ALTON - The June Memorial Service/Scholarship Awards Program of the Elijah P. Lovejoy Memorial will be held on Sunday, June 12, 2022 at the Lovejoy Gravesite in Alton City Cemetery. The gravesite is located behind the Lovejoy Monument. The program begins at 4:00 p.m.
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Bonnie Fox, President of the Lovejoy Memorial will preside and offer the welcome. Minister Elam A. King, III, Associate Minister, Greater St. James Baptist Church will offer the Invocation and Benediction. Vocal soloist is Brenda Mack-Lancaster. The scholarship awards will be presented by Lovejoy Board members Renee Bauer, Mary Buckley and Dr. Brian Saenz.
The highlight of the program will be the presentation of scholarships to six (6) 2022 graduates of Alton High School. The Elijah P. Lovejoy Memorial Scholarship was first awarded in 1954. This year it will be presented to Kamren Mason-El. She will receive $25,000 total during the four (4) years of her college education.
In 2019 the Lovejoy Memorial established the “Original Three Scholarship” in memory of its founders Jesse Lundun Cannon, James M. Bailey, Sr. and Rev. Joseph A. Brewer. This scholarship will be awarded to Sophia Kumagai. She will receive $9,000 total during the four years of her college education.
Julian Caffey, Olivia Collins, Noah Hardin and Isis Rounds will each receive a one-time Academic Achievement Award Scholarship of $3,000.
Kamren Mason-El will attend the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana where she will major in Political Science. At Alton High School she was a member of the National Honor Society, Upward Bound and Student Council. Kamren was the 2022 Alton High School Class President. Kamren plans to pursue a degree that will prepare her to become an attorney. She is the daughter of Donald and Kristy Mason-El.
Sophia Kumagai will attend the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. She will be a double major in Political Science and Japanese. She participated in the AHS Music Conservatory Program and was Vice President of the Math Society, Mu Alpha Theta. Sophia’s goal is to become a Foreign Service officer specializing in relations between the United States and Japan. Sophia is the daughter of Takahiro Kumagai and Nicole Ezeagu.
Julian Caffey has been accepted to Illinois State University. He will major in Business Administration. He was very active in sports at Alton High School as a member of the Track and Football Team. Julian participated in many religious and civic activities at St. James Baptist Church and he helped in a mentoring program at the Alton Housing Authority. He is the son of Greg Caffey and Chatka Collins.
Olivia Collins will major in Communications at the University of Illinois at Chicago this fall. Olivia was a member of the AHS Student Council and Minority Excellence. She was the Vice President for the Class of 2022. She is a student leader in the Abundant Life Community Church Youth Group where she played a key role in helping organize events for children and families. Olivia is the daughter of Gina Wooden.
Noah Hardin will attend Blackburn College in Carlinville, IL. His major will be in the field of Exercise Science. At AHS he was a member of Upward Bound, Student Council, Boys Varsity Soccer and Basketball. He is a member of the Enjoy Church Youth Group. At the church he helped run a Blood Drive and collected canned food for families in need during Thanksgiving. Noah is the son of Ryan and Charnette Hardin.
Isis Rounds plans to attend Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and major in Social Work. While attending AHS she was a member of the Student Council, Minority Excellence, Girls Soccer, Girls Basketball and Cheerleading. She attends Faith Fellowship Church where she has volunteered to help give gifts to children of incarcerated parents and she has helped at the Salvation Army in their soup kitchen. Isis is the daughter of Angie Payne.
The service commemorates the life and legacy of Elijah P. Lovejoy, abolitionist, editor, Presbyterian minister and the first martyr of the American Free Press and awards scholarships to deserving graduates of high schools in the Alton/Godfrey community.
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