MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – The 5000 Role Models of Excellence hosted its annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Breakfast at the Miami Beach Convention Center Monday.
Dressed for success in their black suits and red ties, a group of 50 young men was honored for their hard work and dedication.
In front of a crowd of more than 3,000, the future leaders of tomorrow were awarded scholarships that will be making a huge difference in their future.
“5,000 Role Models, it’s basically about brotherhood, it’s helped me get through challenges,” recipient Erick Contreras said. “In college, I want to study education.”
Many of these young men are grateful for the opportunity to go to college, while others are taking the life lessons learned to fight for our country.
“I’m actually going to the Marines, so as far as using (the scholarship) now, I’m going to use it in the future,” recipient Jawuan Summers said.
U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Florida, founded the 5,000 Role Models of Excellence program.
“We lift them up, we love them and hug them and then we send them to college,” Wilson said.
“Growing up without a father, it was a big help in my life, especially helping my mom and everything like that,” Summers said.
Wilson’s goal is to provide mentorship to kids in underserved communities, allowing a path to manhood and keeping these bright minds out of the prison system.
“I have a dream that if every boy in this nation was a part of the 5000 Role Models of Excellence project, oh what a difference it would make in the lives of our children and our community. We wouldn’t have lust for drugs; we wouldn’t have lust for guns; there would be no school shootings.”
A product of this wonderful role model program is Miami-Dade Judge Daryl Trawick.
“I have grown myself as part of this program,” he said.
He says he wants to see this class of 2024 role models do great things and inspire the next generation of leaders.
“It’s always inspiring seeing these young men and all they accomplish while they are in the program with our mentorship,” Trawick said.
This program has expanded in Florida and is currently growing throughout the country, even internationally in the Bahamas, with the hope of fixing young children — instead of fixing broken men.