Saloon Media Funds Scholarship For High School Seniors at Emma E. Booker School in Florida (EXCLUSIVE)

Mackenzie Nichols
·2 min read

Saloon Media, a Blue Ant Studios company that produced the award-winning documentary “9/11 Kids,” announced on Friday it will be funding a new annual scholarship created by Emma E. Booker School in Sarasota, Fla. to award to a high school senior.

“9/11 Kids,” produced in association with Documentary Channel, chronicles the lives of a group of second-graders — mostly African American children — from Emma E. Booker Elementary School who were in the midst of reading with Former President George W. Bush when two planes struck the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. The documentary catches up with the kids as they are now in their twenties, discussing their stories of inequality, discrimination and economic struggle. The scholarship will be awarded to a senior at Booker High School annually who has attended all three schools: Emma E. Booker Elementary, Booker Middle School and Booker High School.

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“Helping establish a scholarship to give back to The Booker schools in Sarasota, which have gone over and above for their students, is a dream come true for the entire ‘9/11 Kids’ production team and continues the documentary’s message of optimism and hope for the future,” said Elizabeth St. Philip, the director of “9/11 Kids,” in a statement. “It’s incredibly rewarding for ‘9/11 Kids’ to be included in the ABFF, alongside a high calibre of films showcasing the work of truly inspiring Black filmmakers.”

The “Gwendolyn Tose’-Rigell Scholarship” honors the late principal who facilitated the meeting with Former President Bush to read with the kids and talk about the national education initiative No Child Left Behind.

“This scholarship is such a wonderful gesture and will help a life-long Booker student continue their education beyond the walls of our schools,” said Sandra Kay Daniels, who was teaching in the classroom during the meeting when the planes hit the World Trade Center.

Saloon Media is providing the funds to get the scholarship running. St. Philip, who won the Rogers Audience Award at the Hot Docs International Film Festival for “9/11 Kids,” is donating her prize to the scholarship. Take Stock in Children, a Sarasota County, Florida-based non-profit organization, will be the scholarship partner. Patrons can contribute funding for the scholarship here.

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