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Answering the call to mentor today's youth...
People in communities like Mountain Home have a moral obligation to serve as role models and guide children into positive directions, according to a city councilwoman from Tacoma, Wash., who spoke at a yearly gathering here on Friday.
Victoria Woodards focused on these and other issues during the 27th Annual Black History Banquet, which also allowed those in attendance to pause and reflect on more than a century of African American life, history and culture.
Proclamations read at the start of the banquet from local, state and federal leaders highlighted the triumphs in black heritage while looking to the future when people are judged by their character versus the color of their skin.
Lt. Col. Pagerine Jackson from Mountain Home Air Force Base led the crowd by the singing of "Lift Every Voice and Sing." Following opening comments, she sang a breathless rendition of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" that had the audience standing and applauding.
Woodards, who was elected to the city council in the western Washington city in 2010, highlighted the accomplishments of black people that continue doing great things across this country. She highlighted people like Oprah Winfrey, who owns her own television network, and Serina Williams, who dominates the world of professional tennis.
"We strengthen the importance of American traditions through the reflection of a journey toward equality," Woodards said. "We've come a long way and have done some great things, but we have so much work to do."
African-American people in the United State are disproportionately represented on negative terms, she said. This includes the percentage of number of black children who don't graduate from high school compared to the percentage of children of other races.
But she emphasized that the lessons that children and teens learn are not limited to a school environment. People of all ages can receive an "enlightened experience" by positive role models at home and in their community, she said.
"Education doesn't occur in a classroom between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. It happens all the time," Woodards said.
It's the positive things that matter most -- the lessons children learn from their grandparents or other members of their family. It's these lessons that children can then share with others to continue this type of learning and sharing, she said.
"Life itself is education, and what we learn outside of the classroom is just as important than what's learned in the classroom," Woodards said.
Imagine if people spent more time sharing these good things with others, especially young people needing this form of guidance, Woodards shared with the audience. Even something as simple as looking into the eyes of a young child and shaking their hand when they've done something positive can yield untold rewards, she said.
Education like this represents the "great equalizer" that can make a tremendous difference in the lives of today's youth, who will go on to do amazing things, she added. Adults have the opportunity -- and an obligation -- to serve as positive role models and provide these types of lessons to children.
She then challenged those in the audience to serve as positive role models in the community to share their wisdom and life lessons with others. She urged them to leave the world better than when they found it.
"It's not about how much you can get but how much you can give in service to others," she said. "All of us can make a difference by focusing on education outside of the classroom."
Growing up in Tacoma, Wash., Woodards graduated from high school with no idea what she wanted to do in terms of a career. However, she remembered the lessons she was taught as a child, which gave her direction and a chance to focus on various options.
Among the valuable lessons she learned: Failure is not an option.
Her journey began when she enlisted in the Army hoping to see the world. Ironically, she ended up returning home following her assignment to Fort Lewis, located near her hometown.
Even then, she was still unsure what she wanted to do with her life. However, she drew inspiration from the life lessons she was taught, which eventually led her to a life of public service -- a chapter in her life she never considered as a child.
During the evening, members of the Mountain Home Black History Committee paused to honor East Elementary School Principal Karen Gordon, who was selected as the committee's person of the year.
In a letter to the heritage committee, state superintendent of public instruction Sherri Ybarra praised Gordon's accomplishments while highlighting her 21 years of service in the Mountain Home community. This "well-deserved honor" symbolizes her involvement in the community inside and outside of the classroom, Ybarra added.
Accepting the award, Gordon thanked those in the community for selecting her for this year's honor. She then emphasized that it takes an entire community to make good things happen to children in cities like Mountain Home.
The Black History Committee then presented two additional awards to others in the community. Walter Ellison received the Thurgood Marshall Award in recognition of his years of service to the Mountain Home community.
Meanwhile, former Mayor Tom Rist was selected as this year's recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award. City clerk Nina Patterson accepted the award on behalf of Rist, who was unable to attend this year's banquet.