Canton City School District Black History event to honor distinguished alumni

The Repository
·2 min read

CANTON − The Canton City School District will honor three outstanding alumni at its 2023 District-Wide Black History Month Celebration at 6 p.m. Feb. 2 at Umstattd Performing Arts Hall, on the campus of Canton McKinley Senior High School, 2323 17th St. NW.

The event is free and open to the public.

The honorees are:

  • Christopher J. Stokes, a 1997 McKinley High School graduate and the keynote speaker, will appear live virtually from his home in Seoul, Korea, where he works as president and general manager of Lilly Korea. Stokes earned his bachelor’s degree at George Mason University and a master’s degree in finance from the University of Indiana. He was a member of McKinley’s state championship track team and an NCAA All-American in the hurdles at Virginia Tech and George Mason.

  • Shanice Robinson, a 2011 graduate of McKinley, will accept her award virtually from her home in Kansas City, where she is a fourth-year resident physician in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Missouri. Robinson is a summa cum laude graduate of Spelman College, where she majored in biology/pre-medicine. She earned her doctorate at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine. She is a reproductive justice advocate and plans to dedicate her career to addressing maternal mortality.

  • Kyle L. Stone is a 2001 graduate of McKinley and earned his bachelor’s degree at The University of Findlay. He earned a master's degree in public administration and a law degree from The University of Akron. He is an ordained pastor and holds a master's degree in ministry from Temple Baptist Seminary. Stone was elected as Stark County prosecutor in 2020. Prior to that role, he tried numerous cases as a criminal defense attorney.

Canton City Schools Human Resources Director Deidre Stokes Davis and her team planned and organized the 2023 celebration after two years of virtual programs due to COVID-19.

The district also will feature student performances and speakers. Visit www.ccsdistrict.org for updates.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton City School District Black History event to honor distinguished alumni