Join CEA to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King on Jan. 13 and honor this year's award winners. We expect the event to sell out. Our speaker this year is Rev. Al Sharpton. Get your tickets early!

State Treasurer Kevin Boyce is the recipient of the CEA Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award; and Barbara Yarborough, teacher at the Columbus Africentric Early College Elementary School, is the recipient of the Helen Jenkins Davis Award.

Kevin Boyce is finishing his term as Ohio Treasurer. Prior to that position, he served eight years as a member of the Columbus City Council.

He has received many awards and honors, including Ebony magazine's National "30 Leaders Under 30;" the 2009 Myrl H. Shoemaker Award for Integrity and Dedication in public service; and the National Council of Negro Women's Community Service Award.

Before working for city council, Boyce was Executive Director of KnowledgeWorks Ohio; and during his tenure, he was a part of a team that implemented cutting-edge education models such as Project GRAD, Small Schools and Early College. He also served as Chief of Staff for the Ohio House of Representatives Democratic Caucus and was Executive Director of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus.

Boyce is one of Columbus City Schools' own. He graduated from East High School in 1990, moving on to earn degrees from the University of Toledo and Central Michigan University. He is noted for his community involvement, especially to youth. He is an active member of St. Paul AME Church in Columbus, where he serves as a steward, and where he participates in activities for youth and young adults. Boyce and his wife, Crystal, have two sons.

Barbara Yarborough is in her 52nd year of teaching with Columbus City Schools. She is our most senior member and is not ready to retire yet. "I'm eventually going to," she said, "but every time I think about it, I see the need."

Yarborough began teaching in 1958 at Milo ES. She quickly developed a reputation for creativity and dedication. She became the Gifted and Talented Coordinator there and gave the fourth-graders a special project of creating a school newspaper.

Later she taught at Indian Springs as one of the first black teachers to move to a so-called "white" school. There, she taught her third graders black history year-round.

This mother of three, grandmother of five and great-grandmother of two has taught at several Columbus schools, including Brentnell, Pilgrim, Fifth Avenue and the Africentric School, where she has been for the past 11 years. Besides seeing her students grow up and bring her their children, she has seen a lot of changes in teaching techniques. She moves with the tide.

"I try to use a lot of manipulatives," she said. "I use the computer. I'm still waiting on my SMART Board," she said.

Barbara sees families changing, and she works harder to connect with parents. "Today our parents are more involved in other things. And the parents I have now are young," she said. She isn't quitting on them. "I always told them, I'm for the children," she said. "If they are willing to learn, I'm willing to teach."