Fifth Annual Carrie P. Meek Outstanding Education Leadership Achievement Awards Honors Exemplary Community Members
DAVIE – Nova Southeastern University’s (NSU) Black Heritage Council will celebrate Black History Month with the Fifth Annual Carrie P. Meek Outstanding Education Leadership Achievement Award Ceremony, a salute to exemplary community members who continuously and positively impact the lives of African Americans in Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
The awards ceremony will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 26 at the Signature Grand, 6900 State Road 84, Davie. This event is hosted by the Black Heritage Council, of NSU’s Fischler School of Education and Human Services (FSEHS), in honor of former Congresswoman Carrie P. Meek’s work as a lifelong educator and public servant.
The event draws hundreds of educators, government officials and community leaders from Miami-Dade and Broward counties each year for an evening of entertainment and recognition honoring the lives of individuals whose work has positively impacted the African American community.
This year’s honorees are A. Louise Harms, former principal of North Twin Lakes Elementary and Community School in Hialeah, and Fran Rubinstein, principal of Tedder Elementary School in Pompano Beach. Both steered their schools from failing grades to sustaining exceptional grades of As and Bs over the past five years.
Rodney Baltimore
Local community activist Rodney Baltimore of HOT 105 will also be recognized for his faithful efforts in supporting educational and community initiatives.
This year, Coach Ken Carter will serve as keynote for the fundraising event. The tough-as-nails coach made national news in 1999 when he benched his undefeated varsity basketball team for failing to honor contracts each player signed promising to maintain a 2.3 GPA, attend every class, and wear a jacket and tie on game day.
His unwavering determination to hold the team accountable for their commitments and the controversy surrounding this event led to the film, Coach Carter (2005), where actor Samuel L. Jackson portrayed Carter.
NSU’s Black Heritage Council is co-chaired by Susan Davis, Ed.D., a FSEHS program professor and Nigel Whyte, M.B.A., and Assistant Director for the National Institute for Educational Options at FSEHS. The mission of the Black Heritage Council is to develop, recognize and celebrate individuals who have and continue to impact the lives of African Americans through exemplary leadership and education.
Tickets to the Fifth Annual Carrie P. Meek Outstanding Education Leadership Achievement Award Ceremony are $50 a person, or $500 for a table. Proceeds will go to the FSEHS Black Heritage Council Scholarship Fund. To purchase tickets, please contact Nigel White at (954) 262-5082.
For more information about the awards ceremony and the Black Heritage Council, please visit www.schoolofed.nova.edu/bhc.
