A renowned name in education and business management, Nicholas L. Westbrooks excels as an English teacher and an adviser at a blended-learning, technology/STEM high school within Newark Public Schools. The founder of the Newark School of Data Science and Information Technology since 2021, he has also served as the business manager at the financial services company DJ The Money Coach LLC and is in the process of becoming a professional astro-numerologist. Before starting at the Newark Public School in 2017, he worked as an English instructor and an academic coach at Newark Prep Charter School and previously as a tutor and teacher resident at Great Oaks Charter School.

Since starting his career in 2015, Mr. Westbrooks considers his growth as an educator to be among his most significant accomplishments—particularly when he began teaching Advanced Placement classes for the first time recently. In this case, he successfully guided at least 10 students to pass the AP Seminar exam, which he believes marked a culminating point in his career.

Mr. Westbrooks originally pursued a journalism degree focusing on broadcast news at Howard University, aiming to work in TV news. Amid his studies, he gained hands-on experience in campus news and through internships at Millennium Radio Group, LLC, ABC News, and the Washington Informer before earning a bachelor’s degree; however, he didn’t feel fulfilled in the industry. Education emerged as a calling through a class he took on Education in Black America and an information session for Teach for America. He was subsequently accepted into an education fellowship program in Newark, which involved taking classes toward teacher certification and working full-time at Great Oaks Charter School, and attained a Master of Arts in clinically-based English education at New York University.

As a testament to his accomplishments, Mr. Westbrooks was recognized as a Distinguished Men in the Industry by the Newark School of Data Science and Information Technology and a Black History Month Award. He is affiliated with numerous memberships, including the Washington Association of Black Journalists, Urban Journalism Workshop, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and the Golden Key International Honour Society and Lambda Pi Eta National Honor Society.

Looking ahead, he strives to publish a book by compiling and combining student writings from the past decade with his own memoirs as an educator and achieve national board certification as a teacher. In addition, he wishes to diversify his financial portfolio by acquiring more assets, including investments in businesses and real estate, to secure long-term wealth and generate additional monthly income. In his spare time, he enjoys podcasting, reading, traveling, and being with his family.