This article originally ran May 22, 2009 on nj.com
Daniel Blue and Michael Steadman have been through rigorous training during three years at the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, but nothing could prepare the midshipmen for three hours with preschoolers.
"It was exhausting," said Steadman, the captain of the academy's boxing team who plans to join the U.S. Marine Corps when he graduates from the academy in 2010. "The three hours I spent with the preschoolers felt like 12 hours."
Blue and Stedman have spent the last two weeks as interns with the North Ward Center. In addition to spending time in preschool classrooms at the North Ward Child Development Center, they have mentored students and co-taught an eighth-grade class in civics at The Robert Treat Academy charter school.
"The kids at Robert Treat are smart. You can have a conversation with them and you feel like you are talking to college students," said Steadman, who was raised in College Station, Texas. "When I asked them what happened in the news today, they all raised their hands to answer."
Michael Pallante, the principal of Robert Treat Academy, said the students benefitted from having the midshipmen in the classroom.
"These guys are great role models for our kids," Pallante said. "Seeing these two young future leaders gives our students something to strive for."
Adrianne Davis, the executive director of The North Ward Center, said it was an honor to have future military leaders spend time at the center.
"We hope what they saw over the last two weeks supplemented their education," Davis said. "And we hope they walked away with a sense of how an organization like ours benefits a city like Newark."
As part of the internship, the midshipmen also spent time at several local, county, state and federal institutions to observe how New Jersey functions first hand.
Jose Aviles, the principal at Barrigner High School, gave the midshipmen an unvarnished view of life at an urban high school. Charles Manzella opened the doors to New Jersey Regional Day School in Newark, which specializes in educating children with autism spectrum disorder and pervasive developmental delays.
The midshipmen also spent time with Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, attended legislative hearings in Trenton with state Sen. Teresa Ruiz, were given an insiders' view of Newark City Hall by Dwight Brown, chief of staff to Central Ward Councilman Charles Bell, and spent a day at the district offices of U.S. Rep. Albio Sires.
"They were well rounded, focused and very disciplined," Brown said.
DiVincenzo, who gave the midshipmen a tour of the county jail and allowed them to sit in on planning meetings, said the students were a pleasure to meet.
"They were eager to learn about and understand our diverse community and the progress we have made to move our county forward," DiVincenzo said. "I hope their visit was a tremendous learning experience and that what they learned here will help them in the future."
Blue and Stedman are part of a group of 19 midshipman who are spending several weeks at St. Benedict's Prep in Newark as part of a program designed to expose future Naval and Marine officers to urban life and to expose students at the high school to the benefits of attending Annapolis. It's the second year of the program.
Father Edwin Leahy, the St. Benedicts headmaster who coordinates the program, said students from both schools benefit from the experience.
"I've always felt we got a tremendous benefit from having them here, but when I talk to the midshipmen and their superiors at the academy, they also indicate its' a terrific experience," Leahy said. "The midshipmen get to put into practice the leadership skills that they've studied in the close confines of the academy."
It wasn't all hard work, though. On their first day in Newark, the 19 midshipmen were guests of Mayor Cory Booker at Newark Screens on Springfield Avenue, where they saw "Star-Trek."
Blue, who was raised in Woodbridge, N.J., said the time he spent at the North Ward Center opened his eyes to the good that a non-profit organization can do in a city like Newark.
"I wish there were more places like the North Ward Center," Blue said. "It's a good model to follow for other cities in the country."
