1800 Youth Honor Martin Luther King Jr

During Packed Assemblies featuring NAACP

Pasadena President Joe Brown

DUARTE, CA., January 13, 2011 -  Joe Brown, President of the NAACP Pasadena Branch delivered a riveting keynote address during the second day of a two-day Martin Luther King, Jr. Service Learning Project, sponsored by Duarte’s Promise – The Alliance for Youth,the City of Duarte, the Duarte Unified School District  and California American Water Co.  During three different assemblies to over 1800 Duarte High School and Northview Middle School Youth, Brown reflected on King’s eternal and long-term impact on persons of all colors. Other dignataries including Duarte City Council and School Board members, Board members of the Pasadena Branch NAACP and City and School officials.  The program also featured a musical piece by local favorite Eddie Howard.

A major theme in the life of the late Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. was to urge people to join hands and work together for positive change. In keeping with this tradition started 10 years ago, Duarte’s Promise also honored Rev. King’s legacy with a beautification project on Jan. 12.  at  3 p.m. at Northview Middle School.  Over 60 Duarte youth, members of the Duarte City Council and Duarte Unified School Board, City and school district staff, and community residents  beautified the front of the school campus by planting drought tolerant plants donated by California American Water Co.  Northview is located at 1401 Highland Ave.

The final facet of this year’s observance of Rev. King’s birthday was the 2nd annual Martin Luther King Jr. essay contest sponsored by the Duarte Teen Center.  Winners, announced during today's special assemblies, received cash prizes, ipods and and a flat screen TV for first, second and third places.

The annual MLK Service Learning Project is one of a number of special projects, programs and events sponsored by Duarte’s Promise – The Alliance for Youth. In 2000, Duarte was officially named an America’s Promise “Community of Promise.” Since then, more than 100 local businesses, organizations, individuals, government, schools, and communities of faith have partnered in a commitment to ensure that the needs of young people are served through five promises: ongoing relationships with caring adults – parents, mentors, tutors, coaches, safe places and structured activities during non-school hours, a healthy start and future, marketable skills through effective education, and opportunities for youth to give back through community service. For more information, please contact (626) 357-7931, ext. 265.

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