Then the special guest
presentations began – presentations by each student group in
the audience about Black History Month and/or Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. The presentations continued after brunch
was served.
The Perry Burroughs Club
has a rich history of bringing in out-of-town guest speakers
for the Black History Brunch – this year was no exception.
Ohio State Representative Stephanie Howse, from the
Cleveland-area District 11, was this year’s speaker.
Howse, currently in her
third two-year term in the Ohio House of Representatives,
was born and reared in Cleveland’s Ward 7. She earned her
undergraduate degree from Florida A & M in civil
environmental engineering, and her master’s from Cleveland
State in environmental studies.
In 2002, she founded
Footprints, a girls’ leadership development and mentoring
organization dedicated to nurturing and cultivating a
positive self-image in girls aged nine to 17.
Howse was appointed to
Cleveland City Council after the death of Fannie Lewis and
began her work for House District 11 in January 2015.
This year, the following
Toledo Public Schools were represented by sponsors: Reynolds
Elementary School’s sponsors were Judge Lindsay Navarre and
Oregon Police Chief Michael Navarre; Toledo Early College by
Northwest Ohio Building Trades Business Manager Shaun
Enright; Jones Leadership Academy by Doni Miller, CEO of
Neighborhood Health Association; Rogers High School by
Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur; Scott High School by WilliAnn
Moore and Council Members Larry Sykes, Katie Moline and Gary
Johnson; Start High School by Sheet Metal Workers Local
Union #33 Reps Matthew Cherry, Chris Monaghan and Corey
Beaubien; Woodward High School by George Gusses, Esq;
Glenwood Elementary by Laborers Local 500; Bowsher High by
Councilwoman Cecelia Adams, PhD; Grove Patterson by State
Rep. Lisa Sobecki; MLK School for Boys by Judge Myron Duhart.
Navarre Elementary was
sponsored Northwest Ohio Building Trades; Old West Academy
by Keith Mitchell, Esq; Lucas County Clerk Bernie Quilter
and Councilwoman Teresa Gadus; Pickett Elementary by State
Rep. Paula Hicks-Hudson; Robinson Elementary by TPS Board
Member Sheena Barnes; Rosa Parks Elementary by Lucas County
Auditon Anita Lopez; Sherman Elementary by Law Offices of
Wittenberg & Phillips; Spring Elementary by Lucas County
Commissioners; Whittier Elementary by Mayor Wade
Kapszukiewicz; Elle P. Stewart Academy for Girls by Toledo
Federation of Teachers; City Park League Youth by Nabil;
Earl Mack of Toledo Buffalo Soldiers, LaVera Scott and Judge
Denise Navarre Cubbon; Groomed for Greatness by Brenda
Oliver, Nabil, Lucas County Treasurer Lindsay Webb; Twyla
Wheaton, Carpenters Local 351 and UA Local 50 Plumbers. |