Latest news with #Passaic
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
See high school graduation photos from Class of 2025 across North Jersey
Congrats, grads! It's an exciting time of year for every North Jersey high school senior: graduation season! is here to celebrate with you as we help document the occasion for schools across Bergen, Passaic counties and more. So don your caps, slip on your gowns and take one last lap around the high school building before your go. You've worked hard, have achieved much and it's time to show off before beginning your next chapter. Hats off to you! We are taking photos throughout graduation season, so check back to see if your local high school is added later! This article originally appeared on NJ high school graduation photos: Bergen, Passaic and more
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tears, memories as students, alumni say goodbye to Passaic High
"Soldier Boy," "Mama Said," and "Dedicated to the One I Love" are some of the greatest hits of The Shirelles — Passaic High School class of 1957. But the song most appropriate on the morning of Saturday, June 21 — as the class of 1989 said goodbye to their old school for the last time — might have been one of the group's lesser-known hits: "The Dance is Over." "I have so many fond memories, oh my god," said Sandra Alvarado of East Rutherford, one of perhaps 100 former students, graduated from this high school 36 years ago to the day, who had come by Saturday morning to take a last look. "I had a lot of fights," Alvarado said. "But that's teenagers." She also remembers parties, sleepovers, anniversaries. "We always did everything together," she said. "And we always kept in touch. This is an epic goodbye. I know we're all going to cry. It's bittersweet." For the past year or more, the various classes of Passaic High School have trooped through these halls to say goodbye to their old school. The class of 1989 is the last of them. Starting in August, the 68-year-old building will be demolished, pending construction of a new school expected to be completed in 2030. Meanwhile, Passaic's high schoolers will be divided up between three existing schools. "Where's the party at?" called out Kyle Monroe, now of Roselle, as the group filed into the cafeteria for a last look. The same, but not he same. The blue plastic tables and red disc seats — a recent upgrade — were not the ones these students remembered eating their lunches at. The seats in the auditorium were unfamiliar. So was the color of the lockers — most of them, depending on the floor, now painted red or blue. The school colors. "They were not this color when we were here," said Shannel Batten of Passaic. "They were brown." But some things were the same. The New Gym was pretty much its old self. That's where the juniors and seniors played — as opposed to The Old Gym where the freshmen and sophomores were relegated. Monroe was there now, to bounce a last basketball. "Playing ball was great here, because the cheerleaders would practice on the side, so we had built-in fans," he said. And a Green Room in back of the auditorium is a veritable time capsule. Actually, it was more a gray room — since the walls were cinderblock. And covering them, floor to ceiling, was graffiti. Mementoes of more than 60 years of student performers. "At the end of the year, the teacher would allow the students to tag the walls," said assistant principal Graciella Romero. "To me, this is nostalgia." Amy "80." Terry & Deidre H. "78." Dave. "72." So read the scrawled and painted inscriptions. Also, "Lark, 73." To which someone appended: "Eats moosemeat." What was that about? It's in this room that Shirley Owens, Doris Coley, Addie "Micki" Harris and Beverly Lee, the original Shirelles, would have waited before stepping onstage for the 1957 school talent show that led to their signing by Tiara Records. A plaque in front of the auditorium commemorates the school's most famous alumni, 1996 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees. "Dedicated to the Ones We Love: THE SHIRELLES," it reads. The Shirelles graduated with the school's first class: 1957. (There were two previous Passaic High Schools). The school, over the years, graduated other celebrities. Running back Craig "Ironhead" Heyward. Safety Jack Tatum. Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court Stuart Jeff Rabner. But the biggest heroes may be the ordinary kids, many of them from struggling families, who found empowerment, purpose, bonding in these cream-colored hallways. Some 2,400 made up the student body last year. "I think the place is special because whether you're from uptown, downtown, or midtown, everybody studied here and everybody's connected and they're all family," said Dr. Sandra "Dio" Montañez-Diodonet, Passaic superintendent of schools. "They had a teacher they loved, or a special place they connected to," she said. The chemistry lab, for instance. Where Monroe once saw a fellow student drop a beaker out of a third-story window. "It was almost like a small explosion," he said. "Everyone said, 'What the hell is that?'" Naturally, he wanted to do it too. Who wouldn't? "But I wasn't going to chance it senior year," he said. Some kids here bonded over sports: the rivalry between the Passaic Indians and Clifton Mustangs is the stuff of legend. Others over theater or other