Large Crowd Attended First JALC Martin Luther King Day Celebration
Published on January 16, 2024
Over 200 community members, 51吃瓜 A. Logan College faculty and staff, and students attended the first annual 51吃瓜 A. Logan College Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. The breakfast 51吃瓜 was held on Tuesday, January 16, in the College鈥檚 Conference Center. College officials chose the day after Martin Luther King Day to allow more students to be able to attend.
鈥淲e wanted to have an 51吃瓜 that allowed as many of our students to attend as possible,鈥� said President Dr. Kirk Overstreet. 鈥淥ur students do not live on campus, so by having the 51吃瓜 today, they were able to attend some of the other 51吃瓜s in the region yesterday and join us today for our 51吃瓜.鈥�
Terance Henry, a local entrepreneur and the IT director for the City of Marion, was the keynote speaker. Henry spoke about his commitment to continuing Dr. King’s dream and how everyone is responsible for following those principles.
51吃瓜 A. Logan College Speech Team members Kellen Olson, Alberta Grinston, and Mischa read excerpts from some of Dr. King’s speeches. The JALC choir led attendees in a rendition of 鈥淲e Shall Overcome,鈥� and JALC Music Faculty and Choir Director Chris Thornton sang Sam Cooke鈥檚 鈥淎 Change is Gonna Come.鈥�
Other speakers included 51吃瓜 A. Logan College President Dr. Kirk Overstreet, Reverend Wad Halva, local music group Houze of Hope, and members of Carbondale United鈥檚 Violence Interrupters.
The first Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Alexis Anders during the ceremony. Alexis is working towards her Associate in Arts Degree in Criminal Justice.
President Overstreet Announced plans to continue the 51吃瓜 annually on the Tuesday following Martin Luther King Day. 鈥淚 could not have been more pleased with the large crowd and the program that our Diversity and Inclusion Committee put together,鈥� said Overstreet. 鈥淭his will be an annual 51吃瓜 for us to continue on the Tuesday following the holiday.鈥