Bethlehem Area School District Principal to be Keynote Speaker for ESU's 2022 MLK Celebration
East Stroudsburg, PA (11/16/2021) — East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania selected Harrison Bailey III Ed.D. '21, principal of Liberty High School in the Bethlehem Area School District, to be the keynote speaker for the 2022 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. The 25th annual celebration honoring Dr. King is scheduled for Monday, January 17, 2022. The event will be held virtually at 6 p.m. The theme of this year's breakfast is "Even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream."
An educator for 25 years, Dr. Bailey has served in his current role as the principal at Liberty High School, BASD's largest school with approximately 2,800 students, since 2012. Previously, he held the roles of teaching assistant, special education teacher, assistant principal and principal.
Under Bailey's leadership, Liberty High School has become one of the leading trauma-informed high schools in Pennsylvania. He is also the co-founder of the Multicultural Student Leadership Conference, which was attended by over 200 high school students for the past 10 years. These and his many other accomplishments have created a network of support for Liberty's students, families and staff.
Bailey was named Pennsylvania's 2021 Secondary Principal of the Year by the Pennsylvania Principals Association. He earned his doctorate from ESU in May 2021. He is a frequent speaker at conferences, community events, and professional development trainings.
Registration for the virtual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration is now available and donations are being accepted. Proceeds will benefit the Mary Gertrude Smith Boddie Scholarship Fund at ESU, which provides financial assistance to undergraduate students of color. In 1904, Ms. Boddie was the first African-American student to graduate from what was then known as East Stroudsburg State Normal School and ultimately became East Stroudsburg University in 1983. Register today by visiting esu.edu/mlk.
As a result of the celebration, four Boddie Scholarship awardees will each receive a $3,460 scholarship award for the Spring 2022 semester. Scholarship winners are selected based on their ability to demonstrate, through community service work or university involvement, a commitment to Dr. King's philosophy of non-violence, equality, justice, cultural diversity, and a respect for humanity.
Organizers of the Celebration are asking regional business organizations to consider becoming a sponsor of this community event. For more information on sponsorship opportunities, call the ESU Foundation at 570-422-7000.
For more information about the Celebration Breakfast or for special accommodations, contact Lyesha Fleming, director of ESU's Center for Multicultural Affairs and Inclusive Education at 570-422-3896 or email lfleming@esu.edu.
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Elizabeth Richardson (570) 422-3139, erichard10@esu.eduShare this Story
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