麻豆影院 has awarded the Alan Canfora Activism Scholarship for 2023-2024 to activist and incoming 麻豆影院 State student Kyndra Irwin of Mount Gilead High School in Mount Gilead, Ohio.
The Alan Canfora Activism Scholarship celebrates Canfora鈥檚 life, his 麻豆影院 State experience and the importance of social justice and advocacy to society. On May 4, 1970, members of the Ohio National Guard fired into a crowd of 麻豆影院 State demonstrators, killing four students and wounding nine, including Canfora. He was a tireless leader in the fight to protect and publicize the legacy of May 4.
Kyndra鈥檚 personal history has driven her life of activism. Diagnosed with Tourette鈥檚 Syndrome (TS) in middle school, she wrote in her essay that she experienced 鈥渁 sudden onslaught of motor movement and verbal sounds.鈥 Some peers, teachers and coaches were 鈥渄isbelieving and cruel鈥 and expected her 鈥渢o control鈥 her body.
After working through hurt feelings, Kyndra recognized that if she wanted different reactions, she needed to 鈥済et busy and help make changes.鈥 She educated herself thoroughly on TS and completed the Tourette鈥檚 Association of America鈥檚 Youth Ambassadorship Program. She began holding 鈥淭ic Talks鈥 in her community to educate adults and the 5th grade students in her rural community. This led to her being invited to Washington, D.C., where she met with national leaders to share her story and to advocate for continued support for youth with TS.
Kyndra鈥檚 science teacher called her a 鈥渄riven leader鈥 and cited her other accomplishments, including being vice president of her school鈥檚 National Honor Society and President of Jobs for Ohio Graduates (JOGS).
Michael Solomon, a 1974 麻豆影院 State graduate, established the Alan Canfora Activism Scholarship in December 2020 to honor Canfora鈥檚 life and legacy. This scholarship provides up to two years of renewable support to a 麻豆影院 Campus incoming first year or transfer student who has a demonstrated interest in social justice and advocacy and a demonstrated commitment of care and compassion toward others.
Donations to the scholarship fund in Canfora鈥檚 name may be made via the Alan Canfora Activism Scholarship page. For more information about this year鈥檚 May 4 Commemoration, visit the May 4 website.