Deptford Township council recognized and honored the works of two artist groups at its June 10 meeting.
Proclamations went to the Deptford High School jazz band and the community center’s Maureen Peters. The jazz band was honored for winning the New Jersey Association for Jazz Education’s (NJAJE) Division 3 State Championship on April 27 at Metuchen High School.
“Honored last night to recognize our incredible Deptford music students for the third consecutive state jazz championship for NJAJE Division 3,” jazz ensemble director Carl Cox posted on Facebook the day after the championshp. “Thanks to the mayor and council of Deptford for taking time to recognize our dedicated students, and for Karen Elder Pino for setting it up.”
Cox was at the meeting along with the students who produced the victory happen. Each received a certificate recognizing their accomplishment.
“The students were extremely excited to receive the proclamation,” said Mayor Paul Medany. “It was good to see.”
As for Peters, she is a local artist who helps teach art classes at the art studio inside the community center. She also helps put together the Galleria Deptford art exhibits that take place every few months at the municipal building.
“We named her as our citizen of the month for helping to promote the arts in Deptford,” Medany noted.
“Maureen is a lifelong artist, art educator and promoter of the arts,” the township said on Facebook. “She teaches several art classes throughout the year at the Deptford Community Center, for children and adults. She also curates the work of local artists, which appears in Deptford’s municipal building and rotates in new pieces every other month.”
The council meeting presentations also showed that the township promotes all manners of artwork, according to the mayor.
“We’re trying to promote all the arts,” Medany explained. “From physical to performing arts, promoting the arts is very important to the arts. It was a very exciting night for the kids and receipients. “It really helps bring the community together in recognizing these accomplishments.
“It shows that these artists can really do anything.”
The next council meeting is a work session scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday at the municipal building’s first-floor conference room.
