2001-2016
William Jeffress
IIn May of 2001, the Board of Directors then voted to hire William Jeffress as the Executive Director of the
Booker T. Washington Center. A motion was established by the previous Executive Director to be more
collaborative and work with organizations that have the same mindset, and Mr. Jeffress demonstrated this
commitment. As previously mentioned, collaboration is a key concept that is promoted by governmental
agencies and funding agencies. Mr. Jeffress created strong partnerships with outside organizations to help
support community needs. For example, the creation of the Booker T. Washington Center became a branch
campus of Mercyhurst University and provided students and adults the opportunity to further their
education by taking classes and earning an associate degree for over 10 years.
2016 – Current
Shantel Hilliard
Finally, In June 2016, the Board of Directors then voted to hire Shantel Hilliard as the Executive Director of
the Booker T. Washington Center. In the spirit of the former Executive Director, Mr. Hilliard believed in the
concept of collaboration and community, and he has continued to understand the importance of both. Mr.
Hilliard has opened the doors to the community providing vital programs for our youth implementing
Afterschool Programs, the Summer of Success Program, and several Athletic Programs. Recently, Mr. Hilliard
created a partnership with Erie Sports Park along with his partners from the Minority Community Investment
Coalition. This partnership provides opportunities for the inner-city youth to participate in non-traditional
sports such as Lacrosse, Soccer, Volleyball, and other sports.
Due to the vital collaboration with the Erie community, Mr. Hilliard and his partners from the Martin Luther
King Center and the Urban Erie Community Development Corporation formed the Minority Community
Indvestment Coalition with the goal to create jobs, sustainability, and entrepreneurship. This valuable
partnership agreed upon and finalized the purchase of the Joyce Savocchio Opportunity Park, which is
comprised of 19 acres on Erie’s east side. This partnership and formulation of a new Non-Profit, between the
three organizations, has also created a project set to break ground. The project is called Grow Erie which
consists of Urban Agriculture and a Community Greenhouse for the people in the neighborhood to grow food
and have Farmer’s markets.
In conclusion, the Booker T. Washington Center provided a rich 100 years of service to this community in a
variety of ways. We wish the organization continued successIng, and computer usage. O’Reilly your food ready did you hear me can you say grace thank you for this week thank you father God for a person prepared as father God we thank you for always blessing us with a meal for the valley thank you father God because some don’t have so you just continue the desire to your father that I was making away by the dozen just blessed us food in your name Jesus Christ name amen Della hover cousin exit grandmama where is the hurricane go to browser hey Bing who did some things around the place is it because his presence with Miss more than you no might be left quit did you pay my credit card I really need to work but so mean weather double everybody was saying Home message to Steve cell tell him I love him what is Tim Duncan name me about this place she said is it people no you’re still in the pit she said it Home don’t sit on the phone and talk about it because people think you can Play as it is though the weather same thing he thought he was important
Booker T. Washington Center community Servant award
booker t. Washington center Lifetime community servant award
booker t. Washington center youth community servant award
Homer L. Smith Jr. was born and raised in Buffalo, New York. He is the son of the late Homer L. Smith Sr. and the late Pauline T. Staten Smith. Homer attended the Buffalo Public School system and is a 1972 graduate of Hutchinson Central Technical High School. In May, 1976, he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Secondary Education (Social Sciences) from Gannon University.
Following his graduation, Homer was hired by Gannondale New Horizons as a Counselor and Night Child Care Worker in their Intensive Treatment Unit. In 2011 Homer was recognized by Gannondale for thirty- five years of exemplary service to the agency.
Homer worked at Gannon University as a Counselor in the Act 101/EOP Program from (1976 – 1979) and as the Assistant Director of Alumni Services from (2005 – 2010.)
Homer was employed by the City of Erie for twenty five years as a dedicated and efficient employee in various capacities from (1980 – 2005.) He served as a Compliance Officer in the Human Relations Commission., and as the EEO/Labor Compliance Officer and ADA Coordinator in the Office of the Mayor.
In 2011, he was hired as a Counselor at Erie Rise Leadership Academy Charter School. He retired on June 30, 2022 serving (11) years in various capacities including Facilitator of Special Programs, Athletic Director and Public Relations Officer.
