KENNEDY ACTION CENTER: Students awarded during Wayne Metropolitan Action Agency gathering in Dearborn

The Kennedy Action Center recently honored three students as part of the Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency's second annual Youth Believe and Achieve Awards Ceremony at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Dearborn.

The Kennedy Action Center is Kennedy High School's after-school program. According to Site Manager Alyssa Tumolo, the Kennedy Action Center has been running the program for 50 high school students since 2009, focusing on academic enrichment, family involvement, recreation and life skills.

The awards, given to Khari Walker, Paris Bowens and Christopher Freeman, honored spirit and determination that helped mold them into young leaders and helped them achieve their goals. 

State Sen. Hoon-Yung Hopgood (D-Taylor) was in attendance and presented each honoree with a framed award. He also took time to personally tell them how proud he was of their efforts.

Walker received the Positive Growth Award for Attitude and Citizenship. When he first joined the after-school program four years ago, he kept to himself and worked quietly on his homework. Over time, Walker proved to be a trustworthy student, helpful to others and a leader to his peers. He has become more dedicated to his studies, and despite a busy schedule and a job, still takes time to come to the after-school program. 

Bowens has participated in the Kennedy Action Center for four years. In that time, he has grown to be a confident young man who is dependable, compassionate and a leader. He stays busy with his extracurricular activities including Link Crew, ROTC and DECA. More than that, he's consistently striving to do his best at anything he faces. He, too, received the Positive Growth Award for Attitude and Citizenship.

Freeman was the final winner of the same award. He's in his first year at the Kennedy Action Center, and has stepped out of his comfort zone on a number of occasions to benefit the program. At the start of the year, like Walker, he kept to himself. However, he took major steps afterward, helping teachers and peers alike. Everyone was able to see how outgoing, helpful and kind Freeman is and he became a position part of the program.