MLK DAY – Celebration of Freedom at Troy Athens High School
Event Honors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Keynote Speaker Keith Cooley, CEO, Principia, LLC and Community Leader
(TROY,
MI)
– Honor the legacy of one of America’s greatest leaders at the 2011 “MLK – A Celebration
of Freedom,” a tribute to the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The program will take place at Athens High
School on Monday, January 17 from 8:30-10:30 am. There is no charge to attend, but donations
will be accepted to help organize next year’s program. All ages are welcome.
“We look forward
to capturing the spirit of Dr. King and remembering his life through this
celebration,” said Cindy Stewart, Community Affairs Director for the City of
Troy. “This family event is a meaningful
way to pause and reflect on his uncompromising dedication to garnering civil
rights for all people.”
The Celebration kicks off with a
welcome by Rev. Charlotte Sommers, from Northminster
Presbyterian Church in Troy. She will
also lead our symbolic Unity Walk around Athens High School. This will be
followed by our Keynote Speaker Keith
Cooley, CEO, Principia, LLC. Mr. Cooley has been an engineer, strategist
and corporate executive for more than 40 years and currently a community leader
focusing his talents on developing policy, creating strategies and working
collaboratively to stimulate innovative regional activism for the
revitalization of Detroit and its environs.
There will be a music performances by the Troy Honors Choir made up of 5th through 8th graders representing the Troy elementary and middle schools. The theme of the Troy Honors Choir performance is “A Celebration of Diversity.”
In addition, there will be a Troy School District student art exhibit and recognition of middle and high school winners of the MLK Essay Contest. This year’s essay theme is “What Have I Done to Make a Positive Change in My Community. There will also be a continental breakfast immediately following the program prepared by Sodexo Food Service.
“We received hundreds of essays from students about how they are taking action to make the City of Troy a better place,” said Stewart. “From recycling and volunteer efforts to drug and violence prevention, the efforts demonstrated in the essays were amazing. It’s truly inspiring to see that Dr. King’s words and actions are still living on in our youth.”
Organized by the
City of Troy and the Troy School District, this year’s event is sponsored by:
Alliance Mobile Health, Troy Community Coalition, Troy Foundation for
Educational Excellence, Walsh College, Sodexo Food
Service, Troy Interfaith Group, Big Beaver United Methodist Church, Community
Bowling Centers – Troy Lanes & Bowl One, Lutheran Church of the Master, WOW!
Internet*Cable*Phone and Beaumont Hospital.
Athens High School
is located at 4333 John R. For more
information about the program call the Community Affairs Office at
248.524.1147.
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