Poinsetta Cowles-Oliver with her handmade fashion dolls. Photo by Louise Krafft/The Connection
Residents and friends gathered at the Drew Model School and Community Center on Saturday, Sept. 20, to celebrate the Nauck community’s 170th birthday with a day of civic and community pride.
The Nauck community, bounded by the Army-Navy Country Club (east), South 16th Road (north), Four Mile Run (south), and South Walter Reed Drive (west), was initially settled in 1844 by a free black man, Levi Jones. Nauck began its gradual growth into an African American community when former residents of Freedman’s Village began moving into the area after the Civil War.
Student Awards were presented to the following winners:
Robert Winkler Award for Public Service -Kirsten Pettiway
Jennie Davis Leadership Award - Kiana Carter
Gary Barbee Memorial Award - Layla Amarir
Other activities included health and nutrition presentations and Zumba classes held inside the Drew Community Center. Birthday cake was served at 3 p.m. The event was organized by Portia A. Clark.