PUSH Excel has announced its 30th Annual Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Breakfast, Fulfilling the Vision of Dr. King and Those That Have Gone Before Us. The Breakfast will be held on Monday, January 20, 2020 from 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Chicago – Grand Ballroom, located at 151 E. Upper Wacker Dr., Chicago, IL 60611. This year’s event will recognize leaders in the corporate and educational sectors that have made outstanding contributions in philanthropy and significant strides toward educational equity.
The Annual MLK Scholarship Breakfast brings together civic, clergy and business leaders as well as educators and community stakeholders to highlight the rich history of PUSH Excel, its programs, and its focus on both educational victories and challenges. Held annually on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Breakfast raises money for the PUSH Excel Scholarship Program, which assists high-potential teens with the financial resources needed to attend college. These awards are distributed to applicants nationwide through three named scholarships: Jesse Jackson Fellows, Ora Lee Sanders, and Cirilo McSween. In addition to financial assistance, the PUSH Excel Scholarship Program is also purposed to cultivate servant leadership potential in the scholarship students as well as encourage a spirit of social justice and change.
“This past year represented the 400th year since Africans were brought to this country as slaves,” said Rev. Dr. Janette Wilson, National Director of Education, PUSH Excel. “We are challenged to create sketches of a new legacy of freedom regarding segregation of educational resources, the mass incarceration of Black men, and the wealth and equality of African American families.” There will be a focus on poverty in Pembrook, Illinois, one of the poorest cities in America.
Sponsorship opportunities are available for the Annual Breakfast: Magna Cum Laude ($100,000); Cum Laude ($75,000); Valedictorian ($50,000); Salutatorian ($25,000); Scholar ($15,000); and Guide ($10,000). Table sponsorships are also available for $1,500. Individual tickets are $150. For more information on sponsorships and to register for the Scholarship Breakfast, please www.pushexcel.org or call (773) 256-2700.
PUSH for Excellence, Inc. (PUSH Excel) is a tax-exempt organization founded in 1975 by Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. and a number of nationally recognized educators to inspire students to strive for excellence in education in spite of personal, family, and community challenges that they might experience. The mission of PUSH Excel is to promote education excellence by engaging the stakeholders in education to work collaboratively to create opportunities, transform the lives of students and improve communities by advocating for educational policies that guarantee equal funding for all students without regard to race or economic standing; engaging parents, students, and teachers in pursuing high quality education and striving for educational excellence at every level; and forging partnerships with community based and public sector stakeholders in education.
