Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Community Recognition Youth topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Kalamazoo presents 2025 Social Justice Youth Awards to eight local students
Summary
At its Jan. 27 meeting, the Kalamazoo City Commission recognized eight local high-school students with 2025 Social Justice Youth Awards sponsored by local organizations and businesses; recipients will receive certificates, cash awards and one-year NAACP memberships.
The Kalamazoo City Commission recognized eight area high-school students with 2025 Social Justice Youth Awards at the Jan. 27 meeting. Sponsors from community organizations and businesses presented each recipient with awards, and the local NAACP announced one-year memberships for awardees.
Presenters included representatives from Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Iota Sigma Omega chapter, Consumers Energy, Fifth Third Bank, Kalamazoo Nonviolent Opponents of War (KNOW), Life EMS, the Lodge Dennis family scholarship, Schupin & Sons, and Dr. Louis Walker (founder of the awarding institute). Recipients cited in the ceremony included Leila Hemphill (Alpha Kappa Alpha award), Ava Tate (Consumers Energy MLK award), Omar Al Gaway (5th Third Bank award), Winter Owens (KNOW scholarship), Michael T. Scott II (Life EMS award), Isabella Morris (Lodge Dennis scholarship), Dontre Hempel Jr. (Schupin & Sons award) and Paul Evans (Dr. Louis Walker award).
Award presentations summarized each recipient’s community service and leadership roles: volunteer mentoring, work with organizations supporting people with disabilities, advocacy and organizing, peer coaching, participation in National Honor Society and school leadership, and involvement in local nonprofits and faith communities. Dr. Harvey Myers of the NAACP announced that each recipient would receive a one-year paid membership in the local NAACP branch and that membership cards would arrive by mail within weeks. The city also provides a certificate and a cash award to recipients, as noted by the mayor.
Commissioners and presenters praised the awardees’ civic engagement and the efforts of sponsoring organizations. The commission paused its business agenda to host the recognition; awardees and sponsors attended the meeting and addressed the commission briefly. The awards segment concluded without formal votes related to the honors.
The commission invited awardees and guests to remain for the regular business meeting but took no legislative action related to the awards themselves.
