‘Sky Full of Stars’ Carnival At Newark School Will Be Open To Public

NEWARK, NJ — A high school parking lot in Newark will overflow with free food, games and fun – in addition to crucial resources such as COVID-19 tests and vaccines – during an upcoming “Sky Full of Stars Carnival and Distribution” event on Friday, June 3.

The event, which is open to the general public, will take place from 1 to 7 p.m. at the parking lot behind West Side High School.

Several groups are teaming up with the school and the City of Newark to hold the event, including United Community Corporation, Amerigroup, 211 Community Impact, and Love Button Global Movement.

Here’s what to expect, organizers said:

“The event will be highlighted by its carnival-style setup. Popcorn, snow cones, cotton candy, hamburgers, and hotdogs will be given out to all in attendance. A petting zoo, blowup slide, lawn games, and arts and crafts will provide fun for attendees of all ages while a DJ sets the vibe with some great music.”

While “fun” is the main focus of this event, key resources will also be available for local residents, organizers added:

• The United Community Corporation (UCC) will be providing free groceries courtesy of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. The food bank will have a nutritionist on-site providing hands-on activities to promote healthy living.
• Saint James Health will be giving out COVID-19 vaccinations and free at-home COVID-19 tests. As an incentive, the Sickle Cell Foundation will be offering gift cards to anyone receiving their vaccination, while UCC will be providing personal protection equipment. Saint James will also be giving out edible cookie dough cups from David’s Cookies.
• The UCC will have important resources including its housing assistance and energy assistance departments on-hand to assist those in need of a rental, mortgage, or energy bill assistance or those in need of housing. Partner agencies will be in attendance providing multiple resources to assist community members. The event’s goal is to provide wraparound services to help the whole person.

According to the UCC, the event is the brainchild of members of its youth ambassador program. Five teenagers from various high schools in the city have been working to conduct COVID-19 outreach thanks to funding from the United Way of Greater Newark.

“Our youth ambassadors have been working hard for the past three weeks building and putting this event together,” UCC Youth Program Coordinator Corey Handford said.

“This event is important because it gives them a chance to show others that young adults are capable of doing amazing things for their peers and the community,” Handford said.

It’s a fitting event for a “true community school,” agreed UCC Executive Director Craig Mainor.

“This Sky Full of Stars kick-off is a perfect way to bring the residents of the community back to that idea of community,” Mainor said. “By providing a multitude of social services, resources, and just community fellowship, we are strengthening the community’s ability to address their challenges as it relates to health and nutrition disparities, socialization, and quality of life gaps since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

‘LIGHTS ON’ AT WEST SIDE SCHOOL

The carnival will transition into West Side High’s highly touted “Lights On Program,” organizers said.

The program – which aims to give local youth a safe-but-fun place to spend their out-of-school hours – is sponsored by the West Side High School Alumni Association, Newark Board of Education, and RAO’s Homemade.

It also got a big boost from Oprah Winfrey, who visited the school in 2019 to announce a $500,000 donation.

• See related article: Oprah Winfrey Visits Newark School, Makes $500K Donation
• See related article: 'Lights On' Program Provides Shelter From Violence For Students

The program runs from 5 to 10 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the summer, and Friday evenings from 3 to 8 p.m. during the school year.

West Side High School President Akbar Cook said the program is open to the entire community, and serves more than 250 young people each night it’s running.

“The Lights On Program is a recreation program designed to keep youth off the streets by providing home-cooked meals, mentorship, and activities for boys and girls such as sports, crafts, video and board games,” said Cook, who has earned enthusiastic praise for his role at the school from the likes of Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker.

• See related article: Newark Students Thank Principal For Free Laundromat On 'Ellen'
• See related article: Senator Praises Newark Principal Who Stopped Bullies With Laundry

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