Saturday, September 16, 2006
Susan Troller
This September marks the 10th year that the incoming class of Mann and Sanchez scholars was introduced at the School Board’s first meeting of the new academic year.

The seven ninth-graders were recommended by middle school teachers and principals, based on their academic promise. They attend three Madison high schools: East, La Follette and Memorial. The newest Mann Scholars are Shaneiguia Conklin from East, Brittany McNeil from La Follette, Alvin Olson from Memorial and Denzel Sperstad of La Follette. The Sanchez Scholars are Antonio Cruz-Rodriguez from East, Edith Mendez from La Follette and Christian Rodriguez from Memorial.

There are 13 Mann Scholars and 14 Sanchez Scholars in the Madison district. Both the Mann Educational Opportunity Fund and the Sanchez Scholar program work through the Madison Community Foundation to support students who are nominated as eighth-graders from all Madison middle schools.

The Mann Scholars program is the legacy of Bernard and Kathy Mann, long-time Madison residents whose emphasis on education inspired their own five children to complete college degrees.

Friends and family of the Manns have honored their memory by making it possible for other Madison students to aspire to similar academic success,” Superintendent Art Rainwater noted in his remarks to the Madison School Board as he introduced the Mann and Sanchez Scholars.He explained that the Sanchez Scholarship fund was created eight years ago by retired University of Wisconsin professor Roberto Sanchez to honor the effort his parents made as immigrants to provide him with educational and career opportunities.

The scholarship funds help pay for extracurricular and school expenses during high schooland the program also provides academic mentoring.

Brittany McNeil, one of the new Mann scholars who is attending La Follette, said she is interested in politics, and smiled when she said she would like to be president one day.

Her parents, Sherman McNeil and Tamara Story, said their daughter, who attended Sennett Middle School and had a job during school at McDonald’s, had always maintained a 3.5 grade-point average or above.

“We are very proud of her,” Story said.

Joey Brown, a 2001 Memorial High School graduate, has just received his bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. His senior art show was held during April of this year. Brown has applied to master’s programs in art around the country, and is finalizing his plan for this fall.

Emuye Taylor, a 2002 graduate of East High School, is the first African-American woman since 1983 to receive a B.S. degree in computer sciences at Brown University. She recently accepted a position with Apple Computers in California. While a student at East, Taylor participated in WICATY (Wisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth) and received the Frederick Brandenberg Rotary Scholarship.

The Mann Education Opportunity Fund was created in the mid-1990′s to identify and nurture exceptional Madison students of color as they enter high school. The fund is housed at the Madison Community Foundation and coordinated by a board of directors working with Madison Metro Schools. It was launched by friends and family of Bernard and Kathlyn Mann to honor their lifelong commitment to education. The African-American couple’s five children graduated from Madison high schools, and all went on to earn at least undergraduate college degrees.

Selected as eighth graders, the majority of Mann Scholars are the first generation in their families to attend college. This month, two of the first Scholars earned their university degrees.

Currently, thirteen Mann Scholars attend Madison high schools, where they receive financial assistance and academic support to help ensure successful progress and preparation for college. In addition to Brown and Taylor, twelve other Mann high school graduates have gone on to enroll at institutions of higher learning, including the UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Parkside, Winona State in Minnesota, and Madison Area Technical College.

For more information contact:
Kathy Price, MMSD Partnerships Coordinator, at 663-4941, or
Joe Quick, 663-1902

Madison – City of Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk today announced the recipients of their respective annual awards honoring community members who reflect the values of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The City and County will present the awards at the 21st Annual City-County Martin Luther King, Jr. Observance on Monday, January 16, at the Overture Center Capital Theater, 201 State Street, Madison. The program begins at 6:00 p.m.

The City of Madison named two recipients of its 2006 Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award: Mary Kay Baum and Sarah Fox. Dane County named Paul Kusuda and Jessica Doyle recipients of the 2006 Dane County Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Recognition Award. Additional information about each of the recipients is below.

City of Madison award recipients

There are two recipients of the City of Madison’s Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award for 2006. This annual award is given to individuals who have made outstanding and significant contributions in the spirit of brotherhood, sisterhood and harmony toward making Madison an ideal place in which to live.

In the category of “Adult Leader”, this year’s recipient is Mary Kay Baum, Director of the Madison-area Urban Ministry. Baum has been an outstanding leader serving Madison communities for over 30 years in a wide range of social justice issues including: the City of Madison’s Housing Committee, the Board of Public Welfare, HOMES (Housing Means Sheltered) for low-income housing advocacy, the Rainbow Coalition, the Dane Fund and the Human and Spiritual Concerns Committee of the Downtown Kiwanis Club. Sheila Spear, President of The Madison-area Urban Ministry, nominated Baum.

