Ora Higgins, 101-years young, to award scholarships to youth Saturday, October 8, 2011

Having just turned 101, retired Chicago Public School teacher Ora Higgins will be holding her 35^th anniversary youth scholarship awards dinner Saturday, October 8, 2011, from 12 noon to 4 p.m. at the Sabre Room, 8900 West 95^th Street in Hickory Hills, Illinois.

Higgins, who is also the first African American personnel director for Spiegel’s and the great-great aunt to Michelle Obama, will be saluting eight scholarship winners with the “2011 Distinguished Leadership Awards.”

Murrell Higgins Duster, her daughter and treasurer of the Foundation, said this year’s theme is: “Helping Students to Succeed as we Enter the Global Society.”

Duster said the students are selected from Chicago schools based on their academic scores along with contributions they have made to both their families and communities.

The Foundation also gives the “Builders Award” to students who show “distinguished leadership” qualities.

The Ora Higgins Youth Foundation will also celebrate Mrs. Higgins 101^st birthday. She was born on September 24, 1910 in Birmingham, Alabama.

Just as Ora Higgins gave numerous blacks their first jobs when she was personnel director at Spiegel’s, over the past 35-years, her Foundation she founded in 1976, has sent scores of African American students to college.

Higgins believes, “The seeds we sow by giving to our youth shall be rewarded in the harvest of their prosperity.”

Tickets are $50 and include dinner. All proceeds go toward scholarships for the youth.