Former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Alan Page shared the highest civilian honor in the country with students at Justice Page Middle School (JPMS).
The NFL Hall-of-Famer was among six honorees awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Donald Trump at a White House ceremony last Friday.
On Monday, Nov. 19, he visited JPMS to present the award to students at his namesake school.
In accepting the Medal of Freedom, Page acknowledged the people in his life, personal and professional, who helped him succeed. “We all move forward by supporting each other,” he said. “Being awarded the medal gives me a platform to reiterate that message.”
Although his numerous awards and accolades could fill a wall, Page said he is most proud of his work with students at JPMS, as well as the Page Education Foundation, which he and his late wife, Diane Sims Page, founded in 1988 after his 22-year tenure as the first Black Minnesota Supreme Court justice.
Since launching, the foundation has awarded nearly $15 million in scholarship grants to more than 7,000 students of color graduating from a Minnesota high school to attend a Minnesota post-secondary school.
As part of his visit with students, Page kicked off the newly formed Junior Page Scholar. The new program is modeled after the Page Education Foundation’s program for high school graduates and will focus on academic excellence, leadership, and community service. Students chosen to be in the program were presented purple No. 88 Page Scholar T-shirts (Page’s Vikings jersey number) by Page Foundation Scholars.
Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendent Ed Graff praised Page for his and Diane’s work with Minneapolis students. “Justice Page is an icon in our school community and sets a positive example for all students to follow,” he said. “All of Minneapolis Public Schools congratulates him on this well-deserved recognition.”
JPMS Principal Erin Rathke echoed those sentiments.
“Alan and Diane are an integral part of our school family and heroes to us all. We are deeply honored and proud to celebrate and carry on their legacy,” she said.
For more information on the Justice Page Middle School, visit page.mpls.k12.mn.us.
For more information about the Page Education Foundation, visit www.page-ed.org.
Reach the staff at the MSR at msrnewsonline@spokesman-recorder.com.