year- old wife and soon- to- be mother when a mass genocide erupted in her native Rwanda. Mukeshimana was forced to separate from her husband and go into hiding, squeezing herself underneath a neighbor’s bed, where she was barely able to move, eat or shower for an entire month.
Mukeshimana lived to tell her story, visiting South Orange Middle School students June 19 for the school’s first “ Respect, Reflect and Remember” event, designed to share with students personal narratives of individuals who have overcome great challenges and obstacles in their lives.

“ This is the most amazing program our school and town have ever seen,” said sixth- grade language arts teacher Melissa Williams. “ It brought the whole school together, with everyone wearing the same Tshirts, and there was a presence. It was so quiet during the presentations, you could hear a pin drop.”
Led by eighth- grade science teacher Louis Cicenia, the program featured 60 individual visitors, many of whom were from the local area, speaking on topics ranging from discrimination and war to physical disabilities and traumatic life experiences.

“ What I wanted them to take away from it was the motivation to go out and do something, to change the way they act and feel and to understand that they do have the ability to make a difference,” Cicenia said.
Noting feedback from students the following day of school, Cicenia said many seemed both unaware and shocked by life outside their South Orange and Maplewood borders.
“ I wish there was a way to make them understand how they really are the luckiest,” Mukeshimana said amid tears following one of her presentations. “ Their teachers, parents, priests, rabbis — they’re not going to talk about how hard oth rrr, south range middle school event

er people’s lives are. So I will, to let the kids know how blessed they are. It’s my small contribution.”
Having lost her husband, father and sister to the genocide, Mukeshimana wanted to illuminate the gift of family. She also stressed education as an important and special privilege.
Speakers at the event included a Title IX advocate from Costa Rica, Sept. 11 survivors, a homosexual businessman, a TIME Magazine senior reporter from Washington, D. C., a Doctors Without Borders volunteer and a victim of gang violence from Irvington.
“ I learned that, no matter what situation you’re in, you can help others learn from your own experiences,” said eighth- grader Hayley Livingston.
Cicenia, who was inspired to bring the program to South Orange Middle School after seeing it in Montvale, said student volunteers played a big role in coordinating the program, taking ownership of the fundraising aspect.
The program, which cost about $ 15,000, was funded by parent and local business donations, as well as an October 2007 “ Run for Character” fundraiser.
“ They stepped up to a level of responsibility I don’t remember having as a middle school student,” Williams said, noting students arrived at 6: 45 a. m. the day of the event to help prepare.
Eighth- grader Sammi Greene, events chairperson for the school’s Martin Luther King Jr. Club that sponsored the program, said she was happy to see the day run smoothly.
“ For a program this big, the logistics can be impossible, but it ran with minimal confusion,” she said. “ It’s like my little baby.”
As a student of the diverse South Orange- Maplewood School District, eighth- grader Amber Alston said she felt students could learn most from the talks by striving to break down stereotypes and boundaries.
“ The program is teaching us to understand the challenges people have overcome to get to where they are today,” she said. “ A lot of kids don’t realize how what they say can hurt others.”
The idea for “ Respect, Reflect and Remember” developed out of a New Jersey program established by Vernon middle school teacher Vernoy Paolini. The original program, “ Peace Day,” was started eight years ago to teach students the importance of tolerance.
“ This is the first time I think that students have gone home and told their parents about a full day of school and couldn’t shut up about it,” Cicenia said.

Tags: soms, South Orange, South Orange Middle School students