Paterson high school graduations return to reopened Hinchliffe Stadium
PATERSON — Hinchliffe Stadium bridges two important moments in Tyriek Johnson’s life.
In the 1990s, he was at the stadium to watch his cousin receive his diploma as part of the last Eastside High School class graduation ceremony there. On Tuesday, he watched his daughter, Gabriela Johnson, become the first class from the same school in nearly three decades to toss her tasselled cap in the air to graduate at this historic ballpark.
“It’s magical,” said Johnson, who wore a custom-made black shirt with a decal of his two children’s photographs. “We’re making history.”
Eastside, as well as six other city high schools, held the first graduations in 26 years at Hinchliffe Stadium, built in 1932, the former home of the Negro League teams. The stadium reopened this spring after a $100 million renovation.
What officials said
“Think about this, the graduates weren’t even born the last time a graduation was held here,” said Mayor Andre Sayegh, who was present at the event.
The mayor likened the graduates, who managed to earn their diplomas despite the challenges of the pandemic, to the champions that used to play at the ballpark during its storied chapter as the home of two Negro League teams.
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“The masks are off,” Sayegh said. “At one time your world was turned upside down, now you’re on top of the world.”
What families said
The father of Robert Jimenez-Abreu, who was one of 330 students to graduate on Tuesday from Eastside, said the venue was especially meaningful to his son, who played varsity baseball.
“We were here on the first day the stadium was opened,” he said. “A long time this stadium was closed.”
“After all the problems we have been through in the past years, we stand here today ready to go on to the next chapter,” said Maria Polanco during her salutatorian speech. “Since this will be the last time we will all be together united in one place, let us reflect on all that we have accomplished.”
Eileen Shafer prepares to retire
Eileen Shafer, superintendent of Paterson School District, who will be retiring this year after 32 years, spoke at the ceremony.
“Many of you have overcome great adversity in your life to be here, but you kept working hard, you kept believing in yourself,” said Shafer.
“Like you, this is my last year in the Paterson Public Schools, and I’m also stepping into the unknown,” Schafer said. “You are my last class of graduates and the first to return to Hinchliffe Stadium.”
Darren Tobia is a contributing writer for Paterson Press.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Hinchliffe Stadium hosts Paterson NJ high school graduations
