Matthew Herndon Receives City's First "Outstanding Black Male Leader of Tomorrow" Award

Matthew Herndon Receives City's First "Outstanding Black Male Leader of Tomorrow" Award

Date of Record: March 7, 2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 7, 2006

For more information, contact:
David Hummons, Chair, Commission on the Status of Black Males, 855-8286
Craig Brenner, Special Projects Coordinator, Community and Family Resources Department, 349-3471
Maria K. Heslin, Communications Director, City of Bloomington, 349-3569

Bloomington, IN - Bloomington High School North Junior Matt Herndon has been honored with the "Outstanding Black Male Leader of Tomorrow" award by the City of Bloomington Commission on the Status of Black Males.

The award was presented by Commission Chair David Hummons and Deputy Mayor James McNamara at the City's Black History Month Gala on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2006, at Mayfield's Ballroom.

At 17 years of age, Herndon is already an up-and-coming leader in the community. Herndon plans to be a teacher, and his skill in working with younger people is already apparent. Currently in his second year as a Cougar Leader, he helps acclimate freshmen to the high school during their entire first year at North. He also serves on the Cougar Leader Council, and is in his third year in the theatre program at Bloomington North. Last fall he appeared in the school's production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.

As a member of the Advanced Theatre Production class, Herndon has participated for the past two years in the Living Statues project at the Farmers' Market. He is also busy mentoring elementary and middle school students enrolled in the Bloomington Playwrights Project Mini-Play Camp and Festival. Herndon's ability to work with children and young teenagers is greatly appreciated by his supervisors in the community projects for which he volunteers.

In addition to his theater and mentoring successes, Herndon is in the top fifth of his class at Bloomington North. Despite his youth, he is already having a positive impact on the lives of young and old in his school and in the city of Bloomington.

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