Lasting legacy: AASU hosts event in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day

By Hiba Samdani and Evan Lu, Co-Editors-In-Chief

The African American Student Union (AASU) hosted its inaugural event ‘One Stoga, One Dream: Honoring the Legacy of Dr. Martin King Jr. on January 27th. The event consisted of an awards ceremony to honor students and teachers who positively impacted the school, followed by a discussion forum that allowed students to voice their opinions.

Awards were divided into separate categories and recipients were nominated by their peers. English teacher and AASU advisor Chirstopher Brown read a description highlighting each recipient’s impact on the community. 

“This means more to me than anything I’ve accomplished in my 14 years,” said Rachelle Gough as she received the Heart of Service award and Champion of Equity award.

After the ceremony ended, the event transitioned into a discussion interspersed with poems and discussion questions. The panelists, who were board members of the AASU, described their experience in the T/E School District and the impact of Martin Luther King Junior. Towards the end, Brown opened up the discussion to the audience, who voiced its hopes for the future of the district. 

“Dr. King to me means change,” junior and AASU member Zion Puryear said during the panel. “His legacy is something we have to cherish.”


Hiba Samdani can be reached at [email protected].

Evan Lu can be reached at [email protected].