More than 1,000 Perth Amboy High School Students and 800,000 Students Statewide To Launch New Jersey's "BE POWERFUL, BE HEARD" Youth Vote Initiative

WHO:
Russell Simmons, Chairman of HSAN, Dr. Benjamin Chavis, President/CEO of HSAN, Reverend Run, hip-hop stars Jim Jones and Juelz Santana of the Diplomats, New Jersey Attorney General Peter C. Harvey, Commissioner of the NJ
Department of Education Dr. William Librera, Secretary of State Regena Thomas, Perth Amboy Mayor Joseph Vas, Perth Amboy Superintendent of Schools John M. Rodecker and Perth Amboy High School Principal, Administrators and students

WHAT:
the official launch of New Jersey's "Be Powerful, Be Heard" youth voter initiative. New Jersey becomes the first state to utilize hip-hop culture through the public school system to motivate young people about the importance of voting. More than 1,000 Perth Amboy High School Students will be joined by more than 800,000 New Jersey public school students (via web streaming) for a pep rally to launch the state's first spoken word competition for voting. Students will be eligible by creating a spoken word poem about the importance of voting and will be judged via statewide competitions in May and September. The winner will be announced at a New Jersey Hip-Hop Summit in September.

WHERE:
Perth Amboy High School,
Eagle Avenue & Francis Street
Perth Amboy, NJ 08861
732-376-6031

WHEN:
Tuesday, April 5, 2005,
10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

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