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State Museum marks 130th anniversary Special celebratory event set for Thursday, April 17 The staff of the New Jersey State Museum was all set to host a 125th anniversary celebration in 2020 when the pandemic put the kibosh on those plans. And since “126th anniversary” or “127th anniversary” just doesn’t have much of a ring, executive director Margaret O’Reilly and her staff had to be content to wait until another round number came along — which is why the museum is finally celebrating this month with a party marking its 130 years in existence. On Thursday, April 17 from 6 to 8 p.m., the New Jersey State Museum Foundation plans to commemorate the museum’s anniversary with a celebration that will include an exclusive preview of the museum’s newest exhibition, “Ecosystems at Risk: Threatened and Endangered in New Jersey.” At this fundraising event, former museum trustees Karen S. Ali, Larry Conti, Gabrielle Deen, Sally Lane and Dolores Yazujian, as well as former foundation executive director Nicole Jannotte Stubbs, will receive the
Museum Legacy Award. The event takes place at the museum at 205 West State Street, Trenton. Tickets are $125 and must be reserved by Thursday, April 10. Visit givebutter.com/LPxIm8 to register. The exhibition, which will be on view from April 19 through March 15, 2026, takes visitors through each of New Jersey’s major ecosystems: Skylands, Piedmont, Pinelands, Delaware River, Delaware Bay and Atlantic Coast. The exhibition highlights the threatened and endangered wildlife that are native to each region, from bobcats in the Skylands to piping plovers along the coast. There are more than 2,000 plant species native to the state as well. The exhibition also details the threats that our wildlife and habitats face, as well as what residents can do to help protect them. The exhibits also provide examples of research underway that may offer hope for the future of biodiversity in the state. O’Reilly has worked at the museum for 36 years, serving as the executive director since 2015. She says the new exhibition makes sense now because See NJSM, Page 6
WW-P High School South junior Sophia Latif Estafan looks to make a pass during a recent game.
Estafan helps Pirates enjoy breakout basketball season By JUsTin FeiL
The High School South girls soccer team and girls basketball team enjoyed some of their best seasons in recent history during this school year. Sophia Latif Estafan was one
of the common reasons for their success. The Pirates junior is moving now into the spring season and hopes to help the South girls lacrosse team also reach great heights. “A lot of the girls I play with
A full spectrum of care for kids with autism. April is Autism Acceptance Month
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in certain sports, I’ll see in a different sport, especially a lot of my basketball teammates,” Latif Estafan said. “I see them more than one season so relationships like that definitely help. You’re not going onto the court with a See ESTAFAN, Page 15
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