Norwich Free Academy honors Martin Luther King Jr.

Connor Linskey, Norwich Bulletin
·2 min read
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Norwich Free Academy (NFA) faculty members as well as several elected officials gathered at NFA Friday afternoon to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

Keynote speaker Sen. Cathy Osten commended King for taking action against racism.

“Peace is earned, not given,” Osten said. “Peace is something that we fight for.”

Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz discussed the impact Connecticut had on King. As a young man, he came to Simsbury, Connecticut to pick tobacco.

While traveling by train to Connecticut, King no longer had to sit in a segregated portion of the train once he was north of Washington, D.C. In addition, he was able to have dinner in one of the best restaurants in Hartford, whereas he was unable to go into a restaurant and eat next to white diners in the south.

Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz speaks at the event honoring Martin Luther King Jr. held at Norwich Free Academy Friday afternoon.
Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz speaks at the event honoring Martin Luther King Jr. held at Norwich Free Academy Friday afternoon.

“Dr. King took those experiences in Connecticut as a young man to his future leadership in the civil rights movement because he could visualize what a more equal society looked like,” Bysiewicz said.

NFA students honored

Many students were honored at Friday’s event, including NFA senior Stecie Celestin, who received the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Award.

Norwich Branch Youth Scholarship Awards were given to NFA seniors who are active members of the Norwich NAACP Youth Council. The awardees were Naema Charles, Lourdie Tilus, Rose Saint Eloi, Morgan Allen, Olivier Louis Jean, Fabiola Nelson, Lidwrig Jacquet, Ashnaelle Bijoux, Vien Jiang and Sadeya Zakaria.

Norwich Free Academy senior Sadeya Zakaria gives remarks at the event honoring Martin Luther King Jr. held at Norwich Free Academy Friday afternoon.
Norwich Free Academy senior Sadeya Zakaria gives remarks at the event honoring Martin Luther King Jr. held at Norwich Free Academy Friday afternoon.

Six eighth grade students from Norwich middle schools were honored as Nexus scholars. Awardees were Anthony Erardy, Vanessa Paul, Lena Dufort, Kayon Foster, Janaisha Mills and Justin Brown. Students who best exemplified King’s values were chosen for the award by their teachers. The awards are given to encourage students to join the Norwich NAACP Youth Council.

Nicholas Fortson, who recently retired from his position as the president and CEO of CorePlus Credit Union, received the Robertsine Duncan Memorial Award. The award honors the legacy of Robertsine Duncan, the first youth advisor for the Norwich NAACP Youth Council.

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This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Norwich Free Academy remembers Martin Luther King Jr, honors students