Seven high school students who exemplify the ideals of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will be honored by the Hebrew Congregation of St. Thomas at a special Shabbat service at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 14.
This marks the ninth year that the Hebrew Congregation has paid tribute to Dr. King's life and legacy by singling out a student from each of the island's high schools for their commitment to social justice.
"We are very proud to honor these exceptional students for their contributions to their schools and to this community," said Trudie Prior, president of the Hebrew Congregation. "The Martin Luther King service is always one of our favorites, and we hope the community will join us in honoring these young people."
The seven honorees, all selected by their principals and teachers, are:
— Nicole Turnbull – Charlotte Amalie High School
— Charlesse Pondt – Wesleyan Academy
— Kurt C. Williams – Seventh-day Adventist School
— Choni Arri – Ivanna Eudora Kean High School
— Diane Wade – All Saints Cathedral School
— Norma Gomez – Sts. Peter and Paul School
— Abraham Tarapani – Antilles School
Each of the students will receive a U.S. Savings Bond and a certificate of honor from the Synagogue.
Guest speaker for the Martin Luther King service will be John deJongh Jr., president of the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce and of the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands. DeJongh is president of Lockhart Caribbean Corp. and a former V.I. Finance commissioner.
Because the historic Synagogue building on Crystal Gade is still undergoing major renovations, the Martin Luther King service will be held in Lilienfeld House, the congregation's social center, which is a few steps up the hill from the Synagogue. A reception will be held at Lilienfeld House after the service.
