As we count down to the end of the year, here are some of the top stories from 2024 in Cherry Hill.
Residents gather on July 9 at the township municipal building for a public input session on open space.
Township highlights
Cherry Hill officially purchased Holly Ravine Farms in January to preserve it as open space, and swore in council members Daniel DiRenzo and Jill Hulnick, who both won re-election in November. Mayor David Fleisher also took office and appointed William Carter III to serve as council president.
In April, a new dog park opened at Cooper River Park, and in May, the Cherry Hill African American Civic Association and the South Jersey Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta held their annual author and artist expo at Croft Farm.
The township also began the process of updating its Open Space and Recreation Plan after holding two public input meetings on the issue for residents to offer feedback on what they’d like to see.
At American Legion Post 372, Cherry Hill West senior Emily Davidson completed her second mural on site, an illustration inspired by World War II. The art competition and scholarship is open to students at East, West and the alternative high-school program. She hopes that more artists participate in next year’s competition and scholarship program, which will be focused on the Korean War.
Two new benches were also installed at Barclay Farmstead thanks to West senior Gage Angelucci’s Eagle Scout project. In August, the township celebrated National Night Out in spite of pouring rain at the newly renovated community center, and in October, Police Chief Robert Kempf announced his retirement at the end of the year.
In November, the county also addressed ongoing concerns about the smell of smoke stemming from wildfires in the area due to an ongoing drought, and encouraged people to conserve water.
Schools news
The school district swore in a new board member, Quadsia Niaz, in February to fill the vacancy left when Jennifer Fleisher stepped down in December to avoid a conflict of interest, since her husband David Fleisher was elected mayor. The district also received notice from the state that it faced a $6.9-million decrease in state aid, and released a notice to the community.
In March, a group of 60 students, district staff and community members went to Trenton to advocate for fair funding. Dr. Kwame Morton was also sworn in as the new superintendent after serving in the interim role and after 28 years in public education, including as former principal for Kilmer Elementary School and West High School.
In April, Cherry Hill West JROTC students fought to keep their program alive for one more year, so there would be more time for the group to achieve the goal of enrolling 100 students. They worked together and called on servicemen from around the country to advocate for their program, which ultimately got the one-year extension. And in May, the district got back $3.1 million in state aid of the $6.9 million lost earlier in the year.
The passage of the bond referendum in 2023 led to some exciting new opportunities for students, including Cherry Hill East’s first under-the-lights football games at home with a newly renovated field. The board of education opted to relocate the alternative high school to East, amid concerns from the public about trauma and bullying.
The district also tackled other big issues this year, including elementary-school redistricting and preschool expansion. The latter is part of a five-year plan, and both issues will continue to be discussed into the new year.
Newsworthy recognition
There were a number of individuals and teams that made the news in Cherry Hill in 2024.
Cherry Hill East’s varsity chest team celebrated winning the South Jersey Chess League Championship in February.
Cherry Hill East’s varsity chess team brought home the gold at the South Jersey Chess League Championship, its first in four years, led by senior co-captains Eitan Koppelman and Jake Unterlack. East’s boys golf team also won the state championships, the first in school history.
Rosa International Middle School’s Climate Action and Sustainability Team placed third in the New Jersey Student Climate Challenge and was recognized by council for its efforts to increase climate literacy and action.
Cherry Hill triplets Araam, Gia and Karina Gupta, founders of the nonprofit Little Mentors, began a new initiative called Teddy Talks, where they interview leaders in different professions while continuing to create connections with students internationally.
East friends Esha Kalikiri and Tulina Elbarouki, founders of the nonprofit A Little More Love, hosted their first social outreach event to bring together patients in long-term care to hear music by the school group Musicians On Call. And East’s Valorant and Valkyrie Valorant e-sports teams won state finals in May.
