Project ENRICH Closes the Year with Essay Presentations and a Final "Check"

On Saturday,  April 4, while working away at the home of the flock he oversees, Greater Mount Nebo AME Church in Bowie, MD Bro. Rev. Dr. Gerald Folsom was called to come into the sanctuary where he was escorted down to the pulpit by two familiar Omega men from Gamma Pi chapter. They weren't asking him to preach (though he is always ready!), but they instead wanted to say thanks and present him with a gift. 

With a symbolic oversized check, Project ENRICH director Bro. Dr. George Montgomery along with Basileus Bro. Terance Hare and Bro. John Howard presented Bro. Rev. Dr. Folsom a $1,500 check from the Charles Drew Memorial Scholarship Fund as a way of saying thanks for his church coming to Project ENRICH's rescue by providing  a meeting place for several months. The situation developed after Project ENRICH was essentially "forced out" of a federal facility that was suddenly closed during the long government shutdown that occurred during a federal budget battle last fall. 

At the time of the shutdown, Project ENRICH was just a few days away from its next meeting date and faced the real possibility of having to cancel the October session which happened to be the opening session of the 2025-26 academic year.  Once he heard about the crisis, Bro. Rev. Dr. Folsom opened the doors of the church for the October 11 session and the program remained there throughout the program's academic year.  As they say, "the rest is history!"

Meanwhile on Saturday, Project ENRICH students, with many parents gathered, brought down the curtain on a challenging but successful year with their essay presentations. They split into groups by class designation and one-by-one they took turns striding up to the front of the room to give their 3-minute presentations on their assigned topics.

Each student received constructive feedback from a Project ENRICH staff member. The assigned topics were as follows: 

• Explain specific strategies and initiatives to address pressing issues and foster positive change (freshmen);
• Examine the qualities that make for exceptional leaders (sophomores)
• Discuss choosing the right college, major, and career path (juniors)
• Discuss the relationship between career aspirations and the journey towards entrepreneurship (seniors)

The top three essays from each grade will be awarded $500, $400 and $300 respectively. The written essays were graded in advance and the students then had to deliver the essays orally at the April 4 session.

A week prior to the closing session, students attended an HBCU Expo in Washington, D.C.

"Several of our outstanding juniors received on-the-spot college admissions and scholarship offers, with a handful earning full-ride scholarships. This is a testament to their preparation, dedication, and commitment to excellence. Congratulations to these hardworking students," said Bro. Dr. Montgomery, who is finishing up his second year as Project ENRICH Director.

Last year's senior class received a record-high $5.4 million in college scholarships and this year's graduating class has already surpassed that total. The Project ENRICH end-of-the-year scholarship banquet is scheduled for May 28. Follow the Project ENRICH website for more information about the banquet.