ABOVE: DHS Senior and MLK Scholarship winner Tayvion Diltz shakes hands with Danville’s Mayor Rickey Williams, Jr prior to Diltz’s delivery of his winning essay during Monday’s MLK Celebration Service at Saint James United Methodist Church.
This year, for the first time, the MLK Celebration Committee for Danville’s annual King Day service at St. James United Methodist Church increased the amount of their award winning scholarship to $6,000. And not only did they find a Danville High School senior to award it to for his winning essay, they found another DHS student that they felt also deserved some assistance; and she was awarded a $1,500 grant.
(1st Picture) $1,500 grant winner Jhakira Harris accepts congratulations from MLK Committee Chair Elder Tyson Park. (3rd Picture) $6,000 scholarship winner Tayvion Diltz delivers his award winning essay.
The scholarship winner is Tayvion Diltz. He delivered his essay to the St. James audience, and the essay included a story about speaking up one time when something occurred at work that he felt was wrong. He told CIMG afterwards that he wants to pursue a physical therapy career and become a sports trainer. But right now, he’s still busy on the DHS basketball team. And as far as his years as a lineman on the Danville football team, Diltz says he intends to keep playing football for a while; with his sports trainer ambitions keeping him in football afterwards.
AUDIO: I still want to be around football. So, I feel like as an athletic trainer, I can still be around the game I love. And so I thought that was just a goal of mine I would want to do for my life.
(1st Picture) A musical performance by The Rose Family Singers. (2nd and 3rd Pictures) Brett Dupree leads the MLK Celebration Choir.
It was announced during the service by MLK Committee Chair Elder Tyson Parks that Diltz has thus far been accepted academically at five schools: Eastern Illinois, Southern Illinois, Illinois State, Kent State, and the University of Hawaii.
The winner of the $1,500 grant was DHS student Jhakira Harris. She told CIMG of plans for both nursing and social work degrees.
AUDIO: And then I would transfer to get my BSN for nursing; and after I accomplish that, hopefully I can go back to school again, and get my bachelor’s degree to become a social worker.
(1st Picture) Brett Dupree receives his honorary certificate from Mayor Williams while Elder Tyson Parks, MLK Committee’s Sandra Finch, and guest speaker Dr. Crystal Thomas look on. (2nd Picture) Brett Dupree prepares to speak. (3rd Picture) Dr. Crystal Thomas greets the St. James United Methodist Church audience at the beginning of her message.
Monday’s MLK celebration service also included a tribute to Brett Dupree for all his years directing the choir for the King Day Service. The service’s main message was delivered by Dr. Crystal Thomas of Fort Wayne, Indiana. She was letting the City of Danville know the importance of using the gift God has given you; and to not be hesitant to go through every open door that you can; because then you will be, like Dr. King, opening doors for others; with the effects of those new open doors lasting for many generations.
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