Newark High Schools Keep Turning Out Ivy League Success Stories

NEWARK, NJ — It’s been an Ivy League sort of year in Newark.

Over the past few weeks, the Newark Public School District has been sharing stories about high school students that earned their way into eight of the most prestigious colleges in the nation: Dartmouth College, the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, Columbia University, Brown University, Princeton University and Cornell University.

There has been no shortage of success stories for the Class of 2025 (click headline to read the article):

• Inspiring Newark Teen Accepted To Nearly Every Ivy League University
• Immigrant Success Story: Newark Teen Earns Full Ride To Harvard
• Newark Teen Earns 'Once-In-A-Lifetime' Ivy League Scholarship
• Newark School Of Global Studies Senior Accepted To Columbia University

This week, the school district gave a cheer for nine more local teens who have made a big academic splash in their senior years. They include Precious Okwueze, a senior at Technology High School who has been accepted to Princeton and the University of Pennsylvania.

Okwueze – who was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria – moved to Newark in 2019 at the age of 11. Since then, she has excelled both in and out of the classroom.

According to district administrators:

“At Technology High School, Precious is involved in a wide range of extracurricular activities. She is the president of both the National Honor Society and the Afro-Caribbean Club, the co-founder of the Eco-Action Club, and the founder and president of the Senior College Advisors Club, which supports underclassmen through the college application process. She also serves as an associate writer for the journalism club and participates in NJ LEEP and Matriculate, two college-access programs.”

Okwueze plans to major in international affairs on a pre-law track, with aspirations of becoming an international lawyer focused on public policy and diplomacy. Although she hasn’t made her final college decision yet, one thing is clear: an Ivy League future awaits her.

“As an immigrant, the idea of attending an Ivy League university once felt so far out of reach – it wasn’t something I even thought could be possible,” Okwueze said. “So, to now be in this position is not only a privilege, but a reminder of how far I’ve come.”

STANDOUTS AT SCIENCE PARK HIGH

Meanwhile, eight students at Science Park High School have been accepted to Ivy League universities this year.

Science Park High School Principal Darleen Gearhart praised the students for their persistence and purpose.

“Each of these students has a story of resilience, leadership, and academic excellence,” Gearhart said. “We celebrate them not only for where they are going, but for the determination and vision that got them there.”

The list includes:

Iyiola Ajanaku will attend Brown University. A daughter of Nigerian immigrants, Iyiola is a swimmer, co-founder of the school’s Culture Club, and passionate about data science and health care. She plans to study computational biology to address health inequities through data modeling.

Victor Alegunlade was accepted to Cornell University. Born in Ibadan, Nigeria, and raised in Newark’s South Ward, Victor has been involved in marching band, jazz band, and multiple honor societies. He plans to major in mechanical engineering, a passion he’s had since building his first cardboard robot at age nine.

Beau Ambroise was accepted to Cornell and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A resident of Newark’s Forest Hill neighborhood, Beau plans to study electrical engineering. He is the president of the Math Club and National Honor Society and tutors math to students across grade levels.

Nathaniel Esubonteng was accepted to Cornell, Columbia, and Stanford. Born in Accra, Ghana, and raised in Newark’s West Ward, Nathaniel hopes to combine computer science and finance to solve global problems. He interned at Audible, co-led a youth voting campaign, and is Vice President of the Future Teachers Club.

Katherine Hildalgo was accepted to Cornell University. A robotics team member and mechanical engineering hopeful, Katherine grew up in Newark’s Ironbound neighborhood and found community through hands-on learning in Science Park’s Tech Titans Club and National Honor Society.

Karen Otavalo was accepted to Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia. Born in Ibarra, Ecuador, and raised in Newark’s Ironbound section, Karen came to the U.S. at age 11. She credits her success to her teachers and her experience in the International Baccalaureate program. She plans to major in Sociology and Government with the goal of addressing organized crime and youth violence in Latin America.

Liz Hernandez-Pujos was accepted to Cornell University. A North Newark resident and aspiring dermatologist or pediatrician, Liz is president of the Youth Enjoy Science club and has been active in food security efforts through the Students Change Hunger Club.

Monica Quezada was accepted to Cornell University through early decision. A proud North Newark native, Monica plans to study biomedical engineering with minors in computer science and applied mathematics. She developed an AI-based app in partnership with Microsoft and volunteers through food drives and tutoring.

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