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200 attend NAACP banquet

Speakers at the annual scholarship event emphasize the importance of education.

President Dora Bronston and 1st Vice President Joe Wittman recognize special guests during the NAACP annual banquet held at the Towne Blvd. Church of God on Saturday.

Staff photo by Greg Lynch President Dora Bronston and 1st Vice President Joe Wittman recognize special guests during the NAACP annual banquet held at the Towne Blvd. Church of God on Saturday.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Photos: Middletown NAACP fundraiser

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By Jessica Heffner, Staff Writer Updated 8:46 AM Monday, April 18, 2011

MIDDLETOWN — Education and the purpose it plays in people’s lives was the theme of the evening at the annual NAACP scholarship banquet held Saturday night.

Dr. O’dell Owens, president of Cincinnati State Technical & Community College and the night’s featured speaker, talked about how he was “a poor kid living on the poor side of Cincinnati.”

Through education — and the encouragement of family — he overcame poverty, went to college and became a doctor. As the former Hamilton County coroner, he used that time to speak to as many children and adults as possible about the importance of finishing high school and helping one another.

While the world has come far since the NAACP was created, Owens said there are still too many children not finishing school and ending up in jail. He challenged the 200 in attendance to be a role model.

“‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ — adults don’t ask that anymore,” Owens said. “But when you ask that question it provokes a dream. Even if we have nothing, when you have a dream you have a tomorrow.”

T. Duane Gordon, executive director of the Middletown Community Foundation, presented the two Louie F. Cox Memorial AK Steel Foundation African-American Scholarships. He reminded the crowd that anytime we can brighten someone else’s day, we become a hero.

“And Dr. Owens, the day you open a branch campus of Cincinnati State here, you’ll be our (hero),” he said to a round of applause.

Also at the event, hip-hop artist GT Shotta presented the winner of the pop pull tab contest meant to benefit the Ronald McDonald House. Rosa Parks Elementary collected the most tabs.

Beverly Howard, a retired teacher and parent volunteer, accepted the award on the school’s behalf.

“The kids really enjoyed this. We had to call and get more containers,” she said.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2843 or jheffner@coxohio.com.

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