"They can do whatever they want"
SEATTLE - Garfield High School senior Yahmina Gardner remembers her time at Seattle's Martin Luther King Elementary School like it was yesterday. She remembers the yearbook and her picture, and what happened the night before.
"I remember that night my mother putting rollers in my hair," Yahmina laughs. "So I remember that picture!"
Her picture was right above Duntae Jones'. He'll be attending Olympic Community College in Bremerton. As for Yaminah, she heads to Pullman in the fall to attend Washington State University.
Both students have Jan Lind-Sherman to thank. Jan was their first grade teacher. She retired last July when the school district closed Martin Luther King Elementary for budget reasons.
Back when Yahmina and Duntae were her students, she was kind of famous for winning the $8 million state lottery. She became more famous when she spent a lot of that lotto money on her students.
"They can be whatever they want. They can do whatever they want," says Jan. And she's helping them do that. "A little bit."
I'd say a lot!
Jan Lind-Sherman created the Martin Luther King Foundation to provide scholarships for high school seniors. This year, there are 15 scholarship winners, and $43,500 of scholarship money going to them. Without the $3,500 Yahmina will receive in her first year at W.S.U., she might not have gone to college.
"My mother's been sick and hasn't been able to work," says Yahmina. To earn the scholarship, each student had to write an essay. Yahmina's was entitled: "My Dreams".
My Dreams.
by Yaminah Gardner
"Since I was a little child, I have always enjoyed helping others in need and my dream career personifies that. I want to be an entrepreneur, but not your average one. I want to start a business and recruit people to run them. I also want to aid failing businesses. After I establish my business career, I will be able to complete my biggest dream. I hope to open a facility for the homeless and ex-cons....."
Duntae's essay starts like this:
"I applied for the Martin Luther King Dream Foundation Scholarship because I feel that this scholarship is a step in helping me get to where I want to be in life. I want to do sports medicine, physical therapy, things of that sort, and have played sports since elementary school dealing with all sorts of injuries..."
After Dante read parts of his essay, he told me: "I do good in school, but I was like 'I gotta get this scholarship! I gotta get this scholarship!"
And he did.
They both did, as well as 13 other graduating seniors. Award winners will be honored at the 9th annual Martin Luther King Dream Foundation banquet at Seattle's Mount Zion Baptist Church.
Students and their families will be recognized and I get the honor of delivering the keynote!
For More Information:
Martin Luther King Foundation
"I remember that night my mother putting rollers in my hair," Yahmina laughs. "So I remember that picture!"
Her picture was right above Duntae Jones'. He'll be attending Olympic Community College in Bremerton. As for Yaminah, she heads to Pullman in the fall to attend Washington State University.
Both students have Jan Lind-Sherman to thank. Jan was their first grade teacher. She retired last July when the school district closed Martin Luther King Elementary for budget reasons.
Back when Yahmina and Duntae were her students, she was kind of famous for winning the $8 million state lottery. She became more famous when she spent a lot of that lotto money on her students.
"They can be whatever they want. They can do whatever they want," says Jan. And she's helping them do that. "A little bit."
I'd say a lot!
Jan Lind-Sherman created the Martin Luther King Foundation to provide scholarships for high school seniors. This year, there are 15 scholarship winners, and $43,500 of scholarship money going to them. Without the $3,500 Yahmina will receive in her first year at W.S.U., she might not have gone to college.
"My mother's been sick and hasn't been able to work," says Yahmina. To earn the scholarship, each student had to write an essay. Yahmina's was entitled: "My Dreams".
My Dreams.
by Yaminah Gardner
"Since I was a little child, I have always enjoyed helping others in need and my dream career personifies that. I want to be an entrepreneur, but not your average one. I want to start a business and recruit people to run them. I also want to aid failing businesses. After I establish my business career, I will be able to complete my biggest dream. I hope to open a facility for the homeless and ex-cons....."
Duntae's essay starts like this:
"I applied for the Martin Luther King Dream Foundation Scholarship because I feel that this scholarship is a step in helping me get to where I want to be in life. I want to do sports medicine, physical therapy, things of that sort, and have played sports since elementary school dealing with all sorts of injuries..."
After Dante read parts of his essay, he told me: "I do good in school, but I was like 'I gotta get this scholarship! I gotta get this scholarship!"
And he did.
They both did, as well as 13 other graduating seniors. Award winners will be honored at the 9th annual Martin Luther King Dream Foundation banquet at Seattle's Mount Zion Baptist Church.
Students and their families will be recognized and I get the honor of delivering the keynote!
For More Information:
Martin Luther King Foundation
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