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Friendship M. B. Church Black History Program
2016 Kente Awards Will Honor Two Pioneers
The Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Carver City held its Black History Month Program on February 28 during a 3 p. m. program. The Reverend Frank Watson, Jr. is the pastor. Sev- eral persons from the community participated on the program. (Photos by Ricky Roberts)
Lee Arthur Reddick, King Davenport, Samuel Jackson, Lor- raine Pease Wiley, Leroy Mack, Mary Forbes Robinson were in attendance.
Deacons Olice Conner, Wilbur Jones, Willie McNeil and James Hearns lifted the offering.
Ricky and Jeanette Roberts with their guests, Dr. B. Lee Green and his wife, Shelia Green.
The St. Luke AME Church Male Chorus of Alachua provided song service.
James Tokley shared some of his written words with the con- gregation.
Rev. Frank Watson, Jr., Pas- tor.
Donte Glover and his coach and guardian at Howard W. Blake High School, Duane Thomas.
MSgt. Joseph Young (re- tired) was a program partici- pant.
Mary Clark enjoyed the pro- gram.
Yolanda Flowers was one of the guests.
SENATOR ARTHENIA JOYNER
University of South Florida President Judy Genshaft, and the USF African American Advisory Committee, are cor- dially inviting the public to join them at this year’s 2016 Kente Awards and Scholar- ship Reception. The program will be held Thursday, April 28th from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the USF Gibbons Alumni Center Traditions Hall.
The Kente Award is pre- sented for leadership in re- solving educational and social problems as they relate to in- dividuals of African American heritage or for having made a significant impact on African American culture.
This year’s ceremony will honor Senator Arthenia Joyner, and USF Alumni, Bernard Batson.
Also, the 2016-2017 student recipients of the Dr. Israel “Ike” Tribble, Jr. Endowed Scholarship will be an- nounced.
Senator Joyner is the Community Leader Award winner, and Batson is the USF Alumni Award winner.
USF and the African Amer- ican Advisory Council put to- gether the Kente Awards and Scholarship Reception each year as a fundraiser to in- crease the funds in the Dr. Is- rael “Ike” Tribble, Jr. Endowed Scholarship so the number of scholarships given to economically challenged, but high achieving, USF stu- dents, can be increased.
For the 2016-2017 aca- demic year, four students will each receive a $1,000 scholar- ship. This is an increase of one student. Last year, three stu- dents received $1,000 schol- arships.
The students are recognized at the Kente Awards and Scholarship Reception. USF Scholarship Selection Com- mittee makes the selection of
BERNARD BATSON
who will receive the scholar- ships.
Senator Joyner worked as a legal assistant to State Rep- resentative Joe Lang Ker- shaw in 1969. She was a founding partner in the law firm of Stewart, Joyner and Jordan-Holmes, and was the first Black female attorney in Polk and Hillsborough counties.
When State Representative, Les Miller, was unable to seek another term in the Florida House of Representa- tives in 2000 due to term lim- its, Senator Joyner ran to succeed him in the 59th Dis- trict. When she ran for reelec- tion in 2002, she was successful, winning 89% of the vote.
In 2006, Les Miller, whom Joyner had succeeded in the State House, decided to run for Congress in 2006 rather than seek another term in the Florida Senate. In 2010, she was reelected without opposi- tion, and she was also success- ful in 2012.
Bernard Batson is the As- sociate Director of Student Services in the College of En- gineering at UF. In this role, he has served as the program manager for 8 training grants/fellowship programs.
Batson has also helped with career placement of un- derrepresented graduate stu- dents in national labs, the federal government, Fortune 500 companies, and acade- mia. In recognition or his serv- ice Batson was named as the Alfred P. Sloan Mentor of the Year in 2013.
The Dr. Israel “Ike” Tribble, Jr. Endowed scholarship was established in 2003 to honor the memory and life work of Dr. Tribble. He was a cham- pion of African American his- tory and scholarships, and the first Black Chair of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Com- merce.
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