Photo by Colin Royal

By Colin Royal, Editor-in-Chief

The Men of Morehouse entered the crowded auditorium by shushing the crowd and holding their candles up to the students. The boys from East Orange Stem Academy sat in awe, laughter and anticipation as the show began.

After each act and performance, the performers were met with cheers and applause. The young men were held in full attention as they eagerly listened to each Man of Morehouse. 

The 93 Student Government Association President, Rollin Jackson Jr, ended the show with a speech. He quoted the late Martin Luther King Jr:

“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”

This quote energized the students and set the tone for the rest of the day. 

Morehouse’s students arrived at East Orange STEM Academy at 8:00a.m. Friday morning after a 15 hour trip from Georgia to New Jersey. Even though the young men were stiff and half asleep, they quickly exited the bus to greet their hosts.

The high school’s staff and students were rife with excitement. Applause and warm greetings met the Men of Morehouse as they entered the building. 

Before the start of the show, the school’s principal, Dr. Vincent Sterling, spoke on the impact that Morehouse’s visit has. 

“Morehouse has a great tradition of leadership service, character development and internship, and it aligns with our school mission,” he said. “It’s a perfect fit and our young men need to see this show.”

Sterling went on to directly charge the Men of Morehouse. 

“My advice would be to understand the power that Morehouse men have,” he said. “And it’s just not about Morehouse, but it’s about an international focus. And every time we invite Morehouse College, it has a tremendous impact on our students.”

Morehouse Men have the influence to help shape and mold the perspectives of the next generation of college students. The kids at East Orange STEM Academy are prime examples of this.

The boys showed joy, awe and engagement as they interacted with and observed Morehouse students. With each word and action of the Get on the Bus team, an East Orange student was there trying to grasp every second. 

The overall enthusiasm carried from the gymnasium to the classroom. All of the Men of Morehouse were tasked with speaking with a group of East Orange students. 

During these Empowerment Sessions, the college and high school men connected on a deeper level— building strong relationships and bonds. Each was able to form a mentee and mentor friendship.

Four East Orange students, Abdoul Kafando, Ethan Wyllie, Corry Jones, and Shaler Jackson III, described the entire Get on the Bus experience with the following words: “brotherhood,” “enlightening,” “impactful,” and “integrity.” 

Everyone was able to see something in each other, and these perceptions were used to help both groups of students grow. 

The Mayor of East Orange, New Jersey was also in attendance. He spoke the hope and inspiration Morehouse has brought his city:

“The young men [Morehouse students] who are here today, they’re not going to have a lot of opportunities to really see all the wonderful things that we do here in the city of East Orange,” he said. “But, just their presence here brings hope and brings that great experience— the Morehouse experience.”