User:Kitoba/Catherine Willis

Catherine Willis is an African-American activist and educator from Columbus, Ohio. A former Columbus City Schools (CCS) teacher, she is best known as the founder of the Urban Strings Columbus Youth Orchestra. Other organizations and programs she has founded or initiated include the non-profit organization Friends of Art for Community Enrichment (F.A.C.E.) which familiarizes children with African diaspora art and culture, the Helen Jenkins Davis Scholarship Fund Lunch Bunch which has awarded over $140,000 in scholarships to Black graduating seniors from CCS, and the "Chess in the Neighborhood program" at Columbus' Martin Luther King Library.

Awards

 * 2020 City of Columbus Hall of Fame
 * 2020 Columbus Foundation Harrison M. Sayre Award
 * 2019 Columbus Symphony Orchestra Music Educator Award
 * 2016 Greater Columbus Arts Council Community Arts Partnership Award
 * 2015 The Central Ohio Senior Hall of Fame
 * 2015 The Jefferson Award
 * 2012 Capital Woman of Distinction
 * 2006 Senator Ray Miller "Honoring Your Elders" Award
 * 2003 Columbus City Schools Golden Ruler Award
 * 2002 Montessori Champion of Children Award
 * 2000 Columbus Metropolitan Library Julian Sinclair Celebration of Learning Award
 * 1992 Columbus YWCA Women Of Achievement
 * 1985 The Jefferson Award

Affiliations

 * Columbus Youth Foundation Board of Directors
 * The United Negro College Fund
 * The Ohio Wesleyan University Upward Bound program
 * The SOUL Committee of the National Afro American Museum and Cultural Center
 * Columbus Medical Association Foundation
 * I Know I Can Board of Directors
 * Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
 * Twin Rivers Chapter of The Links