Ann Arbor Branch of the NAACP recognizes over 140 AAPS students, urge everyone to get out the vote

The Ann Arbor Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People recognized 143 Ann Arbor Public Schools high school students yesterday at their annual Freedom Fund Dinner. The students were recognized for maintaining a 3.2 grade point average or above through spring term of 2018. For 44 students it was their second time being recognized by the NAACP, while 29 students were receiving the accolade for a third time.

President William Hampton of the Ann Arbor Branch of the NAACP says it’s important to recognize students of color for their academic achievement. “People of color are marginalized and underrepresented and under recognized, so this is an opportunity for people of color to get recognized,” Hampton says. “You know, we have kids with special needs, we have kids who have never been honored before and we enjoy doing it, been doing it for 34 years.”

The overall theme of this year’s Freedom Fund Dinner was Defeat Hate Vote, with a student representing each school sharing their thoughts on voting. While only one student is old enough to vote in this week’s election the students say they are still following the issues closely and know the candidates. Community High School’s Toya Pace says paying attention inside the classroom and out is important for young voters. “I think education is crucial if we want to understand the world around us and we want to be aware of who we’re going to be voting for,” Pace says.

Skyline’s Robert Malcolm has a couple of years before he will get a chance to vote, but made a request for all eligible voters. “I can’t wait until 2020 when I can vote, so I just think that everyone who can vote should just go out and vote for me since I can’t vote,” Malcolm says.

The 2018 Freedom Fund Scholars are:

Community High School   

Community High School staff and the students that were named 2018 NAACP Freedom Fund Scholars

Tesfanesh Hurd     Quincy Jenkins**     Jayla Johnson*     Simone Mahler*     Cecilia McLoyd     

Aidan Osofisan     Toya Pace*  Aaron Rogers     Sophia Scarnecchia     Taylor Williams

 

Huron High School

Huron High School Staff and 2018 Freedom Fund Scholars

 

Macie Angeli*     Dante Bailey*     Takima Banks     Nia Buchanan**     Saydatou Cisse     

MiLisa Curtis*     Alyssa Davis   Mohamed Diakite     Abdibazit Farah     Trey Gardette     

Jamii Gilbert**     Jordan Gilbert     Trinity Glaze*     Kaiden Glenn     Kala Jones     

Ihsan Joseph*     Odia Kaba**     Ja’Nia Keith     Basra Keynan**     Abdul Kizito**     

Sinit Lijam*     Feleke Logue     Kejuan Mathews     Mouhamadou Mbengue*     Kowsar Mohamed*     

Zayd Mohamud     Darron Moore*     Deja Moore     Tamarrah Morgan     Imani Peterkin**     

Darryl Phillips*     Richarra Roach**     Cheyanne Roy     Abdikhani Said**     Javontae Sayles     

Jonnelle Sayles     James Schrupp     Brandon Scott     Youssouf Sidibe     Anthony Stewart     

Lee Stewart**     Virgil Watkins**     Aaron Winston*     Devin Womack     Madalyn Wood**     

Shania Wren     Dakarai Young

 

Pathways to Success Academic Campus

Pathways staff and 2018 AAPS Freedom Scholars

Carson Bins*     Makayla Scott*

 

Pioneer High School

Pioneer High School staff and 2018 Freedom Fund Scholars

Aderinola Adunbi**     Kamar Ali*     Jaimey Anderson     Maya Boyd*     Bankaly Camara     

Omolara Clay*     Macka Conde     Alexia Easley*     Michael Fletcher     Jael Francis**     

NaaShon Francis**     Patrick Good     Jordan Holcomb     Austin Jacobs*     Benjamin Jakabcsin     

Ishara Kelsaw-Fletcher     Lana Kinlaw*     Coby LaPointe*     Martha Laramore-Josey     Kayla Lawson**

Ashleigh Lowe*     Collin Melnykowycz     Keimon Miller     Kosisonna Nweze     Mirian Nweze*     

Gabriel Nwogu     Brendon Odumodu     Bryan Odumodu     KuJuana Quinn*     Quoia Sam     

Lucia Sanchez Rini     Jarrod Stevens**   Felicia Stewart     Ramona Talifarro     Asaria Turman*     

Ashanti Turman     DeAnte Vaughn*      Malcolm Vinson*     Angel Christian Walker**     Jasmine Williams     

Jyadon Williams     Johntez Williamson     Kiara Wright

 

Skyline High School

Skyline High School staff and 2018 Freedom Fund Scholars

Oluwaseun Ajepe*     Sasha Akuezue     Jonathan Baker**     Alexander Batalonga*     Jasmine Brocks-Matthews*     

Marcus Brown     Thailyn Brown     Auren Carethers**     Rachel Carethers*     Jermaine Davis     

Helena Digue     Diamond Drake*     Heavyn Dyer-Jones*     Christopher Emerson*     Tamara Emerson     

Johnathan Faulkner     Raven Flowers**     Jalina Griffin     Jahi Hawkins*     AaLeja Hesterly*     

Chala House     Mallory Hughes*     Abimbola Kolawole**     Temidun Kolawole     Abigail Liebetreu**     

Nathan Liebetreu     Robert Malcolm**     Kendall Murray*     Jordyn Newing**     Rajada Noblin

Sarah Okeke**     Gianna Shipp*     Angela Solomon**     Felicity Sorenson     Ryan Wade**     

Corey Whitehorn*     Stephen Wilks**     Denver Williams*     Taiya’e Williams     Gabryel Wilson**

*For second year scholars **For third year scholars

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1 Comment

  1. What an honor to be a parent of one of the students. Thank you for this celebration!

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