I've decided that to include a description of the different resources I found on a poster would require a new poster. So here is a brief synopsis of what I considered noteworthy, or at least in the top 12.
My destination was West Side HIgh. Before I begin the description of the places surrounding it, I'd like to mention the complete alteration that occurs as you drive down South Orange Ave. Once you exit the University area, there are gated communities with some pretty nice housing. Then suddenly things take a turn for the worse, and various sites of disrepair mark the landscape. (Interestingly, the same thing occurs if you follow South Orange Ave on the other side of the GSP-things go from low income to pretty upscale as you head towards Seton Hall University.)
Ok, so I began by choosing a school, West Side High, and went from there. One striking feature is the fact that it is located right in the corner of Fairmount Cemetery. Depending on how one feels about cemeteries, this can be a positive or negative. (there is talk under way of a new building for West Side High) I personally find them pretty. From there I did a combination of walking, in the immediate vicinity, and google searching for community resources. The resources that I noted were all places students could go for help, educational institutes, or places families could turn to in difficult times.
A. WEST SIDE HIGH
403 South Orange Avenue
B. CAMDEN MIDDLE: Site of NPS Meeting
321 Bergen Street
C. WEST SIDE NINTH GRADE ACADEMY: Provides additional resources to students transitioning from middle school to the high school
D. Comprehensive Center for Fathers
Essex County College
E. Westside Boys & Girls Club
161 Littleton Ave
F. Springfield Library
50 Hayes St
G. Science High School: An alternative high school, one of the solutions mentioned for improving education.
260 Norfolk Street
H. New Community Corporation: is working to build housing in the West Ward
201 Bergen St
I. Habitat For Humanity
298 S. Orange Ave.
J. New Light Baptist Church: Provided Daycare
255 14th Ave
K. Memorial West Presbyterian Church: Ran a soup kitchen
286 S 7th St
NOT ON MAP, BUT GOOD TO KNOW
Newark Public Schools, (Human Resources, Counseling, etc.)
2 Cedar Street, Newark, NJ 07102
Communities In Schools
200 Washington St
Newark, NJ 07102
Mentoring Succes Programs
For other resources, it's worth checking out Community Youth Mapping, a site that sorts institutions by activity and time.
One last parting observation: The area was home to many places that were probably really nice houses at one point. Unfortunately, the area was generally in disrepair, with trash piled in some lots, and boarded up windows, rotting steps and rubble in others. However, there were people landscaping a church, homes were in various states of repair, and interspersed throughout were new structures. The area is being tended to. While I like to think this is all positive, in my skeptical brain it raises the issue of gentrification.
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You have done some great research on the surrounding area of West Side High School. As a resident of Newark I have also noticed the difference between the downtown area of Newark and the area surrounding the high school. Although there are some horrible sites located directly across the street from the school and a cemetary to the right of the school there are some great places that the students can go. I am glad that you pointed that out in your research.
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