Jea Street - Tenth District

Biography

Jea P. Street is a graduate of Wilmington High School and the University of Delaware.

From 1974 to 1981 Mr. Street served as Executive Director of the Parent Educational Resource Center where he was charged with the responsibility of helping to prepare City parents and students for the implementation of court ordered school desegregation. During this period he became a well-established student advocate.

In 1988, Street became chairman of the Coalition to Save Our Children, representing City children in the school desegregation litigation and served in that capacity until 1996 when the court order was officially lifted.

In 2004, Street was elected as New Castle County Councilman for the Tenth District. He served as Co-Chairman of Public Safety Committee for 16 years and currently serves as Co-Chairman of Community Services Committee. As Councilman, he has continued his advocacy work on behalf of children. He has filed federal and state complaints against the Christina and Colonial School Districts and the State Board of Education. In 2007, he worked very closely with Wilmington City Council and the Mayor as the City and five parents successfully sued the Christina School district to ensure that city schools were not closed. Street fought vigorously for the Route 9 Library from 2005 through 2017 when the library was opened. In 2019, he sponsored legislation that limits the height of the Minquadale Landfill to 140 feet. 

Councilman Street served as Executive Director of Hilltop Lutheran Neighborhood Center from 1981 thru 1992 and from 1995 thru 2017. In 2018 he served as Development Director until he retired in December. During his tenure as Executive Director, the center completed over $7 million in renovation and expansion projects, the budget increased from seventy thousand dollars annually to its current $2.1 million. In 2016, the center received the State of Delaware’s highest rating of five stars as a provider of early care and education and school age services. 

From 1993 to 1995 he served as Director of Wilmington Parks and Recreation.

Street is currently the President of Delawareans for Educational Opportunity (DEO). He is the Third Vice President of the Delaware NAACP State Conference of Branches.  On January 16, 2018, DEO in conjunction with the State Conference of Branches sued the State Of Delaware and all three of its Counties to obtain appropriate funding for all students in the State of Delaware’s Public Schools. This lawsuit was settled with the State in 2018 resulting in additional state funding for low income and at-risk students.  The litigation with the three counties is pending in the Chancery Court.

Awards & Honors

Councilman Jea Street has been the recipient of numerous awards and accolades for his community service, including the following:

• Community Service Award, New Castle Prevention Coalition, April 1, 2023
• Certificate of Appreciation for commitment to the fight for justice and community service from County Executive Matthew Meyer and the New Castle County Outreach Team, February 5, 2023
• Community Service Award, "Service for the Educational Needs of our Youth" - Community Presbyterian Church, 2020
• The 1000 block of West Sixth St was named “Jea P. Street Way" by Wilmington City Council and Mayor Michael Purzycki, 2019
• Hilltop Lutheran Neighborhood Center 35 Year Service Award, December 2018
• I Stand With the Team, Lifetime Achievement Award, A.I. DuPont High School Basketball Team, 2017
• Inducted into the Red Clay Consolidated School District Hall of Fame, 2017
• Kandler Award for Student Advocacy - ACLU, October 2016
• Community Service Award- New Castle County Chapter, Delaware State Alumni Association - August 2016
• Martin Luther King Service Award. Organization of Minority Women, 2014
• Citizen of the Year, Omega PSI PHI Fraternity, Psi Iota Chapter, 2013
• Lion and Legends Award, Wilmington Metropolitan Urban League, 2013
• Community Service Award, Phi Delta Kappa Sorority, 2011
• Martin Luther King Award, Widener School of Law, 2011
• Community Service Award, Manna Christian Fellowship Church, 2010
• Education Award, NAACP-Newark Branch, 2010
• 25-Year Service Award, Hilltop Lutheran Neighborhood Center, 2008
• Trail Blazer Award, Clubs of the Seventies, 2008
• Education Award, Afro-American Historical Society, 2004
• Lifetime Achievement Award, Our Youth Inc., 2004
• Delaware Community Reinvestment Act Council, 1999
• MAAT Trinity Temple, 1996
• MBNA Community Hero, 1996
• King Memorial Foundation Award for Community Service, 1995
• Excellence in Education, Newark Branch of NAACP, 1994
• Certifications of Appreciation from various community organizations and little leagues, 1993-1994
• One of the five honorees that the Hilltop Lutheran Neighborhood Center was dedicated to, 1994
• King Committee Dinner, 1994
• Youth Service Awards from Northeast Alliance, Wilmington City Council, and the Mayor of the City of Wilmington, 1994
• Outstanding Community Service, Wilmington Branch of NAACP, 1991
• Distinguished Service Award, National Association of University Women, 1990
• Martin Luther King Award, Northeast Alliance, 1988
• Hilltop Day Camp, 1983
• Wilmington United Neighbors, 1980
• Citizen of the Year, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., 1980
• Distinguished Service Award, Operation Recreation, 1980
• Wilmington Home School Community Council, 1978
• Wilmington City Council, 1979

Affiliations

• Current member and President of Delawareans for Educational Opportunity (DEO)
• Life Member of the NAACP, Current Third Vice President and past Education Committee Chairman of the Delaware State Conference of Branches
• Former chairman of the Delaware Black Caucus
• Past member of Wilmington Police Advisory Council
• Past member of Wilmington Education Strategy Think Tank (WESTT)
• Past chairman of the Coalition to Save Our Children,1986-1995
• Past member of Desegregation Advisory Committee
• Past member of Hilltop Citizens Coalition
• Past member of Hope Commission
• Past member of Neighborhood School Committee
• Past member of the Board of Directors of the Redding House Foundation
• Past member of the City of Wilmington Mayor’s Youth Advisory Task Force
• Past member of the Delaware House of Representatives Committee on Illegal Drug Prevention
• Past member of the Wilmington Park Trust Fund Commission
• Past member of Wilmington Children’s Council
• Past member of Wilmington Education Task Force
• Past president of Community Youth Workers
• Past member of the Delaware Stadium Corporation

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