2002 MLK Community Service Awards

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., 2002 AWARD RECIPIENTS

Excellence in Academic Enhancement

Cedar Grove Middle School Counseling Department
Cedar Grove Middle School Counseling Department provides guidance and counseling to the 1525 students at Cedar Grove Middle School. The countless other initiatives implemented by this department goes far beyond duty. A sampling of the extra initiatives include: STARS Conference: The purpose of this three-day conference is to address the academic, social and emotional needs of the students; RAP in Y2K: Real Active Parenting in the New Millennium; LINK/PSAT Program: Educational tutorials that prepared students for testing success on the PSAT/SAT; American Red Cross Relief Fund: Made financial contributions and forwarded cards and letters of sympathy to students in the Community School District #2 in the wake of events from September 11th.

Emory READ
An Emory graduate, Nir Eyal, founded Emory Read 5 years ago, while a student. What started as one student, who gathered together a dozen of his friends, has grown into an organization with over 200 tutors volunteering each semester. This program currently involves tutoring in five elementary schools in the Atlanta area. Emory READ has worked to demonstrate to Emory students the importance of education, while providing Atlanta area grade school children with much-needed mentors and tutors.

Excellence in Arts

Tarita Serena Triplett
Ms. Triplett has done an outstanding job with working with incarcerated juveniles in youth detention centers and community released juveniles at community schools in the area of artistic development. She is the Project Director of the SIMBA Program with the Wholistic Stress Control Institute. The SIMBA Program works with juveniles to help them explore health education issues through the use of aesthetic arts. Tarita's efforts have helped the program receive numerous grants to further the juvenile's artistic exploration in various mediums such as drama, music, art, photography, poetry, video and dance.
http://www.wholistic1.com/
http://www.wholistic1.com/SIMBA.htm

Excellence in Community Outreach

Dalia Gysel Galvin
Dalia Galvan is a 12th grader at Cross Keys High School. She is very involved in School and community activities promoting student involvement amongst her peers. She was most instrumental with organizing the first Health Fair at Cross Keys. She assists with the translating for the Hispanic parents at Cross Keys. Through her involvement with the Latin American Club, she assists with the annual holiday party for deprived youngsters. She is a member of the Interact Club, which focuses on the betterment of school community. She has participated in several "Hands On Cross Keys Days" which assists in campus beautification activities through the Interact Club. Dalia is a member in the new "Youth Crime Watch" organization, which promotes a positive school climate. She also teaches Sunday school at her church.

Juvenile Court Connection
Juvenile Court Connection is a student-run, University-recognized service organization at Emory University. The Juvenile Court Connection was created in order to serve two primary purposes: (1) to aid the Atlanta community and its young people by providing University-level volunteers to the overburdened area juvenile courts and other agencies that work with the juvenile courts (e.g., CASA, shelters, etc.) and (2) to facilitate the entry of Emory students, particularly members of the College, into this area of service. Volunteers in this organization are engaged in different juvenile justice related projects throughout the Atlanta area. They are in the second year of operation, and its membership has been growing steadily since our inception.

Kimberly Tyler
Kimberly Tyler is a living example of someone who is fighting against the odds to make a difference not only in her own life, but also in the lives of young women and girls in her community. Through her dedicated work in adolescent pregnancy prevention and her core values of determination, hope, and compassion, she embodies the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr.

S.I.S.T.E.R.S. of Banneker High School
This is a female support group at Banneker High School comprised of 81 young ladies and 3 sponsors committed to providing community service and enhancing the social and academic status of these young ladies and others. The organization has made a significant impact within the school with special programs that have ultimately reduced the teen pregnancy rate within the school and volunteered numerous hours in the community.

Excellence in Sportsmanship

Mike Glenn Foundation
Mike Glenn is a former NBA player and the current announcer for the Atlanta Hawks. Mike represents the Hawks at many fan jams and school programs focused on the youth. In addition, he is the director of the Hawks summer basketball programs for youth in which he provides motivation and leadership to all. On behalf of his foundation, Mike sponsors a camp is for hearing impaired youth from all over the country. The youth spend an entire week in Atlanta for the basketball camp with other youth who are also hearing impaired. The camp is unique because it is not only for the hearing impaired but also at no cost to the participants. Mike is a unique individual that has had many blessings in his life and has also created many blessings for others. It was at a very young age that Mike developed a love for the game of basketball and also learned to communicate through sign language. Mike is a genuine class act - on and off the court.

Jinaki Wilson
Ms. Wilson is the Executive Director and founder of Tennis in the Hood, a non-profit organization. TITH provides an after school, Junior Development Program that provides educational, social, and physical development, using tennis as the "hook". The program targets low income, minority youth and has introduced more than 1000 youth to tennis. Ms. Wilson should be commended for her work with introducing tennis to minority youth, a sport that is not traditionally played. She is committed to serving the needs of the community's youth and the program which once only consisted of tennis, now provides educational, social, and physical development. To date, Ms. Wilson has introduced over 1000 youth to tennis.