By Heidi Pascual
MADISON, WI, January 18, 2009 — The Urban League of Greater Madison’s 25th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Recognition Breakfast at Edgewood High
School was its biggest gathering so far. The event had to be moved from the usual lobby to the gym in order to accommodate more than a thousand families,
friends, relatives, and neighbors who wanted to celebrate this very happy and momentous occasion to honor local students of color who are making extraordinary
achievements in school and in the community. The big number of attendees was expected. The event became especially meaningful because of the next day’s
inauguration of Barack Obama, the first African American President of the United States!
“This is a moment that renews our nation’s founding promise of freedom, equality and opportunity for all,” wrote Scott Gray, ULGM’s President/CEO, in his
message. “We have shattered what was once considered an unbreakable ceiling that kept so many generations of minorities and women from dreaming big
dreams and reaching their full potential. Never again will these young boys and girls be shackled with the awful certainty of ‘not in my lifetime!.”
Keynote speaker Dr. Willie D. Larkin, Chief of Staff, UW Colleges and Extension, called on the youth to “choose not to be average” and “strive to be great.”
He spoke of his struggles, hard work and commitment to be better than others that in the end, helped him succeed professionally and personally. He inspired his
audience, completely, especially when he recounted how he won the heart of his beloved, Dr. Vivian Larkin. Dr. Larkin’s sense of humor and spontaneous wit
made his speech even more interesting to every one. Each word found a mark in his audience’s consciousness.
Before breakfast started, State Farm’s Julie Bass delivered her opening remarks that highlighted the significance of the event, followed by Barbara
Harrington McKinney of the Madison Urban Ministry, who delivered her brief but beautiful invocation. Other speakers included Dane County Executive Kathleen
Falk and Annette Miller, ULGM Board Chair.
NBC 15’s Barclay Pollak emceed the event, while Toya Robinson led the singing of “We Shall Overcome.”
THE HONOREES
Nearly 200 middle and high school students of color were recognized, including seven high school seniors who received college scholarships. In addition,
the Madison Metropolitan School District announced its 2009 Mann Scholars Awardees. (The list of this year’s awardees is below.)
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Youth Recognition Breakfast is Dane County’s oldest and largest family observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday.
Nominations were received from 33 schools representing 8 school districts and private schools all across Dane County. All award winners were nominated by their
school in recognition of exemplary commitment to academics, extra-curricular activities, and volunteer service to their community
Founded in 1968, the Urban League of Greater Madison is the premiere community and economic development organization working to promote equal
opportunity, economic independence, and an improved quality of life for African Americans, other persons of color, and the economically disadvantaged in our
community. To advance their economic empowerment agenda, the Urban League of Greater Madison offers programs in three core areas: college readiness
and career development, workforce development, and equity development. For more information about the Urban League, visit ulgm.org.
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. SCHOLARSHIPS
The third Annual ULGM Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarships of $500 each were awarded to Dane County high school seniors for their outstanding academic
achievement, volunteerism, school involvement, and personal character. The scholarship money will be used for tuition at any post-secondary institution.
• Ebony Balele, Memorial High School
• Amadou Camara, Sun Prairie High School
• Tatianna Campbell, Edgewood High School
• Jorjio Hopkins, East High School
• Jasmine Jackson, Monona Grove High School
• Rachel Looper, East High School
• Jeremy Riekena, Waunakee High School
OUTSTANDING YOUNG PERSON AWARDS
Outstanding Young Person Awards are presented by the ULGM to middle and high school students of color who exemplify a commitment to academics, extra-
curricular activities, and volunteerism.
OUTSTANDING YOUNG PERSON AWARDS-MIDDLE SCHOOL
Badger Ridge Middle School
Bernice Atayi, Kendra Atkinson, Teeanna Brisco, Alejandra Diaz-Caballero, Derrick Newton, Jr.
