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Louisiana State University in Shreveport Professor Dr. Carlos Spaht, II has received the 1998 Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award for Greatest Public Service Benefitting Local Communities. The announcement was made during the 1998 Jefferson Awards held in Washington, D.C., June 15 -17.
The Jefferson Awards are sponsored by the American Institute for Public Service. The Institute was founded in 1972 by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, U.S. Senator Robert Taft, Jr. and Sam Beard to honor excellence in community and public service. The 1998 Jefferson Awards were co-chaired by United States Senate Minority Leader Thomas A. Daschle and United States Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott.
This year over 14,000 people from across the country were nominated for Jefferson Awards for recognition of community service to their local commurn'ty. Dr. Spaht was chosen with four other individuals to receive the national Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award by the Institute's national Board of Selectors. Members of the Board of Selectors included Hank Aaron, Gregory Peck, and Neil Simon.
In addition to the award for local community service, the American Institute for Public Service also presented Jefferson Awards for community service that impacted the entire United States. These awards were presented to Oprah Winfrey, U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, Thaddeus S. Lott, Sr., and Bobby Jindal, former Secretary of Health and Hospitals for the State of Louisiana and now the Executive Director of the National Bi-Partisan Commission on the Future of Medicare.
Dr. Spaht was presented the award for his work in creating the LaPrep program at LSUS. LaPrep is a summer enrichunent program for at risk youth. It identifies, encourages and instructs at-risk middle and high school students in hopes that they will successfully complete a college program. The program offers courses and seminars for two consecutive summers.
The announcement of the award to Dr. Spaht was made at the 1998 Jefferson Awards Gala Dinner by Julian Bond, the National Chair of the NAACP Board of Directors and a board member of the American Institute for Public Service. After the announcement a video detailing Dr. Spaht's work with the LaPrep program was presented.
The following day Dr. Spaht was formally presented the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award during a ceremony in the United States Supreme Court Building. The reception was hosted by Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
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Dr. Spaht was also recognized by U.S. Senators John Breaux and Mary Landrieu during a ceremony at the United States Senate.
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The Jefferson Awards are sponsored locally by KTBS Television and Bank One.
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| Julian Bond and Dr. Carlos Spaht |