Patriot Profiles - Michael Chen

One of the most respected and well-loved Patriots ~ by staff and peers ~ is Michael Chen. Michael joined Newark Charter School in second grade when the Primary School opened and graduated from NCS in 2018, a member of the second graduating class.

Being a student in a new high school was exciting. “I love how intentional Newark Charter is and how the students ALWAYS come first. As a new high school, there were a lot of difficult decisions that had to be made around space allocation, curriculum, hiring, student acceptances, new club creation, and so forth, and yet, Newark Charter never cut corners. They have never made a choice without considering all the consequences, and I appreciate how they have the students' best interests at heart,” recalls Michael.

A member of the soccer team, Michael’s favorite high school memory was on the field. “We beat Charter School of Wilmington (to officially become the better Charter School) 2-1 on the day of our Homecoming in September of 2017! What an incredible atmosphere, and a validation of everything we had worked for since NCHS was officially started.”

Michael is currently an undergraduate at Harvard University and credits Newark Charter School with providing him with a solid foundation. “Newark Charter is the place that made me who I am today. It taught me what it means to have DECORUM, and how to be a responsible citizen in society today. It also taught me to never take no for an answer. Most of all, it gave me the friends, classmates, thoughts, teachers, mentors, and skills that have enabled me to grow beyond what I could have possibly dreamed of all the way back in 2nd grade when I first started at Newark Charter.”

Thank you for letting us feature you, Michael! We are so proud of all you have accomplished and are fortunate to call you a Newark Charter School Patriot!