26 Mar ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO AND ESSEX COUNTY SCHOOLS OF TECHNOLOGY DEDICATE DONALD M. PAYNE, SR. SCHOOL GYMNASIUM AFTER THE LATE DONALD M. PAYNE, JR.
Published on March 26, 2025
Newark, NJ – Essex County Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. joined with Essex County Schools of Technology Superintendent Dr. James Pedersen and the Board of Education to dedicate the “Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. Gymnasium” in the Essex County Donald M. Payne, Sr. School of Technology in Newark. The posthumous recognition honors the Congressman who passed away in April 2024.
“Donald Jr. continued the legacy of public service that was started by his father Donald Sr. and uncle Bill, but he did not get lost in their shadow. He worked hard to advance women’s rights, transportation and infrastructure improvements and diabetes research. Dedicating the gym in his honor recognizes his passion for the game of basketball but also his desire to help students achieve. Naming the gym for him in the school that we named for his father will link them together,” DiVincenzo said.
“On behalf of my family, I want to thank you for honoring my father in this way. Having his name on the gym and keeping his legacy alive means a great deal. To the students here today, I encourage you to follow in my father’s footsteps and pursue your future with the same level of confidence that he did,” said Payne’s son Jack, who was accompanied by his mother Beatrice and siblings Donald III and Yvonne.
“Congressman Payne would come to the school and talk to the students. It was something that he thoroughly enjoyed. And whenever I saw him, he would always ask: ‘What do you need? What do the students need?’ What better place to remember him than the gym in the school named after his father? This is where students will associate him with his love of helping young people and his love of basketball,” Schools of Technology Superintendent Dr. James Pedersen said.
“Donald Jr. was a special person in my life. I knew him growing up and then had the privilege of serving with him on the Newark Council. I will always remember his humility because he never let his position or titles get to him. He treated everyone equally,” Newark Councilman Anibal Ramos said. “Thank you to the Payne family for setting an example of public service for our students now and for generations to come. Naming the gym in honor of Donald means so much because he was an avid basketball fan and loved our youth,” Newark Councilman Dupre Kelly said. “To name the gym for Donald is phenomenal because of his hard work, zeal and love of the community. Future generations need to know this and naming the gym after him will help keep his legacy alive,” Newark Councilman Patrick Council said.
“This gym is more than just a place to practice and compete. Is where our students learn teamwork, sportsmanship and perseverance, all of which were qualities of Congressman Payne,” Schools of Technology Athletic Director Gerhard Sanchez said.
“Everything that I have accomplished in high school comes back to this gym. So it will be great to play in a place named for someone whose heart was to help students,” Payne School boys’ basketball captain Robert Foster said. “I have had so many special moments in this school and playing basketball in the gym. I would really rather not play anywhere else,” said Jordan Owens, captain of the Payne School girls’ basketball team.
The Congressman’s name appears above the doors leading from the school’s cafeteria into the gymnasium. A plaque at the entrances states: “Donald Payne, Jr., embodied a remarkable dedication to public service and a deep love for sports, particularly basketball. A lifelong fan of Seon Hall University’s Pirates, he brought he same passion for the court to his career, tirelessly serving New Jersey’s 10th Congressional District. Payne’s commitment to public service was evident from a young age – he founded and was the first president of the Newark South Ward Junior Democrats. His leadership flourished through roles on the Newark City Council, the Essex County Board of Freeholders and, ultimately, as a U.S. Congressman following his father’s legacy. Yet, Payne’s accomplishments were uniquely his own; he championed woman’s rights, equal pay and homeland security initiatives, while supporting healthcare and infrastructure. Despite his acclaim, he remained connected to his community, never forgetting the roots that shaped his journey.”
The Donald M. Payne, Sr. School of Technology opened in 2018 and is one of three modern school facilities developed by DiVincenzo. An updated West Caldwell School of Technology reopened in 2021 and an expanded Newark Tech reopened in 2023.
The Essex County Vocational Technical School District is New Jersey’s first and one of its largest Vocational Technical School Systems. The school system provides both occupational and academic instruction for high school and adult students in Essex County. The district has three high schools: Donald Payne, Sr. School of Technology, Newark Tech and West Caldwell Tech. In addition, the system provides adult programs in the evening at its Adult Training Center at Newark Tech. The district has an enrollment of approximately 2,200 students and provides high level state-of-the-art career skill development and academic opportunities in over 25 occupational areas. For more information on Essex County’s Vocational Technical Schools, visit www.essextech.org.