TRENTON, N.J. (1010 WINS) — Two Trenton schools dedicated to Christopher Columbus and former President Woodrow Wilson will have new names starting next month following a unanimous vote by the city's Board of Education in May.
Starting July 1, Christopher Columbus Elementary School will be renamed Dr. Crosby Copeland Jr. Elementary School and Woodrow Wilson Elementary School will become Darlene C. McKnight Elementary School.
A school official told NJ Advance Media on Tuesday that the move was the result of the board's unanimous vote on May 23.
School board member and facilities committee chair Jeannie Weakliem told the outlet that the "process started with the request for entries from members of the Trenton community" and the new names were determined following the "culmination of a months long process which involved community stakeholders and board members working collaboratively."
The process of renaming the schools began in March. The board then trimmed the 64 names down to five, with Copeland and McKnight emerging as the final two.
Copeland, a born and raised Trentonian and attended the city's public school system, served in the U.S. Army before becoming a teacher in the city and superintendent for eight years.
"Once retired, Dr. Copeland continued to serve and mentor Trenton children as well as serve in a number of civic and professional organizations," said Weakliem of Copeland, who died in February 2021.
She said that McKnight, who died on March 14, lived in the city for 55 years, and was "an advocate, [who] fought tirelessly ... for improvement in conditions impacting Trenton children."
"Darlene was an affiliate of many Trenton community partnerships, and received numerous awards for her hard work and dedication to the children of Trenton," Weakliem added.
NJ.com reports that the district now join other New Jersey schools and cities that have decided to rename buildings and public monuments amid a public outcry in the wake of George Floyd's killing in May 2020.
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