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| Clifford Godfrey Hoboken BOE Candidate |
My name is Clifford Godfrey and I am writing to introduce myself as a candidate to serve on the Hoboken Board of Education. I am proud to be running with Jean Marie Mitchell and Steve Feinstein on the Kids First ticket.
Growing up in the urban public school system of both Newark and Nutley, I thrived as a strong student and athlete. I owe this success to the support of my family, teachers and coaches and understand the importance of paying it forward. That’s why, while completing my Business and Technology degree at Stevens Institute of Technology, I joined organizations that sought to work with young people. Most notably, I was a member of the National Society of Black of Engineers and served as the Pre-College Initiative Chairman. In this post, I mentored many high school students about the importance of education. I also got to know hundreds of Hoboken kids as a student athlete in the Stevens Summer Youth Basketball Program and later as a coach for the Save the Youth Program. To continue my passion for working with our youngest citizens, I have established the ‘Living Our Way’ organization, which provides athletic training to young people.
My passion and vested interest for the continued success of the Hoboken school system lies in me becoming a parent a little over a year ago. My partner, Stephanie LeBlanc and I have made the decision to raise our daughter in Hoboken and have her become a part of the Hoboken school system when she is of age. My mutual goal with Kids First is to enhance our schools for our children to prosper and for other young families, like mine, to be confident in their decision to remain in Hoboken through their child’s Pre-K through 12th grade education.
I am very excited by the accomplishments of Kids First over the last two years. The Kids First focus on student success is evident by the hiring of educational consultants to support teaching staff, the expansion of the laptop program, the return of 8th grade algebra, and the implementation of AP at the high school level. It is most impressive that under the leadership of Kids First the budget is at the lowest level allowable by law; a reduction all the more impressive as it was accomplished without layoffs and after absorbing millions of dollars in state aid reductions.
Serving on the Board of Education takes a great deal of commitment, hard work and the ability to fully participate in all Board functions. I vow to fully commit my time, energy and life experiences to get behind every single student in the Hoboken Public Schools.
Thank you for considering me and my team mates, Jean Marie Mitchell and Steve Feinstein for Board of Education.
Best regards,
Cliff Godfrey
Hoboken BOE Candidate ◦
