Honoring Stephen Adubato

STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD

REPRESENTATIVE ALBIO SIRES

OCTOBER 23, 2013

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Stephen Adubato, Sr., the founder of The North Ward Center and an inspiring member of the Newark, New Jersey community.  To recognize Mr. Adubato’s achievements and contributions, a statue of him reading to two young children will be placed on the main campus of The North Ward Center.  He began his career in education as a teacher in the Newark public school system and during this time obtained a master’s degree in education.  Using this experience Mr. Adubato went on to develop the North Ward Center in 1970, a group of five institutions designed to provide educational, cultural, and meaningful social services to low and moderate-income families in the area.

From its humble beginnings as a small preschool, the Center now includes an adult medical day care, business training, as well as a charter school, Robert Treat Academy that has received national recognition and the honor of being named a Blue Ribbon School.  Since the founding of the Center, Stephen Adubato Sr. has continually worked to improve the quality of life for everyone in the community from young children to senior citizens.   The services that Mr. Adubato has provided for the Newark community have positively impacted countless individuals and families by bolstering the quality of life for all those that take part.  Mr. Adubato has been honored by numerous organizations and institutions, such as Kean University and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, for his contributions and dedication to education.

Today I too recognize the accomplishments of Stephen Adubato Sr., a visionary leader and inspiring role model, and to thank him for his continued dedication to the residents of Newark, New Jersey, particularly the North Ward.