30th Annual Gala

the 30th annual watkins award recognitions

sharon love -ransom
community service award

This year we have selected Ted Ginn Sr. as the 2022 Sharon Love-Ransom Community Service Award winner for a second time. Ted Ginn Sr. has been both a track coach and head high school football coach. He has has spent over 45 years helping young men achieve their potential.

The Sharon Love-Ransom Community Service Award is given annually to an individual in the U. S. who tirelessly serves their community. Sharon Love-Ransom was an Alliance Board Member. She was a true champion for the organization.

The awardees, like Sharon, are everyday heroes and represent successful programs that improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster increased civic engagement through service and volunteering. When college recruiters would not come to Glenville High School, Ginn decided to take his athletes to the colleges. The Ted Ginn Sr. Foundation Annual Combat Bus Tour took players around the country to combine and showcase events. Coach Ginn has helped more than 100 student-athletes attend college. Among those students, more than 50 gained Division I scholarships, including his son, Ted Ginn Jr., a member of the Watkins Award Class of 2004, starred at Ohio State and has played 13 NFL seasons.

But Ted Ginn Sr says of his program is neither about track nor football. “It’s about saving lives and saving souls,” he says. “Football and track are just the vehicles we use to ride in.” Because of his life’s philosophy and what he has given to his community, we are honored to make Ted Ginn Sr. our Sharon Love-Ransom Community Service.

Award Recipient for 2022

Ted Ginn sr. (left)

watkins man of the year award

The Watkins Award has established a legacy of honoring the most elite African American men in the United States. The Watkins Award has
established itself as the most coveted award for African American high school seniors. These men have gone on to become professional football and basketball players, gotten masters degrees, begun to work on doctorate degrees, become lawyers, actors, and entrepreneurs. More importantly, 98 percent have graduated from college. From this group of men, we select the Watkins Man of the Year which includes a long list of successful athletes, 21st century leaders, entrepreneurs and a cohort of socially responsible African American men.

The Watkins Man of the Year honors the volunteer and charity work as well as the excellence exhibited by the honoree. The honoree is a shining example of how to motivate, achieve growth, and expand into the community of young African American men extolling the virtues of knowledge and providing examples of success. This award establishes a precedent for widespread cultural change, impacts the political welfare our young African American men and serves as a symbol of empowerment for men who make a difference in the African American community.

In addition, the award embodies the values of the Watkins Award. The annual Watkins Award is a means for recognizing exceptionally talented African-American, high-school male athletes who, by their example, help promote high academic standards and a commitment to community service. But, most importantly, recognition and acknowledgment of these young men both destroy the perceived stereotype that African-American males are just athletes who do not value education. Recognizing both a community activist and an outstanding athlete is a synergistic effort to promote our commitment to this population of scholars and continue our commitment to making a holistic contribution to our community.

Award Recipient for 2022