afterschool programs. But the glue that held it all together, said Gouri Sadhwani, is that everyone was striving. "There's a bond that comes when you have this commonality of struggling," said Sadhwani, whose parents came to New Jersey when she was 8. She remembers coming to the school, a "skinny out-of-place Indian girl," and being afraid she wouldn't be seen, wouldn't fit in at a school that — she expected — would be full of "tough" kids. "It wasn't like that," she said. "The teachers were amazing, they saw something in me that I didn't see myself," she recalled. She went on to become deputy executive director for Amnesty International USA and a professor at City University of New York. "This was the best introduction to America I could have ever had," she said. The "toughness" of the school, which others remarked on, was mostly veneer. But it could be intimidating to newbies. Like Keisha Smith, on her first day as a freshman. ""I will never forget my first day of school," she said. "We were all dressed up: new shoes, new shirt, blue jeans with a fresh crease." Parents, naturally, wanted their kids to make a good impression the first day. What they — and their unfortunate children — didn't know is that new clothes are a giveaway. It's how the upperclassmen spot a fledgling. "They were all saying, 'Fresh meat! Fresh meat!' " she recalled. She was later told that "Fresh Meat" was the local vernacular for freshman. It was not a compliment. "Second day, I dressed in my sweats, as casual as possible," said Smith, now a Paterson resident. "But we were marked. We spent our first month in hell." But time has its revenge. The next fall, it was Smith who was yelling out "Fresh Meat! Fresh Meat!" to the incoming class. "I did it to the freshmen the next year," she confessed. This article originally appeared on A final farewell to Passaic High School before wrecking ball
Daily Mail
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
M*A*S*H legend Loretta Swit made glamorous career move just three months before she died
M*A*S*H legend Loretta Swit made one last glamour career move just months before her death at age 87. The actress died on Friday, May 30 at her New York City home, her publicist Harlan Boll confirmed. Prior to her death, Loretta graced the cover of Elysian Magazine for the Spring 2025 issue. The actress attended the cover launch party on February 6, 2025 - three months before her passing. The cover features the star beaming in a close up snap for the cover image, rocking glam makeup. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. A police report states that Swit passed of suspected natural causes soon after midnight on Friday, her publicist shared with The Hollywood Reporter. Swit was born on November 4, 1937 in Passaic, New Jersey and attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York Swit honed her craft as a student at New York's American Academy of Dramatic Arts, according to THR. Swit was known for playing the iconic character Major Margaret 'Hot Lips' Houlihan on the hit series. The actress received acclaim for her role on the series, and received two Emmys for her portrayal. In total, she earned 10 Emmy nominations for M*A*S*H and appeared in the majority of the show's 11 seasons, gracing screens for 240 of the program's 251 episodes. M*A*S*H was an adaptation of the Robert Altman's 1970 film and was set during the Korean war. It followed a team of US doctors and nurses at a fictional army hospital. It's series finale in 1983 - of which Swit appeared in - was watched by 105 million viewers, making it one of the most-watched narrative TV episodes of all time. The original Robert Altman film was a dark comedy that starred Donald Sutherland as Hawkeye Pierce, Elliot Gould as Trapper John McIntyre and Sally Kellerman as Hot Lips Houlihan, based on the 1968 novel MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors. For the TV series, Alan Alda stepped into the Hawkeye role, with Wayne Rogers playing Trapper John and Gary Burghoff (Radar O'Reilly) becoming the only cast member from the movie to reprise that role for the TV series. The half-hour comedy series was known for its ability to blend both comedy and drama, though Swit previously said she believes it was the humor that made the show stand out. 'Initially when we started out, everyone wondered how we were going to be able to pull off a comedy about the war, but we did. The secret behind M*A*S*H's success,' she told First for Women last year. Swit added, 'Laughter and humor were our defense against standing in blood and working on bodies that were young enough to be in school.' She admitted there was nothing inherently funny about war, but added, 'you needed the funniest people in the world to make this believable and this cast exceeded that and more.' Swit won two Emmys for playing Hot Lips, and had nothing but praise for the lauded series finale. 'The last program, titled Goodbye, was the jewel of the crown, and M*A*S*H was a very important piece of Americana, so it was an honor to be a part of that magic,' she said. M*A*S*H won 14 Emmy Awards, earned 109 nominations, plus the series took home a Peabody Award in 1975. Loretta also starred in Hawaii Five-O, Mission: Impossible (1970), Mannix, The Love Boat, The Muppet Show, Cagney & Lacey, Murder, She Wrote, Beer, Whoops Apocalypse and Beach Movie to name a few.
