Alston & Fouse Awards

​Each year at the MLK Breakfast Celebration we honor students and community members who exemplify characteristics of Dr. King in their personal and professional lives. There are two award categories:
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• Fouse Award, which honors a student in grades 6-12
  • The Westerville MLK Fouse Award is named in honor of William H. Fouse who was the first black graduate of Westerville Public Schools and of Otterbein College.
• Alston Award, which honors a community member
  • The Westerville MLK Alston Award is named in honor of Miriam Alston and the group of enslaved people she freed. The newly freed Alstons traveled from North Carolina to East Orange (Westerville area), later known as Africa, Ohio in 1859. They became landowners, artists, and active participants in the Underground Railroad, where they risked their freedom to help others find theirs. Their descendants went on to serve in the military and became educators. This award is to honor the resiliency of these freed people and their community.​

Previous Award Winners

2025
Fouse Award: Future City Project Team (Genoa 2022) & Mariah Chaffin
Alston Award: Rick Rano

​2024
Fouse Award: Tyler Johnson, Nabiha Ilkaqor
Alston Award: Carmel Avegnon-Sanders

2023
Fouse Award- Chloe Abernathy, Delaney Compson, and Dezmon Howard

2022
Fouse Award- Maya Chaffin
Alston Award- James Prysock

2021
Fouse Award- Isa Sanchez
Alston Award- Desmond Fernandez

2020
Fouse Award- Kandy Boakye & Fraser Hartnell
Alston Award-Ann Morahan