Today, about 1,800 Trenton students from grades 10 through 12 are walking the halls and attending classes at a brand new state-of-the-art $155 million-dollar, 350,000 square-foot facility at 400 Chambers Street in Trenton, NJ.
The new Trenton Central High School (TCHS) facility provides numerous spaces designed to extend opportunities for students’ growth and development. These spaces include an expansive media center, auditorium, 2,000-seat gymnasium, auxiliary gym, cardio fitness room, weight room, an outdoor amphitheater and an outdoor student commons/dining area adjoining the cafeteria.
On Friday, September 6, a spirited ribbon cutting for the new Trenton Central High School was officiated by Mayor Reed Gusciora, Senate President Steve Sweeney, Senator Shirley K. Turner, Friends of Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, Assemblyman Anthony S. Verrelli, and representatives from Mercer County, New Jersey.
India Bracey, a Trenton Central High School Senior, views the new building as a positive step in Trenton’s transformation. “All of the great things that we didn’t have that other schools have, and even things beyond what other schools have, will allow students to push harder to achieve higher dreams,” said Bracey.
As Captain of the Varsity Cheerleading team and member of the CTE Dance Program and Student Council, Bracey is an active part of the student body. One of the challenges of being in disparate locations was lack of communication and participation, according to Bracey.
“Oftentimes, you’ll hear one thing at one campus and something else at another one, noted Bracey. “It was hard to bond with everyone in my class.”
Bracey, who hopes to attend UPenn next year with a major in Psychology, is extremely determined to accomplish big things in life. “Even though we’re in an urban community…we’re more than capable no matter where we’re from,” Bracey compassionately expressed.
TCHS is organized into five diverse career-focused small learning communities known as Career Academies. Students select the Career Academy that best aligns their interests to one of the College and Career program offerings within each Academy. These “schools-within-a-school” provide the opportunity for large high schools to create smaller educational communities that offer a more personalized learning environment to better meet the needs of students.
The five TCHS career academies include: Communications, Health Professions, Restaurant, Entrepreneurship and Tourism, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and Visual and Performing Arts.
Too all Trenton students, Bracey says: “Push yourself – the sky is only the beginning, so keep pushing yourself harder and harder to fulfill your dreams and be where you want to be.”
