The fourth annual Black History Month/Pathfinders Assembly held on Feb. 21 recognized two of the 2020 Pathfinders and a keynote speech challenging students to press on towards their dreams and not let anyone get in the way.
\r\nThe awards are given during Black History Month to individuals who have created paths of success for Alliance students. Pathfinder falls in one of five categories: citizenship/government, education, arts and science, humanitarianism and business.
\r\nSuperintendent Jeffery Talbert brought the idea for the awards to Alliance five years ago. A board of community members nominates and chooses the award recipients each year.
The Choralaires kicked off the assembly with a couple songs including: Precious Lord (Take My Hand) and Soon Ah Will Be Done. The choir sang these songs: Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around, Steal Away, Ride On, In That Great Gettin Up Mornin’, and Revelation 19 featuring Matthew Horning.
\r\nThe Pathfinders that were named this year were Gary King and Matt Horning and the guest speaker was Maurice Hatcher, the director of operations at Sommerville Funeral Services.
\r\nPathfinders Awards
\r\nGary King graduated from Alliance High School in 1973. He retired from Alliance in 2018. He was also inducted into the Alliance Athletic Hall of Fame this year.
\r\n“Before you get in a situation that you will regret, you always got to think, before something you really truly love is taken away from you,” he said.
\r\nMatt Horning graduated from Alliance High School in 1995. He has been at Alliance for 21 years. He also started the 99th Squadron at Alliance Middle School for African-American male students and worked with Superintendent Talbert and Alliance High School Principal Shawn Jackson to move the program to the high school.
\r\n“How you treat people now matters because one day when you come across them, you want them to remember somebody that was kind to me,” he said.
Keynote
\r\nMaurice Hatcher graduated from Alliance High School in 2007. He founded and directed the Alliance Community Youth Choir. He also received a Pathfinder award two years ago.
\r\n“Managing a funeral home is something very very rewarding because we get to help people,” he said.
\r\nHe encouraged students to do what it is that they do best and to do things to make the city of Alliance better.
\r\n“You’ve heard the phrase ‘Get rich or die trying’ but I say ‘Make a difference or die trying.’” he said.
\r\nThe assembly ended as Kyrel Keller and Zarliyah Board presented a piece of metal silhouette artwork of Martin Luther King Jr. and the words “I have a dream” carved into it from the welding class.