ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) – Four high school seniors give speeches about overcoming adversity to qualify for scholarships and honor Dr. Martin Luther King.
The sold out event took place from 10 a.m. to noon Jan. 18, at Rockford University’s Burpee Center.
Breakfast was served as the four high school seniors, Vydalis Cockrell, Demetric Singleton, Kaleb Toliver and Noah Turnipseed, gave their speeches within the theme, “Beyond Survival: Resilience in the Face of Adversity.”
Cockrell, senior at Jefferson High School in Rockford, plans to major in engineering and was one of the students who gave a speech. He shared personal experiences, including living in “survival mode.”
“It kinda means a lot to me honestly,” Cockrell says. “I hope folks can understand what survival mode is and maybe they can pick up some additional facts along the way.”
The event is meant to inspire unity and reflection and to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy and vision. $10,000 in scholarships were distributed to the four students after the contest.
Dr. Kevin Thomas, Chair for the MLK Scholarship Breakfast, says, “We want this to be an opportunity for our young men to be able to be in front of people to show them that they are striving and thriving to be the best version of themselves.”
Major General Rodney C. Boyd with the Illinois National Guard was the keynote speaker, and his speech closed out the event.
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