Hoboken High School Hispanic Culture Club To Honor 3 Role Models

HOBOKEN, NJ — A pioneering firefighter and a pair of dedicated local educators will be honored during this year’s Hoboken High School Hispanic Culture Club Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

On Thursday, May 30, the club will hold its 5th annual hall of fame gala and Hispanic Heritage Celebration. The free, public event is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. in the Hoboken High School auditorium.

This year, the celebration will give some well-deserved kudos to three local community members: Maria "Peggy" Diaz, Geidy Delarosa and Ivan Ramos. (Learn more about each honoree below)

According to HHS teacher and Hispanic Culture Club adviser Christopher Munoz, the club “delves into history to help create an intimate knowledge of the role that Hispanics have played in the history and psyche of the United States and Hoboken.”

The purpose of the Hispanic Culture Club Hall of Fame is to recognize individuals who have made a positive impact in the Hispanic and Hoboken community, Munoz said.

“For most Hispanic families, celebrating culture is not particularly difficult,” Munoz said. “It frequently permeates our lifestyle embedding itself in our psyche. But the Hispanic Culture Club is the perfect opportunity to delve more deeply into the history of our ancestors and help create an intimate knowledge of the role that Hispanics have played in the history and psyche of the United States and Hoboken, as well as the effect they’ve had on our culture.”

The following biographies come courtesy of Munoz.

Maria “Peggy” Diaz - Hoboken Fire Department

Captain Maria D. Diaz, a native of Puerto Rico, was born and raised in Hoboken, NJ. Her parents arrived from the Island to Hoboken in 1970. After graduating from Hoboken High School in 1992, she served in the US Navy as an Airman stationed in Naval Air Base Whidbey Island, WA.

Captain Diaz began her career as a firefighter in December of 2002 becoming one of the first two women firefighters in the city of Hoboken and the 1st Latina in Hudson County. Dedicated to the profession and to expanding her knowledge in the field, Captain Diaz has continued training and is certified in Class 1 teacher training, and in rescue among many other certifications.

She was promoted to the rank of Captain in May 2011 and rotates between the Ladder and Engine companies in Hoboken. In addition to being a Fire Captain at Hoboken Fire Dept., she is a 911 public service telecommunicator answering emergency calls for Bergen County, NJ.

In her spare time, Captain Diaz enjoys running 5Ks for various charities, engaging in career counseling with young people who are interested in emergency service work, and advancing her firefighting education through classes and workshops. She is an avid reader and loves to travel, read, and practice yoga. She is proudest of being a mom to her fantastic son Isaiah Diaz Mays, an athlete, who graduated from William Paterson University in 2018.

Geidy Delarosa - Coordinator and Teacher of Spanish, Hoboken Board of Education

Geidy Delarosa was born in the Dominican Republic and immigrated to the United States at the age of 12. At that time, Geidy did not know a word of English. Upon immigrating to the United States during her grammar school years, and in addition to dealing with the regular stress of the life of a teenager, she had to learn a new culture and language.

Geidy attributes her success to the many educators she has encountered in the educational institutions that she attended, and that inspired Geidy to be that kind of teacher to her students; fair, accommodating, friendly, and motivating.

Geidy earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Saint Peter’s College in Spanish and Elementary Education with a minor in Psychology. In 2013, she received a Master Degree in Literacy Instruction from Caldwell University. She is currently pursuing her second Master Degree from Montclair State University.

Geidy’s background has given her a variety of experiences and a plethora of knowledge that she brings to her classroom and school community. These experiences and her pleasant demeanor have allowed her to build a rapport with her students.

Mrs. Delarosa’s best quality is her ability to put herself in the place of others before making a judgment on their actions. Each day, she encourages her students to partake in the many opportunities offered at Hoboken HS and to make their voices heard. As an educator, the ability to see a person and understand that each of us has more than one story is essential.

Each day, Geidy strives to be an educator that empowers, encourages and builds relationships with all members of the school community, especially her students. Recently, Geidy became Hoboken HS’s Building Representative to the Hoboken Education Association and is involved outside the district with the New Jersey Education Association.

Mrs. Delarosa is a self-assured Latina woman who made it throughout college and is now working in a position that students can look up to as a role model. She represents her culture and ethnicity with pride and as a symbol that if I can achieve this, so can all the students in my classroom.

Geidy continues to lead my students with enthusiasm, humility, and assertiveness as a proud educator who will empower our school community to achieve their goals regardless of who they are or where they come from.

Ivan Ramos - Dean of Students, Hoboken Board of Education

Some highlights of Ramos’ educational and athletic career include:

• Graduated from Hoboken High School in 1995
• Offensive lineman for Hoboken High School 1991-1995
• Earned over 20 Division IA Scholarship offers
• Five official NCAA visits: Rutgers University, Miami University, Syracuse University, Duke University and the University of South Carolina
• 1994 Group III State Champion, AP First Team All-State
• Hudson County Lineman of the Year 1993 and 1994

• Full Academic/Athletic Scholarship to Rutgers University
• Graduated from New Jersey City University with a degree in Sociology and Special Education in 1999
• Earned a Master’s Degree in Education with a concentration in Supervision and Administration in 2005 from St. Peter’s University
• 2009 inductee into Class of the AJ Demarest/ Hoboken High School Hall of Fame
• Special Education Teacher at Emerson High School (2000-2006)
• Grade Level Dean at Emerson High School (2001-2006)
• Offensive Line Coach Hoboken High School (1999-2003)
• Offensive Coordinator Emerson High School (2004-2005)
• Union City High School Offensive Line Coach/Offensive Coordinator (2012 to present)
• Special Education Teacher/Disciplinarian at Hoboken High School (2006-2017)
• Special Education Teacher/Dean of Students and Programs (2017-present)
• Volunteer Cal Ripken League Baseball Coach (2016-present)
• Volunteer Union City Recreation Football Coach (2016-present)
• Parent Volunteer Cub Scouts Pack 223 Weehawken, NJ

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