LAURINBURG — Johna Speller, the NAACP Youth president in Scotland County, is on a mission. She wants residents to understand the importance of Black History Month.
“Black History Month is important because it reminds people of how much of an impact that African-American people have had on America,” said Speller. “In addition, it reminds African-Americans of how far we have come — and how much we as a people have overcome, while keeping in mind how far we need to go.”
Speller is currently a freshman at Scotland High School and already has aspirations for the future.
“My dream college is Harvard,” said Speller, “but there are many other colleges I plan on applying to as well.”
Not only is she the president of the NAACP Youth, she is involved with speaking to several youth programs around the area, volunteers with other youth around the community and is an A Honor Roll student. She is also a member of the Scotland High School marching band, the Beta club, Student Government and several other programs.
“Brilliant is an understatement when it comes to Johna,” said State Rep. Garland Pierce. “She is well versed and well read. Her knowledge of local, state, federal and world issues are second to none for a young lady her age.
“The future is bright for Johna Speller,” he added. “I would encourage her peers to follow her example.”
In 2018 she was awarded the Medgar Evers Award at an NAACP Convention for a paper she wrote on Evers.
Speller, along with other members of the NAACP Youth, will be selling Black History calendars to aid in membership fees and programs for the youth in the community.
“The money from the calendars are used for the NAACP Youth Council in multiple ways, such as educational trips and memberships for those who cannot afford the cost of membership,” said Speller.
The NAACP Youth have monthly meetings where any youth are welcome and offer tutoring sessions. They hold several programs at different churches and, recently, those programs have been focused on Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month.
“My favorite person that had an impact on Black History Month is hard to choose,” said Speller, “but it would be Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., because of how he encouraged and motivated others to stand tall in the midst of the pain and the fear that they were feeling.”
“Additionally,” Speller continued in reference to Martin Luther King Jr., “He did everything with love even when being confronted with hate. He motivates me to be a better person and to stand tall and strong through hard times — as he did.”