As an active member in the Erie Community; Homer is a member of St. James AME Church, where he serves on the Steward Board, Commission on Stewardship & Finance, Senior Usher Board, Class Leaders and the Public Relations and Broadcast Ministry. Since 1977, Homer has served the community as a volunteer Radio Announcer on WERG/90.5 and as Program/Sponsorship Coordinator for Super Soul Saturday program.
He is a 1995 graduate of Leadership Erie, and is a member of the following Organizations and Boards: Zeta Pi Chapter, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.; GECAC Board of Directors; Erie Branch NAACP; and the Gannon University African American Alumni Committee.
Homer is married to Edna M. Jordan Smith, and is the father of four sons, Marvin, Marcus, Nijel and Jordan. He enjoys spending time with family, traveling, listening to music, watching movies and attending NBA contests. Brother Smith is thankful for his upbringing in a Christian home. Parting comments “Raise up a child in the way that he/she should go, and when they get old they
won’t depart from it.”
Mrs. Chevalier Johnson has dedicated most of her life to community service. Born in Burkesville, KY. Mrs. Johnson’s parents moved to Erie, Pa., when she was very young. She has worked and been dedicated to Erie’s youth and families building culturally competent, respectful, citizens.
She is a graduate of East High School where she was active in sports, baton, and dance. She went on to nursing school and became a registered nurse. In 1969, Mr. Melvin Witherspoon asked her to serve as the Recreation Director at the ACT center. She accepted that
position and her journey in community service began.
She started a dance program teaching young girls the art and rhythmic style of dancing. She taught ballet, Modern dance and tap.
When the Booker T. Washington Center was built on 18th and Holland Streets, Mr. Witherspoon once again recruited her for the position of Recreational Director of Culture and Social Services. She worked in that position for a few years then as funding became scarce, she became the grant writer to assist with finding resources to continue and develop needed programs. She taught herself how to write grants. She became so proficient at grant writing that it became one of her responsibilities.
Mrs. Johnson was instrumental in writing and assisting grant programs such as Community Health, Summer food programs, Scouting, BTWC wrestling, AAU Track and field, just to name a few. Not only was she instrumental in the community, but also a dedicated mother to three sons, Theodore, Raymond and Junius, and 10 grandchildren. She is also a mother, teacher and friend to hundreds of young people who have come across her path and has become a pillar in the Erie community.
DaMario Crawford a Cathedral Preparatory alumnus of 2023 will be attending Saint Francis University to play division I football. Mr.
Crawford is a 2-time first team all-state, a 3-time all-region and an all-district athlete in football. He is a tri athlete award winner, and
in 2023 he was recognized as the overall most outstanding athlete at Cathedral Preparatory School.
DaMario is also an Indoor track state medalist in the long jump. He grew up in the Booker T. Washington Center and participated in programs from 3rd through 8th grade.
He credits the Booker T Washington Center with giving him somewhere to go after school and during the summer, keeping him active and away from, and out of trouble. “The Booker T. Washington Center kept me on top of my work, so that I could excel in school and kept my interest focused.
I fell in love with being active and being into schoolwork over being in the streets. The Booker T. Washington Center still helps me to this day. I still have connections and mentors I’ve met throughout the years, and we stay in contact.”
Social Service Distribution
The Numbers
2019-2020
Senior Meal Distribution – 2,000
Family Food Boxes- 1,500
Earned Income Tax Filing – 1,176
Employment/Resume/Job Fairs Writing Assistance – 328
Summer Recreation – 125
Afterschool Programming – 222
Community Service/Volunteers – 54
Wellness Fair – 266
IMPACT Athletic Teams) – 45
Educational Resources/Materials/Outreach – 3,333 Pieces
2020-2021
Senior Meal Distribution – 4,000
Family Food Boxes – 2,500
Earned Income Tax Filing – 926
Employment/Resume/Job Fairs Writing Assistance – 154
Summer Recreation – 50
Afterschool Programming – 125
Community Service/Volunteers – 22
Wellness Fair – 266|
Covid-19 Testing – 3,005
Vaccination Clinics/Shots – 6,378
Screenings – 2,754
Primary Care Physicians Referrals – 97
Interpretation Services – 60
2021-2022
Senior Meal Distribution – 2,450
Family Food Boxes – 3,000
Earned Income Tax Filing – 926
Employment/Resume/Job Fairs Writing Assistance – 154
Summer Recreation – 50
Afterschool Programming – 125
Community Service/Volunteers – 22
Covid-19 Testing – 3,125
Vaccination Clinics/Shots – 7,478
Screenings – 3,654
Primary Care Physicians Referrals – 86
Interpretation Services – 93
2022-2023
Family Food Boxes – 2,500
Earned Income Tax Filing – 926
Employment/Resume/Job Fairs Writing Assistance – 154
Afterschool Programming – 176
Community Service/Volunteers – 22
Wellness Fair – 172
Covid-19 Testing – 1,023
Vaccination Clinics/Shots – 1,259
Screenings – 854
Primary Care Physicians Referrals – 42
Interpretation Services – 22
Community Service/Volunteers – 44
100 Years Centennial Celebration Keynote Speaker
Dr. Armendia Pierce Dixon
Dr. Armendia Pierce Dixon is a highly decorated educator whose career began in 1961 after receiving the BA from Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi. She received the MEd in school administration from Edinboro University, Edinboro, Pennsylvania in 1978; the PhD in curriculum and instruction from Kent State University, Kent, Ohio in 1994 and the Doctorate of Letters from Allegheny College, Meadville, Pennsylvania in 2019.
