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The
event,
which
centers
on the
theme of
"Black
Excellence,"
featured
a
high-energy
poetry
slam and
a visual
art
competition.
Since
its
inception
in 2005,
the
program
has now
distributed
over
$1.1
million
to help
Detroit
students
pursue
higher
education.
(Photo
by HB
Meeks/Tell
Us USA
News
Network) |
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Detroit
Students
Shine at
21st
Annual
Pistons
Black
Excellence
Scholarship
Event
Willis
Jones -
Sports
Tell Us
Detroit
News
DETROIT
- In a
powerful
display
of
creativity
and
community,
the
Detroit
Pistons
Foundation
and
Pistons
legend
Rick
Mahorn
hosted
the 21st
Annual
Black
Excellence
Scholarship
Event
yesterday
at the
Lewis
College
of
Business.
This
year’s
competition
continued
the
tradition
of
empowering
the
city’s
youth,
awarding
more
than
$100,000
in
scholarships
to high
school
seniors.
The
event,
which
centers
on the
theme of
"Black
Excellence,"
featured
a
high-energy
poetry
slam and
a visual
art
competition.
Since
its
inception
in 2005,
the
program
has now
distributed
over
$1.1
million
to help
Detroit
students
pursue
higher
education.
Poetry
Slam:
The Earl
Lloyd
Award
The top
honors
in the
poetry
slam
went to
Kady
Robinson,
a senior
from
Detroit
Marygrove
High
School.
Robinson
delivered
an
electrifying
performance
that
earned
her the
prestigious
Earl
Lloyd
Award—named
after
the
first
Black
player
in NBA
history—and
a
$25,000
scholarship.
1st
Place
($25,000):
Kady
Robinson
(Marygrove
High
School)
2nd
Place
($20,000):
Meadeux
Williams
(Renaissance
High
School)
3rd
Place
($10,000):
Leonard
Shirley
(Davis
Aerospace)
Robinson,
who
plans to
attend
the
University
of
Michigan
to study
communications
and
media,
noted
that her
victory
was
especially
meaningful
as her
sister
was the
runner-up
in the
2024
competition.
"I use
my
platform
to
uplift
Black
brilliance
and
beauty,"
Robinson
said
following
her win.
Visual
Art: The
Earl
Cureton
Award
The
poster
contest,
which
challenges
students
to
visually
represent
what
Black
excellence
means to
them,
saw
Cherokee
Barrow,
also of
Marygrove
High
School,
take
home the
grand
prize.
Barrow
was
awarded
the Earl
Cureton
Award
and a
$20,000
scholarship.
"I think
excellence
is just
showing
up as
your
best
self and
doing
whatever
you can
to help
others,"
said
Barrow.
"I tried
to
embody
that
with my
art."
A Legacy
of
Impact
Pistons
"Bad
Boy"
Rick
Mahorn,
who has
been the
face of
the
event
for
nearly
two
decades,
marveled
at the
depth of
talent
displayed
by this
year's
finalists.
"It
gives
you
goosebumps,"
Mahorn
said.
"To see
young
people
get a
chance
and
opportunity
instead
of
worrying
about a
bill...
they're
getting
something
to bring
them
closer
to their
goal."
Beyond
the top
prizes,
all
participants
in the
final
round
received
laptop
computers
courtesy
of Human
IT, and
a $500
grant
which
will go
toward
tuition
ensuring
that
every
student
walked
away
with
tools to
support
their
academic
future.
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