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Carohn Clark (left) and Jared Williams (right), along with Mario Wallace
(not pictured), provided original music for the honored students as a courtesy of Memphis’ own Macktown Records.
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With much fanfare and excitement, 56 students were recently feted at a special awards ceremony for being named as Outstanding African-American Students of the Greater Memphis Area. The program was held at the Rose Theater on August 23 at the University of Memphis and was sponsored by WRBO-FM Soul Classics 103.5 and the Epsilon Kappa Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc.
The program honored students from Memphis, Shelby County and several adjacent municipalities in both Tennessee and Mississippi. In addition to receiving a free copy of a hardback book featuring their photographs and biographies, each student received a certificate and a set of posters bearing inspirational messages and quotes by famous African-Americans about the importance of education.
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Mayor A C Wharton provides encouraging words to the honored students as Dr. Menthia Clark looks on. (Courtesy photos)
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DeArtis Barber presents an award to Clifton Jordan II.
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DeArtis Barber, along with Anthony Williams, present another award.
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The students were selected for the award based upon their
outstand-
ing accomplishments during the 2007-08 school year. Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton was on hand to encourage the honored students to achieve even greater accolades during the new school year and in life.
Dr. Menthia Clark, principal of Memphis Business Academy and a radio personality with Soul Classics 103.5, served as the mistress of ceremony for the awards program. Anthony Williams, the featured speaker, and DeArtis Barber, principal of Humes Middle School and an official with the Memphis Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, presented the awards to the students.
Outstanding African-American Students is an annual awards program produced by Elanni Publishing in association with the Talented Tenth Foundation.
“The students were so excited to be featured in the publication and the parent response has been great. We truly hope to have the program back in Memphis again next year,” said Joni Smith, executive director of the Foundation.
Additional information about the awards program can be found at www.topblackstudents.org.
