Dear Friends:

Thank you for your support. It is an honor to serve as Executive Director of The Chad School Foundation!  

This extraordinary organization serves as a critical voice in Newark community.  The Chad School Foundation benefits from a rich history in the City of Newark.  This rich history which began in the late 1960’s with a clarion call to establish the former Chad schools has positioned The Chad School Foundation as a recognized convener of efforts to improve education outcomes for students of color. With a near 50 year legacy of calling the community to action, educating children in schools, initiating and supporting advocacy efforts to improve public schools, and now awarding scholarships to expand college access, The Chad School Foundation unquestionably demonstrates its ability to impact education in Newark. 

Members of the Chad community continue to make substantial contributions that reflect the legacy of educational excellence exhibited by The Chad School and The Chad Science Academy. Equally important to our legacy today are the recipients of the Chad Scholarship Award. The entirety of these accomplishments contribute to a collective narrative of community achievement deeply rooted in Chad’s founding: Newark students can succeed!  

Our theme for the Fifth Annual Chad Scholars Awards Reception was “Building Educational Wealth”. Building education wealth means establishing a culture excellence where every student believes that he or she can succeed. The founders of the Chad Schools were forerunners in reforming education, and I believe that Chad epitomizes the notion of building educational wealth. Throughout its history, Chad has refused to accept the commonplace failure occurring in public education. Rather, Chad has taken ownership in redefining how our children should be educated. Chad’s 35 year investment in educating Newark area school children from 1970 to 2005 continues to pay dividends today. As a Foundation, we are able to award scholarships as well as support community based organizations because of the resources endowed to us by the Chad Legacy.  

  I am fortunate to work with a team of dedicated staff members and enthusiastic volunteers. Together, we will continue to lead The Chad School Foundation as a trusted community partner. We will collaborate with community stakeholders who, like Chad, are determined to improve education outcomes in Newark and throughout New Jersey. Public education is a forefront public policy issue, and the work of The Chad School Foundation must continue in earnest to ensure that students of color can realize their individual aspirations to the fullest.  

In Gratitude,   

Eric E. Stevenson  

Executive Director