Julianna V. Bolt Art Contest Winners Decided as 17th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Breakfast Nears

Posted by: admin on December 16, 2013, No Comments

From left to right are: Pat Lincoln (Connoisseur Media and WSBG 93.5 general manager) Geryl Kinsel, committee member and ESU associate director of records and registration, Joni Oye-Benintende, associate professor and acting chair of ESU’s art department, Darlene Farris-LaBar, associate professor in ESU’s art department, and Danelle McClanahan, director of diversity at ESU.

Volunteers from the community and East Stroudsburg University judged artwork submitted from high school students in Monroe County as part of the Julianna V. Bolt Art Contest on Tuesday, December 11. The first-, second- and third-place winners will be announced at the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Breakfast on Monday, January 20, 2014, from 8 to 10 a.m. in ESU’s Keystone Room.

Place winners, who are invited to the breakfast, will receive sweatshirts that have been donated by the ESU bookstore. The winner will be awarded an additional gift supplied by Wayne Bolt, who is a proud sponsor of the breakfast.

The contest originally began as an essay contest in 2000, but transitioned a few years later to an art contest. There were 42 entries this year.

“We wanted to make it more fun,” MLK Celebration Breakfast committee member Geryl Kinsel said. “An essay contest seemed like homework for the kids.”

For those interested in attending the breakfast, which is open to the public and the ESU community, reservations are currently being accepted. Tickets are $30 for adults and $10 for ESU students. Proceeds will benefit the Gertrude Mary Smith Boddie Scholarship Fund, which provides financial assistance to undergraduate students of color at ESU. In 1904 Boddie was the first African-American student to graduate from what was then known as East Stroudsburg State Normal School and later became East Stroudsburg University in 1983.

As a result of the breakfast, two Boddie Scholarship awardees will each receive a $2,890 scholarship award for the Spring 2014 semester. Winners are selected based on their ability to demonstrate, through community service or university involvement, a commitment to Dr. King’s philosophy of non-violence, equality, justice, cultural diversity and respect for humanity.

Two MLK awards will also be presented. Winners will exemplify two or more aspects of Dr. King’s philosophy of non-violence, equality, justice, cultural diversity and respect for humanity. One award will go to an ESU faculty or staff member or ESU student, and another will go to a resident of Monroe County who is active in his or her community in ways such as advocating for education or working with children and underprivileged groups.

Breakfast organizers are also asking regional businesses to consider being a sponsor for this event. For more information, visit www.esufoundation/org/mlksponsorship or contact Angela Beers at 570-422-3179 or at abeers@esufoundation.org.