BORDENTOWN
- On Friday, June 10, the New
Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission
will host the New Jersey Affirmative Action
Officers Council’s (NJAAOC) 23rd
Annual Training Seminar and Paul M. Smith
Scholarship Awards luncheon.
This year’s training, “Monitoring
Employment Policies: Best Practices”
will include a presentation by Ellsworth
E. Wiggins, Sr., Director, Office of Business
Diversity, New Jersey Transit. Affirmative
Action Officers, Human Resource Personnel,
and other state employees interested in
employment policies will attend this training.
To date, approximately 85 individuals
have registered to attend. The training
is designed to help EEO/AA officers understand
the importance of monitoring hiring and
termination policies as it relates to
discrimination.
Attorney General Peter C. Harvey will
be the keynote speaker and will issue
the oath of office to NJAAOC new officers:
Charles Williams from Kean University
as Chair; Marvin Askins from New Jersey
Casino Control Commission as Vice Chair;
Jennifer Payne from the Department of
Banking and Insurance as Treasurer; and
Maureen Peterson-Kenney, New Jersey Sports
and Exposition Authority as secretary.
Also joining in the celebration will be
Yollette Ross, Deputy Chief of Staff,
Office of the Governor; Michelle Meyer-Shipp,
Director, Division of EEO/AA, Department
of Personnel; Regena L. Thomas, Secretary
of State; and the family of Paul M. Smith.
“The New Jersey Juvenile Justice
Commission is proud to host the 23rd Annual
New Jersey Affirmative Action Council
Training Seminar and Paul M. Smith Scholarship
Awards Luncheon,” said Francine
Williams, Chair of event and the JJC’s
Equal Employment Officer/Affirmitive Action
Officer. “As the state agency responsible
for rehabilitating some of the state’s
most troubled young people, the JJC has
implemented a Respect and Dignity program
for its juvenile residents, as well as
a mandatory training for all JJC staff.
It is critical that young people learn
at an early age how to treat colleagues
and associates. The JJC is proud that
our residents could be a part of this
important day.”
The highlight of the luncheon will be
the presentation of the Paul M. Smith
Scholarship Awards. Paul M. Smith, one
of the founders of the New Jersey Affirmative
Action Officers Council, recognized the
need for, and strove to create, a working
environment free of discrimination, where
people could ascend to their full potential,
physically, mentally, spiritually and
economically. His commitment and achievements
led him to assume the role of Affirmative
Actions Officer in the Capital Office
of Civil Rights, where he later became
Director. Smith went on to become the
Affirmative Action Officer for New Jersey
Transit until his death in 1988.
Smith’s commitment to these personal
goals prompted the members to establish
an Annual Achievement Award in his name.
Each year students from the Northern,
Central and Southern regions of the state
are presented with a scholarship award.
Applicants must already be accepted into
college, provide transcripts, provide
information on extra curricular activities,
and submit an essay on Affirmative Action.
Finally, they must be interviewed by the
NJAAOC Scholarship committee.
This year, the first place award of $1,000.00
will be awarded to Kenyatta Beasley from
Plainfield High School. Second place winners,
Connie J. Smith of Vineland High School,
and Kristyna Mendoza form Vineland High
School, will each receive a $500.00 scholarship
that can be used toward the purchase of
books for their college courses.
The seminar will begin at 8:00 a.m. at
the JJC’s Valentine Residential
Community Home located in Bordentown The
award program will begin at 12:45 at the
JJC’s Female Secure and Intake Facility
(FSC&IF) next door and will include
a presentation by the residents of the
JJC’s Female Secure Care and Intake
Facility.
The FSC&IF is a secure facility. Any
members of the press, including photographers,
attending the award ceremony must RSVP
to 609-292-2288 to have their names placed
on the visitors’ list. Those entering
the facility must bring photo ID. Cell
phones, pagers, etc. are not permitted
in the facility. Visitors will be searched
prior to entering the facility.
The State of New Jersey protects the confidentiality
rights of juveniles. Juveniles will be
present throughout the day, including
a presentation, but cannot be interviewed
or photographed without permission.