Associated Press
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Rising from the Projects to Purpose: Speedy Sheppard's Mission to Inspire and Transform Lives
Speedy Sheppard in 2024 on the Raw Success Podcast Founded in 2017, The Speedy Tribe empowers individuals through motivational content, coaching, and restorative community work—helping people break cycles, discover purpose, and rise into their best selves. Passaic, NJ - Bryan C. Sheppard Jr., affectionately known as Speedy Sheppard, is a motivational speaker, life coach, and community leader whose remarkable journey from adversity to impact is touching lives across the nation. As the founder of The Speedy Tribe, Sheppard is dedicated to helping others overcome hardship and unlock their true potential. Who Is Speedy Sheppard? Born and raised in the Aspen Place Projects of Passaic, New Jersey, Sheppard's childhood was marked by extreme challenges—including homelessness and the tragic loss of two siblings. At just 7 years old, he turned to football as an outlet for his pain and found his passion. From 2009 to 2012, Sheppard played football and ran track at Passaic High School, serving as team captain in both sports. His leadership earned him the school's first-ever 'Coaches Award'—a defining moment that fueled his dream of playing at the collegiate level. That dream came true at Post University, where he competed in sprint football and track from 2013 to 2016. He graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science in Sport Management and made the Dean's List. In 2019, Sheppard played semi-pro football with the New York Bears, an experience that led to an international opportunity in Iceland. After 16 years in the sport, he retired in 2020, closing one chapter and opening another. The Birth of The Speedy Tribe The deaths of his brother in 2014 and sister in 2017 led Sheppard into a period of deep reflection. He realized his purpose extended beyond football. In late 2017, with only an iPhone 6s, he recorded his first motivational YouTube video—marking the beginning of The Speedy Tribe. His message quickly resonated. During the pandemic, his viral TikTok video, 'Everybody Wanna Party But Nobody Wanna Clean Up,' garnered over 1 million views and brought in more than 90,000 followers. What Is The Speedy Tribe? The Speedy Tribe is a global platform offering: Giving Back Now coaching football and track at Passaic High School, Sheppard also serves as the school's Restorative Justice Coach, hosting peace circles and wellness check-ins to support student well-being. Speaking Engagements Sheppard has partnered with FoundCare Inc., Passaic NAACP, Oswego State University, and Benjamin Franklin Middle School to speak on purpose, healing, and breaking cycles. Connect with Speedy Sheppard Instagram: @thespeedytribe LinkedIn: Speedy Sheppard YouTube: The Speedy Tribe Tiktok: Media Contact Company Name: The Speedy Tribe LLC Contact Person: Bryan Sheppard Jr Email: Send Email Phone: 2019822849 Address:107 10th St City: Passaic State: New Jersey Country: United States Website: Press Release Distributed by To view the original version on ABNewswire visit: Rising from the Projects to Purpose: Speedy Sheppard's Mission to Inspire and Transform Lives
Globe and Mail
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Globe and Mail
From Gridiron to Greatness: Speedy Sheppard Empowers Communities with The Speedy Tribe
Passaic, NJ - Bryan C. Sheppard Jr., better known as Speedy Sheppard, is a motivational speaker, life coach, and community leader whose story of resilience, heartbreak, and personal transformation has inspired thousands. As founder of The Speedy Tribe, Sheppard is committed to helping individuals overcome adversity and live purpose-driven lives. Who Is Speedy Sheppard? Born and raised in the Aspen Place Projects of Passaic, NJ, Sheppard faced tremendous early-life challenges, including homelessness and the loss of two siblings. Football became his outlet, and by age 7, he was deeply in love with the game. From 2009 to 2012, he played for Passaic High School, where he captained both the football and track teams. His leadership earned him the school's first-ever 'Coaches Award,' a pivotal moment that propelled him to play sprint football and track at Post University (2013–2016). He graduated in 2017 with a B.S. in Sport Management, achieving Dean's List honors. In 2019, he played semi-pro for the New York Bears, which led to an international opportunity in Iceland before retiring in 2020 after 16 years in the sport. The Birth of a Brand Tragedy struck again during college, with the loss of his brother in 2014 and sister in 2017. These events led to deep reflection and sparked a realization—his life's purpose extended beyond football. In 2017, he recorded his first motivational YouTube video using an iPhone 6s, marking the birth of The Speedy Tribe. His authentic voice quickly gained traction. During the COVID-19 pandemic, his TikTok video 'Everybody Wanna Party But Nobody Wanna Clean Up' went viral, amassing over 1 million views and 90,000+ new followers. What Is The Speedy Tribe? The Speedy Tribe is a motivational platform and community offering: Inspirational Content: Daily videos across Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok (5M+ views). Podcast: Honest conversations about self-growth and mental health. Coaching & Mentorship: Sessions to help people break cycles and find purpose. Community Engagement: A supportive network for healing and accountability. Giving Back Sheppard coaches football and track at Passaic High School and serves as the school's Restorative Justice Coach, leading peace circles and wellness checks. Speaking Engagements Sheppard has partnered with organizations like FoundCare Inc., Passaic NAACP, Oswego State University, and Benjamin Franklin Middle School. Connect with Speedy Sheppard Instagram: @thespeedytribe LinkedIn: Speedy Sheppard YouTube/SoundCloud: The Speedy Tribe Podcast: The Brutal Truth About Why You Struggle to Change Your Circumstances About The Speedy Tribe Founded in 2017, The Speedy Tribe inspires personal growth and community healing through content, coaching, and public speaking.