In the category of “Youth Leader”, this year’s recipient is Sarah Fox. Fox, a senior at Madison West, has already built a remarkably long record of volunteerism in her short life. Sarah is a five-time recipient of the Presidential Student Service Award for completing over 100 hours of service. Sarah earned this distinction by involving herself in multiple organizations and committees including: membership on the Dane County Youth Board, AISES (American Indian Science and Engineering Society), the Martin Luther King Day Planning Service Committee, BYFY (By Youth For Youth), the Neighborhood House, REACH (Reaching Expectations through Academic Achievement) and the Youth Service Day Planning Committee. Robin Pettersen, a family friend and mentor, nominated Fox.

“This year’s winners honor the legacy of Dr. King through their service to our community,” said Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz. “Mary Kay Baum has been a community leader on a remarkable range of social justice issues for decades. Sarah Fox is showing that it is never too early to start giving back to your community, and has achieved amazing things in a few short years. Both Mary Kay and Sarah are outstanding Madisonians who are making our city a better place for everyone.”

Baum and Fox were selected by the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award Committee, which chooses recipients each year. The award has been given out annually since 1974.

Dane County award recipients

“I am delighted to announce that Paul Kusuda and Jessica Doyle were selected as joint-recipients of the 2006 Dane County Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Recognition Award. These individuals work tirelessly, in many capacities, to provide inspiration and guidance and to share their personal knowledge with so many in our community who find obstacles in the way of their hopes and dreams,” said Falk.

The recipients:

Jessica Doyle is the personification of Martin Luther King’s insistence that education is an essential tool required for the realization of equality and full citizenship. Jessica Doyle’s commitment to the critical importance of education began long ago. She was a Peace Corps teacher in Tunisia, a teacher with the Navajo Nation in Arizona, and has served the Madison Metropolitan School District in many capacities. Ms. Doyle is a very strong advocate for literacy, but takes that passion even further by working hard to foster a love for reading.

Doyle is a strong supporter of the Mann Educational Opportunity Fund, a pre-college program for first-generation college students, particularly African American and other students of color. “Perhaps a couple of quotes from a student who met Jessica Doyle while he was a sixth grade student at Cherokee Middle School would best sum up the tremendous impact that she has,” said Falk. In one of several letters that accompanied Jessica’s nomination, Uriah Harris wrote, ‘When she makes a point to help someone, Mrs. Doyle always makes sure that you actually do it, and she doesn’t give up on you.’ “Uriah Harris is a Mann scholar and began his freshman year at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee last fall,” said Falk.

Paul Kusuda has served the Dane County community in many ways for decades. His face may be familiar to many Dane County residents, but they may not know that Mr. Kusuda was the Deputy Director of the Bureau of Juvenile Services for the Wisconsin Department of Corrections in the 1980s; has been a member of the National Association of Social Workers since 1955; is a consultant to Madison/Obihiro City, Japan Sister Cities, Inc.; serves as a member of the Elderly Services Network of Dane County; is chair of the Wisconsin Organization for Asian Americans; is a volunteer consultant for United Refugee Services; is a board member for the Dane County Area Agency on Agency; and has numerous other commitments to help improve the lives of those in our community who often find themselves as spectators rather than participants in the many positive opportunities that Dane County has to offer.

“Mr. Kusuda was in a Japanese American internment camp during World War II. Instead of allowing that unfortunate and painful experience to make him bitter, Paul Kusuda has worked hard to heal those wounds by working very hard with the Japanese American Citizens League of Wisconsin and other organizations – - a labor of strength, dedication to the highest ideals of this country, and forgiveness that is consistent with Martin Luther King’s insistence that we must not succumb to the poison of hatred,” said Falk.

“Our community is very fortunate to have such committed, talented, tireless and courageous people working hard to make Dane County an even better place for all of us. We join together in congratulating Paul H. Kusuda and Jessica Doyle as the recipients of the 2006 Dane County Martin Luther King, Jr. Recognition Award,” said Falk.

Note: Please call Lesley Sillaman for photos of County recipients

Housed in the Madison Community Foundation, the scholarship honors the late Bernard and Kathryn Mann, an African American couple whose strong belief in education helped ensure the graduation of their five children from Memorial High School. The program’s goal is to assist students who have the potential to succeed in high school but may lack the support needed for continued success.

Scholars are chosen during the eighth grade based in part on their middle school academic performance and extracurricular activities. Each scholar receives an annual grant during their high school years, and is required to demonstrate continued academic, social and extracurricular excellence during high school.

This year’s scholars are: Emuye Taylor, Black Hawk Middle School, who will attend East High School and Viet Quoc Hoang, Velma Hamilton Middle School, who will attend West High School. The Fund’s first scholars were named last year. They are Joey Brown, Memorial High School, and Brian Wilson, West High School.