Two Students “Keeping the Dream Alive”

In honor of the contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs offered college-bound students a chance to help pay for their higher education in exchange for their essays explaining "How I plan to Keep the Dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Alive" through the first I AM THE DREAM scholarship competition and two winners have been announced.

Brittany Stark, a senior at Rufus King High School who plans to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the fall and Danielle Brooks, a senior at Messmer High School and who will attend Spelman College in the fall are the two women who wrote the award winning essays.

Ald. Coggs said, “Higher education has the promise of transforming lives and this scholarship is one way for me to contribute to the betterment of the lives of worthy students while encouraging continued thought about the works of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the ability of us all to help improve civil rights in this country.”

The contest was promoted through the spring and candidates were solicited from college bound residents of District 6. Each woman will receive a $500 award for her essay and was honored at the Common Council meeting on June 16, 2009.

"It is my sincere hope that at some point all those who seek higher education and are willing to work hard for the opportunity have it; this scholarship is one small way that I have found to contribute to such opportunities," Ald. Coggs said. The contest is slated to be an annual event.