NEW HAVEN, Conn. WTNH) — The West Haven Black Coalition held its 35th annual Scholarship and Community Awards Dinner on Saturday night.

The group recognizes the hard work done by community leaders and presents educational scholarships to 10 West Haven High School students for their academic achievement, leadership and community service.

About 500 people attended Saturday’s event.

“Black History Month should be every month, we should be talking about what we’ve done because we, as African-Americans, have built this country. We are all so excited, and this is a good time for us to all come together,” said Carroll Brown, founder and president of the West Haven Black Coalition. “In unity, there is strength, together we stand, divided we fall.”

Saturday’s event also featured honors for former West Haven athletes who were inducted into the West Haven Blac Coalition’s Athletic Hall of Fame.