Young students leave MLK celebration with hopes for a bright future

By Megan Higdon
Western Herald

As Jalen Hooper moved through the crowd to check out the foreign languages offered at Western Michigan University, the options of a future career ran through his mind.

“I want to be an NFL player,” the seventh-grader from Maple Street Middle School said.

“But I would like to go into business, because I can’t play football for my whole career. I need an alternative.”

Hooper was just one of the many students who have begun to understand the importance of a good education and how far it can take those who utilize it.

WMU welcomed elementary, middle and high school students from Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, Covert, and Three Rivers on Saturday to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the importance of education.  The celebration was held in the East Ballroom of the Bernhard Center and included various speakers, poetry, prayer, a luncheon, and information sessions about programs at WMU.

Opening the session was Martin Luther King Celebration Chairperson, Tony Dennis, followed by the national anthem sung by Phi MU Alpha Sinfonia, Zachary Strum, and the song “Lift Every Voice and Sing” sung by Meagan McNeal.

Provost Tim Greene, Ph.D. spoke on behalf of the university and the importance of a college education. Greene said that fun, plus a job, plus money, equals a college education, and that those with a college education are three times more likely to receive a job than those without a college education.

Kalamazoo Public Schools Superintendent, Michael Rice, Ph.D., also addressed the audience on the importance of a good education.

“If you’re not preparing for college and college success, then you are preparing for failure,” Rice said.

Susan Stapleton Ph.D., associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, spoke on Dr. King’s passion for the youth having an education.

“Intelligence plus character-that is the true goal of education,” she said, quoting Dr. King.

After the speakers, the event transitioned into college sessions, where students could visit different colleges at WMU they found most interesting. Student ambassadors, professors, and advisers explained different majors that could be taken within each college to the potential students.

The one question that children are commonly asked was in the air at Saturday’s celebration: what do you want to do when you grow up?

“I want to be a lawyer, I find it very fascinating,” said Adonne Washington, a freshman at Kalamazoo Central High School.

“I’d like to figure out problems.”

Marcel Moore, Darrion Hinds and Hirving Hernandez, eighth-graders from Maple Street Middle School, watched how a bicycle can light up a light bulb at the College of Arts and Sciences session.

“I want to become an automotive engineer, because I would like to work with cars,” Hernandez said.

“Without a college education, you can’t do much.”

After listening to what the Health and Human Services College had to offer students, Quentin Bryant, a sophomore at Loy Norrix High School, saw a potential career in medicine.

“I want to be a cardiac surgeon, because I can help people,” he said. “If I can help people and learn that is a very good thing.”

After an hour of browsing through the colleges, students came back to the East Ballroom for a buffet luncheon. The program continued on with a prayer led Reverend Denise Posie, vice president of the Northside Ministerial Alliance. Posie was followed by Kalamazoo Public student Sydney Ellis Jr., who recited his “Believe Monologue.”

“Take advantage of everything Western Michigan University is offering you,” Ellis Jr. said. “We have to be self determined and believe in ourselves to reach our goals.”

Ellis Jr. was then followed by WMU student Nate Mark who shared his poem, “Love Changes Everything.”

Lee Jones Ph. D., professor of education at Florida State University and president and executive editor of InSpire magazine and associate executive director of the InSpire ILEAD Institute gave the keynote address for this celebration and the year’s before.

“When leadership calls, will you be ready?” Jones asked.

Jones spoke about the recent earthquake in Haiti and the importance of giving aid and loving those of every race, gender, and ethnicity. Jones focused on the love Martin Luther King Jr. had for all and his passion for the futures of the youth.

“When I think of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., I think about a man of love,” Jones said.

Jones spoke about the racism that still exists in America.

“You’re going to run across some haters in your life,” he said.

“And you will run across those who do not want you to succeed. You have to walk like you know where you are going.”

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Posted by HeraldAdmin on Jan 17 2010. Filed under Breaking, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

Cody Kimball
Web Manager: I'm a Communication Student at WMU, a SCUBA Diver, Boater, Ordained Minister, Notary Public, Web Designer, Film Maker, DJ, and of course a Journalist. Born and raised in Port Huron, MI and a graduate of SC4. http://www.codykimball.com