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Legal Redress Committee Chairperson: Juanita Greene Lawrence Walker Legal Redress Addresses racial injustice by investigating complaints of discrimination, ensuring access to legal resources, and advocating for the protection of civil rights for all individuals. Printable Complaint Form

#3208 MLK 2023 Gallery

Health Committee Chairperson: Cheryl A. Goff To collaborate with community stakeholders to improve health (including mental health) outcomes among African American and other communities of color. To focus on preventing and reducing childhood obesity, HIV/AIDS, other chronic diseases, and health disparities.

2024 Freedom Fund Gallery Photos by Gary Friend Photos by Gary Friend

Wooster/Orrville Digital History Project Details Coming Soon!

2026 Essay Winners 2026 Celebration Standing Up for Justice: Community Voices 7PM, Monday January 19 MLK Committee Chairperson: Rev. Kevan Franklin MLK Essay Contest Coordinator: Mady Noble The Martin Luther King Day Committee coordinates community events for the national holiday each year in January honoring Dr. King's birthday. That includes a Celebration Service that focuses on Rev. Dr. King's role in the Civil Rights Movement and the ongoing work in racial justice, anti-poverty, and equal rights for all people. The Committee also coordinates the Martin Luther King Essay Contest for students in Wayne County schools to learn more about Dr. King's legacy. Winners of the Essay Contest each year are presented at the Celebration Service. The Committee meets monthly between March and January on the 1st Monday of the month [if possible]. Most of our meetings are on Zoom. For more information contact: Rev. Kevan Franklin docksf@aol.com Mady Noble madeleinenoble424@gmail.com Essay Prompts MLK Commemoration/College of Wooster 2024 Essay Winners MLK Gallery 2025 Essay Winners Wooster/Orrville

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday 2026 ESSAY CONTEST WINNERS Grades 1-3 Topic: In Jacqueline Woodson’s book ‘The Other Side,” two girls, one white, one black, become friends despite the fence separating them. Claire Audet Kean Elementary Third Grade - Mrs. Erika Ratliff Read Essay Kiyansh Gunikuntla Kean Elementary Third Grade - Mrs. Erika Ratliff Read Essay Preston Oyer Green Elementary Third Grade - Mr. Maibach Read Essay Grades 4-6 Topic: Was Dr. King’ decision to use thousands of black schoolchildren to protest in downtown Birmingham in 1963 too risky? Emmett Ramseyer Green Elementary School Grade 5-Mr. Maibach Read Essay Irelynn Cutlip Montessori School Wooster Grade 6 - Ms. Michelle Mann Read Essay Breylin Friend St. Mary School Grade 6-Miss McAllister Read Essay Grades 7-9 Topic: What was the effect across the nation of black school children facing fire hoses and police dogs in downtown Birmingham in 1963? Andrew Zvolensky Wooster High School Grade 8 - Mr. Michael Sexton Read Essay Kanishka Gunikuntla Edgewood Middle School Grade 7 - Ms. Courtney Robinson. Read Essay Emma Gatten Green Middle School Grade 8 - Mr. Maibach Read Essay Grades 10-12 Topic: Was Dr. King’s Birmingham Campaign the turning point in the Civil Rights Movement? Gunner Curtis Orrville High School Grade 11 - Dr. Dziczkowski Read Essay Kymber Bishop Rittman High School Grade 11 - Dr. Dziczkowski Read Essay Charlotte Cerniglia Waynedale High School Grade 11 - Dr. Dziczkowski Read Essay

Education Committee Chairperson: Barb Friedhoff Scott Gregory Congratulations Scholarship Awards 2024 The Wooster/Orrville NAACP recently awarded five scholarships to area students totaling $7,400. Recipients and their post-secondary education choices include: Wooster High School graduates Aiden Holford, son of Ian & Alicia Holford - University of Cincinnati, Zhade Ellis, son of Sterivon & Misha Ellis - University of Akron, and Jackson Readinger, son of Alma Readinger - Ashland University. Wayne County Career Center graduate Journey Kaleal, daughter of Janet & Jonathan Kaleal - The Wayne County Career Center. Smithville High School graduate, Shayna Lowe, daughter of Rex & Connie Lowe-Charleston Southern University. The Wooster/Orrville NAACP’s goal is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination. Messages from Scholarship Winners... click the videos below Journey Kaleal Aiden Holford Zhade Ellis The work of the Wooster/Orrville NAACP Education Committee champions providing resources and members' participation in providing a positive school culture and high quality teaching for all Wooster/Orrville public schools students. We are intent on keeping our membership, and the public in general, apprised of what's going on in our schools and encourage all to be active supporters of equity and inclusion. By following the meetings of the Wooster City Schools' Diversity Task Force, we hope to do our part in promoting the integration of multicultural experiences and curriculum into our schools, the hiring of diverse classroom teachers and the implicit bias training necessary for all school employees. Local educational conditions and materials that might be racially derogatory or affecting minority groups are studied and we work to publicize and address issues where they are found. The committee also manages the Wooster/Orrville NAACP scholarship program in collaboration with the Wayne County Community Foundation. If you are interested in joining this committee, please contact us: Barb Friedhoff: barb.friedhoff@gmail.com Scott Gregory: gregorys@sssnet.com Available Scholarships Previous Award Winners

Freedom Fund Dinner Gallery Freedom Fund 2024 Gallery Freedom Fund Dinner 2023

Martin Luther King Gallery MLK-2026 MLK-2025 MLK-2024 MLK-2023 2022 Virtual Commemoration of MLK

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Member Appreciation Event 2025 Member's Event Gallery A big thank you to all those who joined us in celebrations of NAACP Wooster/Orrville. Special thank you State President Tom Roberts Justin Gilmore Westminster Presbyterian Church We look forward to the 2026 Member's Appreciation Event. Executive Team