The East Orange School District is proud to announce the first cohort of high school juniors who will be participating in our new Ivy League initiative via a partnership with Circle Match. The Circle Match organization will work with our district to provide resources and programming for the following 15 juniors as they pursue admission to the most prestigious colleges and universities across the country by Spring 2027:
- Sammuel Adanlete - East Orange STEM Academy
- Yeimi Aceituno Guerra - East Orange STEM Academy
- Danasia Jenkins - Cicely Tyson School of Performing and Fine Arts
- Mickerson Volcy - Cicely Tyson School of Performing and Fine Arts
- Jasmine Bunche - Cicely Tyson School of Performing and Fine Arts
- Madelynne Gonzalez - East Orange STEM Academy
- Cedric Pressard - East Orange STEM Academy
- James Roberts - East Orange STEM Academy
- Karen Rosa-Salguero - East Orange STEM Academy
- Moussa Toure - East Orange STEM Academy
- Akeelah English - East Orange Campus High School
- Carlise Powell - East Orange STEM Academy
- Briana Dena - East Orange Campus High School
- Haile King - East Orange STEM Academy
- Mercy Akinfenwa - East Orange STEM Academy
“Our students have always possessed the talent and the drive to compete at the highest levels; this initiative simply ensures they have the platform to match their potential”, commented Dr. Christopher Irving, Superintendent of Schools. “By partnering with Circle Match, we are leveling the playing field and ensuring that the gates to our nation’s most prestigious institutions are wide open for East Orange scholars. We aren’t just preparing them for admissions—we are preparing them to lead.”
In November 2025, fifty of EOSD’s outstanding junior scholars were invited to a selective interest meeting where they learned about the program, heard from current student ambassadors, and engaged directly with program directors. The students went through a holistic application process, including panel interviews assessing not only their fit at a highly selective university but also their commitment to wanting to give back to their community. Afterward, members of the Circle Match community—students and alumni of America’s most prestigious universities—went through deliberations before ultimately choosing the next cohort of students from East Orange School District.
Michael Sanchez, Founder and Executive Director of Circle Match, noted, “This year’s cohort represents a group of students who are academically talented, and personally driven to improve their hometown of East Orange. This first cohort of scholars mirror the diversity of the community’s talents: many are young leaders and club presidents, robotics team captains, varsity athletes, and accomplished artists. East Orange students already possess the talent, drive, and ambition to compete at the highest levels. Our role is to help them fully tap into that potential while instilling a return-and-uplift mindset that empowers them to come back and reinvest in their schools and communities. This partnership goes beyond college admissions; we are cultivating leaders who will uplift others and create a lasting impact far beyond graduation.”
Dr. Kelly Willliams-Blizzard, Director, Educational Support Services & Parent Relations, added, “I am incredibly proud of these fifteen scholars who represent the bright future of East Orange. By providing our juniors with high-level mentorship and college-readiness resources, we are sending a clear message: there is no limit to what an EOSD student can achieve. We look forward to walking this journey with them toward 2027.”
About Circle Match:
Circle Match is a national academic enrichment and college access organization that identifies driven students from low-income communities and empowers them to uplift their hometowns through the college application process and beyond. The program prepares students for admission to highly selective colleges and universities, providing personalized mentorship, academic support, college readiness resources, and exposure to enrichment opportunities that help students strengthen their academic and extracurricular profiles and leadership potential.