Six African-American U-46 students to receive scholarships Saturday

Six Elgin Area School District U-46 seniors will be honored during Elgin's Black History Family Festival Saturday at Gail Borden Public Library.

The festival runs from 1 to 4 p.m. at Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Ave. This year's focus is highlighting the community's "Young, Bright and Brilliant" African-Americans.

Each year, the festival offers one African-American senior from each of U-46's high schools a $500 scholarship for continuing higher education. Students were chosen for being good citizens, their attention to academics, participation in extracurricular and community activities, and aspirations after high school.

This year's recipients are Zaria Milledge of Bartlett High School; Juwan Lockhart of Larkin High School; Makayla Hall-Lee of South Elgin High School; Kristopher Smith of Streamwood High School; Alexia Smith of Elgin High School; and Symone Dumas of the Dream Academy. Students will participate in a panel discussion.

The free festival features a keynote speech by motivational speaker and business consultant Christopher Williams, performances by local musicians, including Larkin High School Royalty and T.J. Ptak, poetry and spoken word performance by Elgin Poet Laureate Chasity Gunn, community booths, children's crafts and games, and drawings for gift baskets.

Event partners are Elgin Community College, City of Elgin, U-46, Elgin Symphony Orchestra, the Elgin History Museum and the Hoffman Estates Chapter of The Links, Incorporated.