VGCC students reflect on dream of Martin Luther King at annual celebration
Although two TV journalists were on hand, the real “stars” of Vance-Granville Community College’s annual celebration of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday on Jan. 17 were the students. As part of an essay contest, four VGCC students were selected from more than 70 entries to deliver speeches on how they were “living the dream” of Dr. King. Meanwhile, students also helped to provide inspirational music for the event. Serving as master of ceremonies was Fred Shropshire, news anchor and reporter for WTVD News. Shropshire praised the work of the VGCC Global Awareness Committee, and the subcommittee that planned the celebration, which was chaired by Chief GED Examiner Tina Ragland. Shropshire started the program by recalling King’s “dream of justice, racial equality, harmony and non-violence” and he went on to introduce the student speakers.
Etasha Cheek of Henderson, a Vance County Early College High School student, noted the great strides that have been made in racial integration. “Diversity is now accepted,” Cheek said. “Although there is still progress to be made, we have come very far. Martin Luther King, Jr. has given me hope for the future.” Nicolette Lee of Wendell, a Practical Nursing student, had a unique perspective because she grew up as a white girl in the suburbs of Cape Town, South Africa. “My childhood was pre-determined for me by a system of racial segregation — apartheid — that left the country crippled and broken in front of the international community,” Lee recalled. She said that Dr. King’s actions affected not only the United States but also South Africa, and change came to both nations. Today, she said, she was living the dream of Martin Luther King because she is able to “stand up for freedom together” with members of all races. Liana Parsons of Oxford, another Vance County Early College High School student, noted that Dr. King’s dream “was not just for African-Americans but for all people” and that he would be proud that she attends a school “where my tuition and books are paid for, regardless of my race, gender or income.” Rachel Williams of Oxford, a student in the College Transfer program, said, “I live in a new America, a society that my forefathers never got to see. I’m living the dream because I am judged not by the color of my skin but by the content of my character. Today, African-Americans have the chance to go into the world and achieve big things. I have freedom to go where I please and to be counted equal among all other Americans.”
A panel — James Edwards, publisher of The Daily Dispatch; Leo Kelly Jr., retired VGCC dean of Adult Basic Skills; and Ken Smith, news anchor and reporter for WRAL News — judged the speeches and awarded cash prizes: first-place ($100) to Lee; second-place ($60), Williams; third-place ($20), Cheek; and fourth-place ($15), Parsons. Honorable mentions were also presented to Franklin County Early College High School students Tyler Carwell and Zachary Barrows, and Vance County Early College High School students Denisha Bullock and Dyvoniek Burwell. In his remarks, Smith said the judges’ decision was “incredibly tough” because of the quality of the speeches, and he encouraged all attendees to follow their own dreams.
Inspirational music was provided by a choir consisting of VGCC students, faculty and staff, under the direction of music instructor Michael Stephenson, and by the “Vanguard Combo,” which included this year’s recipients of the college’s music performance scholarships: Joseph Hedgepeth of Henderson; Chris Bost and Norris Foster, both of Oxford; and Sean Casady of Louisburg.
After concluding remarks by VGCC Dean of Business and Applied Technologies Bobby Van Brunt, the program ended as all attendees joined in singing the civil rights anthem, “We Shall Overcome.” As the King holiday is a national “Day of Service,” the VGCC event included a community service element. Attendees were encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to be donated to area senior citizens.
Above: In front, from left, students Rachel Williams (the second-place winner in the essay contest), Etasha Cheek (third place), Dyvoniek Burwell (honorable mention), Liana Parsons (fourth place) and Nicolette Lee (first place); in back, from left, Ken Smith of WRAL News (judge), Fred Shropshire of WTVD News (master of ceremonies), student Tyler Carwell (honorable mention), Leo Kelly, Jr. (judge) and Daily Dispatch publisher James Edwards (judge). Not pictured: students Zachary Barrows and Denisha Bullock (both honorable mentions). (VGCC photo)
