Successes, Failures, and Those Who Helped Along The Way

What an amazing weekend we had a couple of weeks ago, October 4-6, 2024, with our PJ  homecoming events and the Port Jervis Alumni Hall of Fame Induction.  It was absolutely spectacular on so many levels. Many PJ staffers and students had the opPORTunity to spend a lot of time with the Hall of Famers, including a special assembly and The Port Center podcast (you can view it here). They also enjoyed and were present at the pep rally, the Homecoming Game coin toss, and the induction banquet held on Sunday.

The Hall of Famers were honored and proud to be back. To see their smiles and feel their pride was really special. Throughout the weekend, we continued to hear the same message from them: Their failures were just as important as their successes. The mistakes they made and the lessons they learned had such an impact on their journey. They persisted, they continued on, and they continued to show up. Throughout their careers, this is what made them Hall of Famers: not the talent, not the skill, and not being perfect. It was the failures and how they responded to them that mattered, how they persevered through the hard times.

Additionally, they praised and thanked those who helped them along the way. They spoke highly and fondly of their coaches, teachers, and mentors. They referenced stories of their parents and how they supported them, let them fail, and continued to push them on their journey. They offered many tributes of gratitude and respect to their teachers, PJ staff, and administrators who impacted and cared for them.  It reinvigorated my belief in education and our work in PJ. What we are doing in our schools truly matters in the lives of our students and families. 

Students: What you do in the classrooms and on the fields, courts, and mats matters.  It is what Port Pride is all about. It’s a powerful thing, and it all means a lot.

Join us in offering another round of congratulations to these Hall of Famers and their families. We thank them for their presence at the festivities and the banquet.  #GoPort!

Yours in #PortPride,

Mark your calendars for October 2026 for the next PJHS Alumni Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. Learn more here.

Want to write a #PortPride blog spot?  We want this blog to be written by a variety of people connected to Port Jervis: students, staff, alumni, BOE members, community leaders, and more.  Have a recommendation for a person, program, place, or happening that should be written about?  Reach out to Mr. Marotta at amarotta@pjschools.org or via phone 845-858-3100 x5534