Gateway Technical College will expand its Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration for 2014 with events added to the traditional day-of commemoration.

The added events will provide even more focus on King’s work to ensure open and equal education, as well his work as a minister. Its expansion in 2014 provides the public with more opportunities and ways to celebrate King.

Gateway Executive Vice President/Provost Zina Haywood points out the event has become a way for Gateway to connect with the communities it serves, while celebrating the legacy of the civil rights leader.

“The celebration fits well with our mission and vision that we are a center of education and training – but that it also is a place where people come for personal enrichment,” says Haywood. “We feel our Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration is an event where you can achieve that personal enrichment.”

Events include:

Gospel concert. Starting at 4 p.m. Jan. 18, Gateway is partnering with Carthage College to host a gospel concert, headlining the Chicago Mass Choir. The event will also feature several local artists and church groups, including: the praise and worship team of Second Baptist Church; The Followers of Jesusdance team of Coleman AME Church; Cheryl McCrary, soloist; Randle Thomas Connection instrumentalists; and readings. The concert will be held at Carthage College’s Siebert Chapel. The Mahone Foundation is also a sponsor of this event.

The concert is free, but preregistration is required at: www.gtc.edu/mlkchoir.

In conjunction with the concert, winners from Dr. King-focused art and essay contests will also be featured. Some of the students who submitted written work will read their pieces aloud during the concert.

Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration. The traditional hourlong event will be held noon Jan. 20 at the Madrigrano Auditorium at Gateway’s Kenosha Campus. It will feature Gregg Riley, an actor who gives inspirational, in-character speeches of King.

Education summit. Following the Dr. King celebration and reception, an education summit will be held to discuss the status of educational programs and opportunities focused on minority student success. Educational leaders and minority education experts from K12 districts and colleges across Gateways’ three-county district are being invited to the summit.

“They will be answering the question: Are we doing enough in the area of minority student achievement, and what more should we be doing?” says Herring.

The roundtable will be held beginning at 2 p.m. in the Madrigrano Auditorium, and is open to the public. The event will be video recorded and a

white paper report created, sharing what steps should be taken to increase minority student achievement.

Also, in November, a career exploration day was held in conjunction with the celebration. A total of 90 middle school students of color from Racine, Kenosha and Walworth counties were invited to the Racine Campus to learn about careers through presentations and hands-on activities. They discovered those career pathways through hands-on activities as well as seminars delivered by Gateway instructors and professionals in the field. Many of the presenters were people of color, who could serve as role models.

For more information: www.gtc.edu/mlk For further questions, please contact Zina Haywood at (262) 564-3104.