From AAPSNews Service
A total of 102 Ann Arbor high school students were honored this month by the Ann Arbor Chapter of the NAACP during the group’s annual Freedom Fund Dinner.
The awards represent a 26 percent increase in the number of Ann Arbor students honored from last fall.
“This year, we had more scholars than ever before and, for the first time, students from Roberto Clemente,” said chapter President William Hampton, about the Nov. 6 event.
Last year, 81 Ann Arbor students were selected as top scholars at the Freedom Fund Dinner, which honors academic achievement among African-American high school students. The Ann Arbor chapter concentrates heavily on education, giving out scholarships and tutoring students.
Each student honored had a grade point average of 3.2 or higher during the last academic school year.
Chauné Rael-Whitsitt, an honor student from Skyline High School, performed a musical selection on her viola as part of the program, Hampton said. The keynote speaker for this year’s dinner was Keith Owens, former Michigan Chronicle editor and communications professional.
Ann Arbor students honored this year and the schools they represent included:
Community High School:
Third-year scholars: Tamara Parks and Bradie Connor.
Second-year scholars: Senait Dafa and Chelsea Evans-Warren.
First-year scholars: Leah Awkward-Rich, Melissa Chime, Rianna Johnson-Levy and Kylah Thompson.
Huron High School:
Third-year scholars: Brittany Cole, Blaire Crockett, Awah Ditah and Marysa Hill and Imani Watkins.
Second-year scholars: Christiana Allen-Pipkin, JeJuan French, LaMicah Hughbanks, Kamaria Lee, Maya Long, Fatou Ndaw, Cynthia Ofili, Lindsey Whitlock and Dallas Williams.
First-year scholars: Brianna Brewer, Tavion Calhoun, Ibrahim Fasina, Camille Frazier, Jessica Gibson, Sara Golidy, Rachel Hutchings, Alexis Marable, Danielle Marshall, Olivia Martin, Xavier McClair, Chelsea Mercer, Hannah Mohamed, Deborah-Luti Munganga, Gabriel Stevenson and Bianca Wilson.
Pioneer High School:
Third-year scholars: Triesha Arnold, Tiffany Cole, Chloe Corley, Gregory Goss II, Megan Graham, Mani Herring, Kailen McKay, Kaitlyn Mills, Crystal Smith, Willie Smith Jr., Joshua Weiland and Aaron Wilson.
Second-year scholars: Malachi Bowerbank, Jazmine Cooper, DeLaynna Corley, Ashli Marable, Justin Pendleton, Daniesha Scott and Ana Vereen.
First-year scholars: Josephine Alinoti, Sinclaire Fonville, Taylor Gayton, Ivy Gregory, Shana Jackson, Terrell Jordan-McKnight, Ti’Anna Mercer, Jassadi Moore and Antonia Smith.
Roberto Clemente Student Development Center:
First-year scholars: Wilniqua Battle, Roderick Casey II and Yazmin Warren.
Skyline High School:
Second-year scholars: Hafsa Farah, Jeremy Jagers, Kelsy Lee, Jasper Lindsay, Jonathan Muriu, Chauné Rael-Whitsitt and Paige Wint.
First-year scholars: Oreoluwapo Abatan, Emily Anderson, Shalena Blocker, Christian Boyd, Kevin Burden, Mariam Carson, Joshua Crawford, Densu Dixon, Tionna Griffin, Dominique Hardy, Austin Lee, Abeni Lynk, Kiyah Mills, Lena Mitchell, Mariah Mitchell, Frederick Newing II, Hussain Sandifer, Imani Schneider, Christopher Shepherd, Jayla Sims, Mahal Stevens, Ashlie Turner, Sina Webster, James Wilks, Emajae Woodley and Malaika Worsham.
The Ann Arbor NAACP Chapter meets on the first Monday or each month at 7 p.m. the Amistad Community Church, 2730 Carpenter Road, Ann Arbor. For information, visit www.hvcn.org/info/a2naacp/officers.html or call 734-761-9084.
