A “Lil Positivity”: Cicely Tyson Opens Up a Community School in New Jersey

Posted on October 25th, 2009 - By Bossip Staff

Categories: News, Oprah, Out and About, Seen on the Scene, Spotted

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Actress Cicely Tyson was overjoyed to see the unveiling of the new Cicely Tyson Community School in New Jersey over the weekend.  Ol Harpo and others were also in the building to see the re-opening of the school which was just remodeled. 

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The school has been there for a while and was named in Cicely’s honor back in 1995 but now the students have a new $180 million facility.

In September 2009, Tyson’s historic Elmwood Ave building will be closed, and a new $180million, 300,000 sq ft. facility on Main Street (on the site of the former East Orange High School), will take its place. The new facility is among the largest and most technologically advanced schools ever built in the state of New Jersey, with extensive performing arts facilities which meet or exceed the highest professional standards.

The high school’s 800-seat theater has been built to Broadway standards in terms of sound, lighting and acoustics. In addition to the school’s theaters, students will have access to TV studios, art studios, music rooms, individual performance practice rooms, drafting rooms and shops to build and design stage sets. The classrooms will all feature smartboards, advanced integrated audio-visual systems, and multiple computer workstations.

While the school is presently a combined middle and high school, in September 2009, Cicely Tyson School will become a K-12, as primary and middle schools are merged into the new school.

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  • Melissa-Kay

    First!!!

  • Melissa-Kay

    That’s AWESOME!!!!

  • Lateriax3

    That’s so awesome ^_^. The school seems like it would be beautiful! ♥

  • 2Sweet

    Cicely looks great! I swear that woman doesn’t age at all. She looks way better than O.

  • http://my242.com/2009/10/a-%e2%80%9clil-positivity%e2%80%9d-cicely-tyson-opens-up-a-community-school-in-new-jersey/ A “Lil Positivity”: Cicely Tyson Opens Up a Community School in New Jersey – My 242

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  • http://comcast g.d.c

    Great!!!!!!!!! That’s what Oprah should have done… Open up schools right here in the United States… No disrespect to the africans…

  • fiskisit

    Good job Ms. Tyson! So looks great. Oprah should take notes on helping American children. Even though Tyson is West Indian, she has more sense than Oprah in focusing her school here in American with all the struggling students we have here.

  • dayg715

    too bad cicely had to endure that two faced sellout during her opening.

  • mel

    Dont let Oprah have nothing to do with it what happened to her school in Africa where the girls were abused

  • Candy Cane

    wow,the ladey from essence is pretty… but um, her braids are starting to look like stevie wonders head.

    bald braid mullet. no, no.

  • http://www.k.com noelle

    Is it ghettoer than Degrassi Community School? :P

  • http://www.k.com noelle

    #
    Oct 25, 2009 – 10:38 am
    2Sweet

    Cicely looks great! I swear that woman doesn’t age at all. She looks way better than O.

    I AGREE CICELY!! HOW OLD ARE YOU?!! 25!!!!!!!!!!!! :P

  • http://www.k.com noelle

    Omg. There is the Essence editor. She is so pretty.

  • I’m Just Me: Keeping it Real Since 1983

    Love Cicely!! This is a great look. There children there will definitely be ‘in the know’ when they leave. Oprah, have you checked on your school recently?

  • http://soundcloud.com/ggoodei-mc/tracks GGooDeiMC

    Why don’t other famous black celebrities do this??

    IDK Congrats to Cicely! She has came along way and paving the path for others.

  • elektrikeccentrik

    ugh Oprah’s jealously is permeating throughout my computer. I’m surprised I don’t have a virus.
    I love you Cicely!

  • Lakeshow

    I am extremely grateful and proud of Cicely Tyson for opening up an educational institution here in the U.S. instead of following Oprah’s lead and spending time and money opening a school 8,700 miles away in South Africa.

  • always knew

    I have always loved Cicely Tyson…

    This is a good step, in the right direction…

    Great actress..
    :)

  • Cause I Said So…..That’s Why!

    YESSSSS! POSITIVITY FOR OUR KIDS!

  • bcan

    cicely is truly the face of the saying “black don’t crack!” her skin is flawless – no plastic surgery nothing…i love it!

  • Ahem!

    Nevis massive!!

  • Ara

    Ms. Cicely Tyson, such an eloquent and regal black woman. Kudos Ms. Tyson!

  • Lolah

    well thats a rather interesting brooch

  • Ms_NYC

    Wow Cicely is damn near 80 and is looking about 40. You go girl!

  • http://BOSSIP.COM TELLTHEM

    I LOVE HER….BLACK WOMAN RULE

  • brog

    I think this is great!! I graduated from this highschool a few years ago. But the school was only named after her, she did not open it. So it is a little decieving because the state gave the money to rebuild the school.

  • Make it plain.

    The stae gave some of the money I was told but it had to be matched because state standards would not cover a lot of the high tech stuff so lets make it clear….it is like a chater school they had to come up with some big time private money in comes Oprah as well as others…make it clear.

  • prince21

    the school is great i am an alumni oh it, and they invited us to sing at this event but we were not treated as guest, we were put in a room all day, from 11:30 to 7:00 at night, they gave us one slice of pizza at 6:00 and did not allow us to go get food, but thats OK, we are all a little older and thats how this business is but what pissed me off is that fact that the current choir student who are middle and high school students didn’t eat until about 6:45 and they to had 1 slice of pizza. we were not allowed to attend the ceremony and we sat in a little room all day until we had to sing, idk who was in charge but i would like to thank our old choir teachers they were the only ones who tried to help us but hey they were stuck in the room with us…..so Ms. Williams Mrs. White, Mrs. James, and Mrs. Barnhart…THANK U!

  • hotgal

    Black beauty at its best Cicely Tyson

  • East Orange Diva

    Tyson didn’t open the school, she was named after it though. I have alot of friends that currently goes there and it’s just a new building that was built by funding by the government. Oprah and Tyson had nothing to deal with the payments. But yes, the building is wonderful and a great institution for learning the arts.

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