From Horses to Healing: Newark Teens Get a Healthy Summer Boost with Aspire NJ
If you know Newark, you know the summers can go either way for our kids. For some, it’s block parties, basketball courts, and trying to dodge the wrong influences. But this summer, 150 young women from East Side, Central, Technology, and Weequahic High Schools got a different kind of experience—one that took them off the block and into spaces that fed their minds, their bodies, and their peace.
Aspire NJ Youth, the brainchild of licensed therapist and hometown hero Davida Nicole Hunter-Cummins, set up a summer camp that wasn’t just about passing time—it was about changing the game. These young ladies found themselves in places they never imagined: guiding horses through open fields, balancing their energy on yoga mats, and expressing their truths through paint and canvas. For many, this was their first time being around horses or even stepping into a structured yoga session. It wasn’t just “activities”—it was exposure to a new way of living.
Hunter-Cummins made sure the camp was about more than memories—it was about preparation. With the new school year around the corner, the girls were already being eased into routines that would make the transition smoother. Families were encouraged to talk with them about what’s ahead, so they’re walking into that first day without that pit-in-the-stomach anxiety. The late summer nights are slowly giving way to earlier bedtimes, and the girls are carrying mental health habits they can tap into when life gets overwhelming—like pausing to breathe or jotting their thoughts in a journal.
Aspire NJ proved that when you give Newark’s youth real opportunities, they rise to the occasion. These young women are walking into the school year not just with new clothes and fresh braids—they’re walking in with the confidence and tools to handle whatever’s thrown their way.
For more on Aspire NJ Youth, visit www.AspireNJYouth.org.
