This week, Mercer County Community College, with other groups and organizations, celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a reminder of our progress and the power of education.
The highlight of the celebration at the James Kerney Campus in Trenton, was the message from the Keynote Speaker, Dr. Pamela Pruitt who spoke about, “The “’Power’’’ of Education: Then, Now and Tomorrow.”
Dr. Pruitt reminded us that, “Dr. King sacrificed a lot for not only blacks, but for all peoples of this country,”
She emphasized that we all should value education because knowledge is power and it empowers us when moving forward. She encouraged us to keep the “dream” alive, and hoped that we had a meaningful day on Dr. M.L.K., Jr.’s Day.
Busar, Lucia Brown-Joseph and Youth College, Upward Bound Director, Stacy Denton, led the morning and afternoon activities at the James Kerney Campus. Joseph said they needed to reinforce Dr. King’s message so they helped the needy in the community.
The M.L.K. Jr. Day of Service celebration at the James Kerney Campus began at about 8 a.m. Monday. According the College’s Provost, Monica Weaver and Denton, there were about 200 volunteers in the café making more than 1,300 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the homeless at the Trenton Rescue Mission.
Denton said that more than 10 organizations supported the effort. These included all the Youth College programs at MCCC; Teen Voices – A 21st Century Program from Pennsylvania; House of Blessings church; Boys and Girls Club; Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.; and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc..