Community Remembers Martin Luther King Jr.WINONA LAKE - Hundreds of Kosciusko County residents and government leaders gathered Monday to honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The Committee to Commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. held its 22nd annual program at Rodeheaver Auditorium, Winona Lake. It lasted 2-1/2 hours and was attended by 300 people.
The 2009 Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Excellence and Community Service Awards were presented to two students during the ceremony. Chris Gensinger, Warsaw Community Schools assistant to the superintendent, presented the awards.
The award recipients were 2009 Warsaw Community High School graduates Elizabeth Tat and Jessica Luu. They each received a $1,000 cash award and a plaque.Tat is currently a freshmen at Butler University, and Luu is a freshman at Indiana University.
The award is given to students who demonstrate scholastic excellence in high school grades 9-12 and post-secondary studies, provide community service, are currently Kosciusko County residents and must be a minority.
Tat and Luu were not present, so their families accepted the awards for them.
Anthony Payton, Come As You Are Community Church senior pastor, was the keynote speaker. He spoke about the power of compassion as related to King.
Payton has several honors, including he was the first African-American pastor to lead the Indiana Southern Baptist Pastor's Convention in 2004, he was named one of INK Newsmagazines 50 most Influential People in Fort Wayne (2004), and Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne Great Men Leadership recognized him for promoting diversity (2004).
Also during the ceremony, American Legion Post 49, Warsaw, posted the colors, WCHS Hip Hop Dance Team performed, and WCHS students performed a one-act play.
