By: Neil Pandey ‘24, Feature Editor

Symbol of Newark Academy’s motto “Ad Lumen” etched into the front foyer of the school. Image courtesy of newarkacademy.net

This school year I feel that I have heard “250th” at least 250 times. After all, an institution older than the soil in which it lies is worthy of praise. However, connecting ourselves to this 250-year history is a big challenge. Many of the tangible connections that we have to the founding of NA are relics of old class pictures, flyers, yearbooks, and other documents displayed throughout the school. Old class pictures sometimes do not resonate with students, especially if none of the students seem to resemble them . However, our communities’ personal connection to our history is crucial in appreciating its beauty. In hopes of connecting students and faculty to this history, I ask a simple question: what does the 250th year mean to you?

To put 250 years into perspective, the founding of Newark Academy is one hundred years closer to the first British colony of 1607 than it is to the modern day. Even an item as ubiquitous as toilet paper was only invented about a hundred years after the founding of Newark Academy. I spoke with some members of the NA community who articulated their perspective about the school’s longevity. For Inchara Hosanagar ‘24, the idea of “tradition” was one that she felt carried the most significance. Newark Academy is a school of many traditions, including the infamous chocolate slide, Apple Day, and Spirit Week. She reflected feeling as being a part of the NA legacy, another name carrying the Newark Academy legacy. She further highlights the “changes that this school has undergone in 4 years” and how she “can’t imagine the changes that were made in the course of 250 years.”  

While the school we know today is vastly different from the one in 1774, our core values remain consistent. Rooted in traditions, our commitment to connection is apparent. Alumni that visit school often mention the community they built on various sports teams and clubs, another testament to the strong community forged over the years at NA. We also continue to value a passion for learning. Since the founding of NA, we have been committed to the journey “Ad Lumen,” meaning “Toward Enlightenment”. As a community working to expand both our knowledge and perspective, we constantly strive to learn and grow.  These commitments to our values make NA who we are, and these same values are imparted on each graduating class.

Student archivists Damian Correa ’24 and Sebastian Dias-Sotiriou ‘24 articulated it best: “The story of NA is one of resilience. The school has burned to ashes, settled in new areas, and nearly closed several times. Yet, we have never failed to be at the forefront of education.” Although connecting to stories of NA’s previous locations or our old sports teams is difficult, these intangible ideals of commitment, community, and education are central to the Newark Academy DNA. We carry this moral encoding each year, connecting every class to the past, present and future.