An investment in our community’s youth is an investment in our city’s future. The knowledge children gain in today’s classroom will set the stage for the scholars, innovators, and leaders of tomorrow. And when Trenton’s students have an environment in which they can thrive, it’s a win for Trentonians of all ages. And at the Paul Robeson Charter School, this bright future ahead is only getting started.
On Wednesday, November 8th, community leaders, stakeholders, and supporters gathered at the future site of the Paul Robeson Charter School to celebrate the groundbreaking of their brand-new state-of-the-art educational facility. What was once a vacant lot on the Trenton-Ewing border will soon be transformed to a world-class educational facility, adding another major asset to the community. Welcomed by beautiful renderings of what was to come, one couldn’t help but envision all the knowledge, memories, and laughs that lay ahead for the soon-to-be-built facility. At the morning’s celebration, guests had the opportunity to hear from a dynamic panel of speakers, including Lisa Hall, PRCS Dean of Student Life, John Amenda, PRCS Executive Director, Ken Somberg, PRCS Board of Trustees Chair, Reed Gusciora, Mayor of Trenton, and Bert. H. Steinmann, Mayor of Ewing.
Lisa Hall, Dean of Student Life, perfectly summed up the ethos for the morning, stating “Our mission is to provide a personalized education that challenges, inspires, and prepares students to passionately pursue their dreams. And dream is a keyword here.” In reference to Langston Hughes’ famed poem, Harlem, Hall noted “I welcome you not to a dream deferred, but to a manifestation of a Paul Robeson Charter School Dream.”
Reflecting on this accomplishment, John Amenda stated “Thank you for being here with us today to celebrate a momentous moment for Paul Robeson Charter School, the official groundbreaking of a long-awaited and truly remarkable facility. While we stand on dirt today that has sat as vacant land for decades, in 2025, on this property will stand a beautiful 55,000 sq. ft. facility, which will house the phenomenal education program provided by Paul Robeson Charter School. We are here today because of the combined efforts of so many individuals who care deeply about education.”
Continuing, he said “We’re extremely proud of our school today and also very excited about the future and all the promises this new chapter holds for us. This new building is so much more than bricks and mortar, it’s a symbol of hope, possibility, and the sustained opportunities that this campus will be able to provide for thousands of students long into the future.”
Discussing how this facility will impact the surrounding neighborhoods, Mayor Steinmann noted “This is going to transform this particular neighborhood like no other project is transforming. I’m hoping that as this building comes out of the ground, people that are surrounding here will take notice on how much care it takes to run a building and to keep it neat and clean, and then they will try to improve their own properties as they go along. It helps everybody, and I’m very glad that the Paul Robeson Charter School decided to come to this particular location.”
After guests had the opportunity to hear from this distinguished panel of speakers, stakeholders gathered on the lot for the official groundbreaking ceremony. Community and school leaders, PRCS students, and other individuals instrumental to this project donned their hard hats and dug in their shovels for the official groundbreaking of the facility. Scheduled to open in 2025, in just a couple of short years, new life will be breathed upon this previously vacant lot. A tremendous accomplishment for the PRCS administrators, students, and the community at large, there’s no doubt this school will benefit the city for generations to come.
If you’d like to learn more about PRCS and all that lies ahead, please visit their website, linked here: PRCS – Home. Congratulations to the PRCS staff, students, and stakeholders on the official groundbreaking of this innovative new facility!
