Student Achievement to highlight Black History Month Celebration | Arts & Culture

The Columbia Urban League for the past 27 years has celebrated Black History Month by celebrating the achievements of African-American students. This annual program focuses on achievement as one of the most defining and transforming legacies of Black History. The awards ceremony is the state’s largest recognition of African-American achievement.

At Noon Saturday, February 25, 2012, some 600 African-American high school seniors from around the state will be recognized at Brookland Baptist Church, 1066 Sunset Blvd., West Columbia, SC 29169. These high school seniors with a B average or above who were nominated by their respective schools will be recognized in the areas of academics, the arts, athletics, leadership, and technical education. Honorees will be representing the

following counties: Allendale, Clarendon, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lee, Lexington, Newberry, and Richland.

“This program is so important in dismantling a culture of low academic expectations,” said James T. McLawhorn Jr., president and CEO of the Columbia Urban League. “It also reinforces the importance of achievement i.e. Achievement Matters in empowering communities and changing lives.

Dr. Karen Woodfaulk, director of Student Services for the Commission on Higher, will be the featured speaker at the event. Dr. Woodfaulk will discuss how to finance a college education and minimize college debt. With the spiraling cost of a college education and student loan debt surpassing credit card, it is important that students and parents are knowledgeable on financing a college education, said McLawhorn.

For more information about this program, contact  J.T. McLawhorn, Jr. President and CEO of the Columbia Urban League (803) 929-1040 or Ms. Cheryl Humphries at 803-929-1040 at the Columbia Urban League.