Dr. Dixon’s career in education spans over 63 years; believe it or not, she says she is “for real retiring this year.” She has been serving since 2010 as director of the MLL mentoring program at the Meadville Area Middle School. Her writings include Meaning Making with Maxine Green on Her work as a Philosopher Teacher Educator, Co-author of Meadville Ebony Genealogy of Sorts and a Diamond on the Diamond. Also, she has written several articles that include Changing Families Preparing Teachers to Form Partnerships and Parents Full Partners in Decision-Making Process.
Dr. Dixon asked that we focus on her time spent in the Erie School District; however, it is important to note that in 1966, as a young teacher just a few years out of college, Dr. Dixon’s life changed dramatically when the impact of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 finally trickled down to Laurel, Mississippi. One Monday morning, the school superintendent called her to a special meeting where he read a telegram from the federal government stating that the Laurel City Schools must be integrated without delay. He told her he did not agree with the directive, but he had to follow it. With the support of her parents, she decided to accept the assignment. It was her moment to enter the fight for civil rights. It was her moment to answer the call to challenge racial discrimination.
Dr. Dixon had the courage to cross over the railroad tracks from her own black section of town where she was an English teacher in the Oak Park High School to become part time librarian in the Stainton Elementary School. She became the first African American teacher in an all-white school in Laurel, Mississippi and thereafter the Laurel City Schools were integrated. In 2006, she was presented the Key to the City of Laurel. Though Dr. Dixon has been blessed to retire with honors from many assignments in education, I w i s h
to, as she requested, shine the spotlight on the time she spent in the School District where she made inspirational footprints. First, she served as a teacher of English in our District from 1967-1972 until she married a Meadville man who swooped her away to Meadville. They had one son, Harrison D. Dixon, IlI who now teaches social studies at Erie High.
In 1991, our school District offered Dr. Dixon a job she couldn’t refuse. It was the opportunity to serve as Director of Secondary Education. She accepted the position returning to Erie as a dynamic servant leader and the first African American to hold this position. When the District had a budget crisis, she agreed to also serve as principal of the Strong Vincent High School in addition to her job director.
During her time as principal at Strong Vincent, students made the most outstanding scores on the P S S A I n t h e s t a t e a n d t h e h i g h e s t SAT s c o r e s I n t h e n a t i o n .
O t h e r c r e d i t s t o Dr. D i x o n i n c l u d e :
Conducting a complete curriculum audit for the secondary schools and realigning the curriculum; Facilitating and designing the Northwest College Academy; Forming partnerships for Strong Vincent High School: Facilitating and editing the first comprehensive Academic Handbook for all secondary schools in the District; Serving as chair of the District’s Celebration of Erie’s Bicentennial; Becoming teacher-partner with school in Novia Scotia and especially do we appreciate her serving as a friend and advisor to the Booker T. Washington Center.
Though she received numerous honors while in our school District, one most precious to her was the proclamation declaring Wednesday, October 24, 2000, as Dr. Armendia P. Dixon Day in Erie, Pennsylvania because of outstanding service to the schools and City of Erie signed and presented by Joyce A. Savocchio, Mayor of the City of Erie, Pennsylvania.