Page 53 - October 2022 Issue.indd

2015 where he served as Pastor of Freshwater Church. In Tickets to the 2022 Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast may be

2021, John and Anne moved to the Easton area to be closer purchased at the Easton Town Office and the Dairy Queen

to their five children and four grandchildren. Hill says, “All beginning October 1. The cost is $20 a person and seating is
of this, is through the grace of Christ alone!” limited. No tickets will be sold at the door. Tickets must be
purchased ahead of time. For further information, contact
Samantha Martinez of Cordova started her career as a Kathy Ruf at 410-822-2525.
founder of a high-achieving charter school, Brilla College
Prep, in the South Bronx, NY. Having begun her teaching
career in the poorest school district in the country, it became
clear to her that while a child’s zip code should never be a
determinant of success in a child’s life, it unfortunately is.
Samantha relocated to the Eastern Shore with her husband
and daughter where she taught for two years in Talbot
County Public Schools. She quickly realized that the
disparities in educational outcomes for Black, Indigenous,
and people of color (BIPOC) children in a rural setting were
similar to those she had seen in New York City. Samantha
then founded Mid-Shore Scholars—a college success

program for first-generation college-aspiring students. In

2019, she returned to her first love, elementary education,
and became the co-founder of Polaris Village Academy in
Easton, which she believes will be a model of excellence
in education in pursuit of social justice. She received her Classic Cars • Vintage Cars • Barn Finds
Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education and her
master’s degree in Teaching and Learning from Roosevelt (Especially Mustangs, Shelbys, and Convertibles)
University in Chicago, IL. She is a School Leaders of Color
Fellow at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education. Finders
Restored & Unrestored
Martinez states, “I believe I am called to serve others, just as Running or Not Fee
Jesus lived his life as a servant leader. I strive to instill in my ANY CONDITION
daughters the importance of loving God and loving people, Paid
above all. My Christian calling to justice demands radical
love and service for my community as 1 John 3:18 says: ‘My ¡“Žš—­ Ž¡©“ŒŽ $$$ CASH PAID
dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let's practice real

love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living
in God’s reality.’” 410-320-7522
Any pictures can be emailed
to lightbd@comcast.net

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