U-46 administrator, school board member nominees for MLK award

An Elgin Area School District U-46 school board member and administrator are contenders for Elgin's Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award to be given out at the city's Prayer Breakfast Saturday.

As part of the city's MLK celebrations, four Larkin High School students will be awarded scholarships Monday during a youth leadership conference. Several U-46 middle schools also will host public speaking events later this month honoring King.

Elgin's Prayer Breakfast is at 8:30 a.m. at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way. Secretary of State Jesse White is the keynote speaker.

Humanitarian award nominees are Ronald Raglin, assistant superintendent of educational support programs and alignment, and board member Traci O'Neal Ellis, a U-46 graduate and executive director of human resources for the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy.

The award honors "individuals with a lifework that reflects the legacy and teachings of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.," said Danise Habun, chairwoman of the 2018 Dr. King Celebration Committee and a member of the Elgin Human Relations Commission.

The MLK Day of Service & Youth Leadership Conference begins at 9 a.m. Monday in the Heritage Ballroom at the Centre of Elgin, 100 Symphony Way. Edward Amos, an assistant principal at Kenyon Woods Middle School in South Elgin, is the keynote speaker. Scholarship recipients are: Aris Johnson ($1,200), Julia Escamilla ($800), Emily Renteria ($250) and Sky Aranda ($250).

U-46 schools and employees are participating in the Dr. King Food Drive through Monday. For drop-off locations, visit cityofelgin.org/mlk. Food is distributed Monday to eight local food pantries.