Black Hawk Middle School
Dameon Allen, Rahsheed Cameron, Alondra Harris, Tamika Tupta
Cherokee Middle School
Sokhna Aminatou-Gaye, Kala Baker, Robert Garel, Kenneth Ingram, Riley Jones, Yanetta McClellan
Core Knowledge Charter School
Chance Wilkinson-Johnson
Glacial Drumlin School
Jadyn Harlan, Kaitlyn Long, Daniel Mussie, Alyson Norton, Trenten Rolack
Glacier Creek Middle School
Justice Anthony, Sydney Toon, Rebecca Zamora-Green
Hamilton Middle School
Mariama Bester, Sarah Branch, Malcolm Clark, Mandisa Lukhele, Naiya Morris
Jefferson Middle School
Aliyah Bolles, Christina Ma
O’Keeffe Middle School
Brianna Allen, Lindsey Borleske, Tyrice Holcomb, Rayana James, Deon Noyce, Ross Simeon
Patrick Marsh Middle School
Fatai Brown, Taliah Meree DeLaPorte, Jamie Fleming, Kyra Johnson, Randy Jones
Prairie View Middle School
Darian Belnavis, Tori Freeman, Eugene Muma, Danaree Sercye, Michael Vernio
Savanna Oaks Middle School
Brenda Covarrubias, Nkechime Ifediora, Narisha Reddy, Alan Uscanga, Frost White, John Yang
Sennett Middle School
Capriana Copus, Collin Davenport, Angel Hayes, Andre Johnson, Jr., Melanie Loppnow, Sephora Wawa
Sherman Middle School
Jose Flores-Ugalde, Kynala Phillips, Treveon Wright
Spring Harbor Middle School
Jadyn Donahue-Szudy, Imani English, Nasitta Keita, Sowah Lassey
St. James School
Ashley Manuel, Rasheed Williams
Toki Middle School
Antonia Hoye, Tatianna Jefferson, Micheal Jones
Whitehorse Middle School
Tallia Brooks, Yang Chen, Thaddeus Jackson, Valeria Lopez, Ayanna Martin, Dernisha Moore
Winnequah Middle School
Connie Awuku-Darkoh
Wright Middle School
Arkeem Ashley, Shakitta Bishop, Erica Gunderson, Danielle Jones, Julius Morris, Jennifer Neblett, Noah Oswald
Outstanding Young Person Awards-High School
East High School
Nicole Coburn
Edgewood High School
Stephanie Derr, Claire Edwards, Nicole Enemuoh, Michael Eshun, Julius Glore, Katherine Jones, Tyler Krohn, Charlotte Martin, MacKenzy Price
LaFollette High School
Dywane Brown, Jr., Laureine George-Pratt, Dominic Johnson, Elyse Johnson, Siettah Parks, Jaylen Plummer, Terynce Roach, Dominic Stenson, Tamara Wade,
Tiffany Wade
Marshall High School
Alicia Castillo, Adela Estrada
McFarland High School
Jasmyne Baynard, Winnie Karanja, Angie Roidt, Wasfe Syeda, Jose Vasquez
Memorial High School
Marcus Bolles, Neffatri Edwards, Zowie Miles, Jonathan Sturgeon, Monique Tapp
Middleton Alternative High School
Angela Johnson, Shakara Twyman, Chloe West
Middleton High School
Bimaljit Pangli, Jai Patel, Tahkaney Becknell, Mary Thomas
Monona Grove High School
Katherine Amelse, Kaity Contreras, Eden Mussie, Demitri Price, Benjamin Rodriguez
Sun Prairie High School
Alaina Brown-Haines, Marcus Cannon, Jessika Gerg, Mital Patel, Reale Snorton, Andre Wallace
Verona Area High School
Myeshia Allen, Gina Carrola, Rebekah Jones, Nam Hoon Kim, Chantee Lackey-Williams, Cindi Lewis,
Angelica Medina, Stephanie Munoz, Sean Patchin, Jr., Octavia Powell, Azeem Zaman
Waunakee High School
Meseret Muluken, Louisa Ochieng, Olivia Robinson
West High School
Ibrahim Ali, Matthew Bowie Wilson, Charmaine Branch, Chloe Brown, Anthony Esealuka, Antavia Grayson, Haley Stoecker, Winston Vakunta
MANN SCHOLARS
The Mann Scholars program honors the legacy of Bernard and Kathlyn Mann, African American parents whose five children graduated from Madison
schools and went on to earn college degrees. After their deaths, family and friends created an endowment fund through the Madison Community Foundation to
support the academic achievement of promising high school students. Mann Scholars receive $1000 per year during high school, mentoring support and
assistance in planning their high school and post-secondary studies.
Dimone Caleb, East High School
Sterling Felder, West High School
Markshaun Hall, West High School
Sheikh Jammeh, East High School