Duke of Edinburgh visits Newark students participating in Global Award Program
NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) -- More than 3,000 miles away from Buckingham Palace, Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh, made a special stop in Newark on Tuesday to meet with students from Newark High School.
The students completed a program sponsored by His Royal Highness that encourages academic excellence and personal growth.
The Duke of Edinburgh met with some of the brightest minds in the district who are excelling both inside and outside of the classroom.
Four-hundred Newark High School students are committed to excellence in the classroom and self-discovery outside of school, striving to earn medals in the Duke of Edinburgh's Global Award Program.
"We need to find out what we can do and we need to get a real sense of achievement because that's what gives us our self-worth and self-confidence," His Royal Highness said.
His Royal Highness made an extended stop at Science Park High School, meeting some of the district's academic royalty, like Christian Feliciano, Chonn Hinton, and Arisha Alli, all 11th grade students who along with taking classes like physics, AP physics, and chemistry, took on self-motivated personal growth challenges.
"My first goal was to get better at basketball, and my second goal is running, running miles in the park, in the field, wherever I can, and my third goal is chemistry club," Feliciano said.
"Along this journey we had to do things like starting a fire, putting together a tent, and spending time in our community," Hinton said.
"Future engineer, yes. Mechanical or electrical, let me know if you someone to wire your house," Alli said.
"The students are definitely being challenged and as I shared, rising to that expectation as children in Newark always do," said Superintendent of Newark Public Schools, Roger Leon.
With plenty of talent, his highness hearing a sample.
The bronze medalists have a chance to earn silver and gold medals by the time they graduate.
"Use this opportunity to try new things, or try something you always wanted to have a go at," His Royal Highness said.
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