The Super Chapter's Popular Project ENRICH Program Kicks Off for 2017-18

Large crowd of interested parents and students attend

On this Saturday afternoon, the weather was great. Even though it was officially the second day of Fall, the temperature soared into the 80's and everyone was not yet ready to let go of summer in the DMV. Inside the South Bowie Community Center, some people worked out in the weight room and young men bounced basketballs in the gym. In an assembly room off to the side, a trio of Brothers from Gamma Pi bounced around ideas about how to select a major, how to assess which college is right for you, what courses to focus on the last two years of high school and where to look for scholarship money. Project ENRICH is back!

The program, directed by Brother Willie Hines, held an Open House on Saturday. More than 50 parents and students showed up for the event. They had questions for the upcoming academic year and were eager to get started. Many were new registrants in the 9th grade, which is where the program starts. Students are engaged from grades 9-12 to help them take the right steps to prepare for college. Students meet one Saturday a month at Bowie State University throughout the school year.

Participating along with Brother Hines at Saturday's program were Brothers Brett Blake and Lucien Cox, who all addressed the audience from a panel at the front of the room. Brother Pete Ford was manning the entrance. They along with several other chapter members run Project ENRICH like a small school. Saturday's program was more of a preliminary getting ready for the grind designed to both welcome new students, answer questions from interested students and to set the course for this year. The Opening Convocation is set for Saturday,October 7 at 10 a.m. at Bowie State's Thurgood Marshall Library.

Gamma Pi Brothers lead Open House 

During Saturday's program, questions ranged from what the typical Project ENRICH Saturday is like to the dress code which requires the students to wear business attire to the incoming presenters to how to arrange college visits to registration. There were also queries about scholarship money, college entrance exams, AP courses, community college and opportunities provided by Historically Black Colleges and Universities at a time when those schools' relevance is being challenged. One parent gave a testimonial about her daughter's growth through Project ENRICH  And as a bonus during the Open House, parents and students received a briefing from Project ENRICH parent Cheryl Jones about the HBCU College Tour operated by her chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

As is customary with Project ENRICH, Brother Hines looks for every opportunity to get students to get used to public speaking and having ready their 30-second "elevator speech." To that end, Brother Hines had students introduce themselves and talk about their future career goals during the program.

For information about Project ENRICH, visit the program's website (www.projectenrich.org), Facebook page (www.facebook.com/projectenrichprogram) or follow Project ENRICH on Twitter (@projectenrich). Online registration is underway for 2017-18 on the program's website.

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Project ENRICH Ends Another Successful Year on a High Note

To hear Antoinette Mason tell it, she did not want to be there in the first place. Not at the start. She absolutely hated coming to Project ENRICH and only came to the program, as a ninth grader, because she had to. But on yesterday she was able to look back and see a lot of personal growth and growing confidence in her own abilities as she heads off to college. Mason was named winner of the "Perseverance" award for the senior class by Brother Lucien Cox, who heads the seniors group. She was among a number of students who joined parents, friends and members of Gamma Pi for the closing ceremony for Project ENRICH to mark the end of the 2012-13 academic year.

Project ENRICH Seniors

More than 100 people packed a large room at Vista Gardens in Bowie for a fantastic program that highlighted the year, recognized the achievements of outstanding students and gave a vision for their future -- especially the seniors. Director Willie Hines, a longtime member of Gamma Pi, also offered a look into the future of Project ENRICH next year as the program looks to continue its expansion and also welcome in a new freshman class next August. One component he hopes to build into next year's program is more independent study where students can self-tailor more of their activities.

Saluting the Seniors

Yesterday, the focus was on the program's seniors and what the four years of participation has ingrained in them as they prepare for college. That was a way of reaching back to the juniors, sophomores and freshman about what to look forward to as they continue their high school studies toward college. The seniors took turns recalling their Project ENRICH experiences through the four years: field trips,college tours, career day talks and of course the annual April essay contest. The seniors passed along advice to the students they are believing behind and evoked a specials sense of pride as they announced their college choices for the Fall: Morgan State University, Towson University, Maryland-Eastern Shore, Frostburg State, Virginia State and even faraway paces like the University of Alabama and Tennessee, where one student is enrolled in a joint program at Fisk University-Vanderbilt University.

The Gamma Pi Project ENRICH Support Team 

A recent alumnus of the program, Nathan Jones, offered an inspirational talk about being prepared and how Project ENRICH helped him make the transition from high school to college, where he is a rising sophomore at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. A parent, Cecilia Lawrence, also spoke to the group about the benefits she realized through the participation of her son who is a rising junior. Brother Ikey Staton, Gamma Pi Vice Basileus, brought greetings on behalf of Brother Gordon Everett, Sr., Basileus.

MacKenzie Summer was given the top honor yesterday by being named the "#1 senior" in Project ENRICH. In addition to her and Antoinette Mason (Perseverance award winner), other senior award winners were Miracle Iweala (Manhood), Adam Pinkney (Scholarship) and Cesi Taboada (Uplift). Brother Cox personally pledged $800 of his own money toward tuition for the four award winners -- $200 for each winner representing the Omega Psi Phi Four Cardinal Principles: Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance and Uplift.

Winners of the annual essay contest were also recognized for each grade level. Freshmen: Rudy Jules, Donovan Fowler (First place); Gammon Gresham (Second); Willie Hines (Third).  Sophomores: Brandon Jones (First), Makyla Massie (second), and Aaron Lorenzo (Third). Juniors: Shayne Dennis (|First); Niaye Greene, Brittany Jennings (Second); Chidera Ken-anueyiagu (Third). Seniors: MacKenzie Summer (First); Ragime Young (Second); Cesi Taboada, Miracle Iweale (Third)

Celebrating "40" With a Commitment to Scholarship

For Gamma Pi, which is celebrating 40 years, Project ENRICH represeinnts the chapter's commitment to the Cardinal Principle of Scholarship. It is operated in conjunction with the academic year and focuses on students in the Prince George's County schools. The students meet one week a month at Bowie State University for lectures, activities, informational sessions and hearing from experts about college financial aid and scholarships.

In addition to Brothers Hines and Cox, the Project ENRICH teams also consists of Brothers Lawrence Branch, Otis Fowler, Brett Blake and Don Norwood (Juniors), 

You can watch the entire Project ENRICH closing ceremony on the Web at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/gamma-pi-on-location. The program was broadcast live and is 65 minutes long. Also, visit Project ENRICH on the web at www.projectenrich.org or on Facebook: www.facebook.com/projectenrichprogram

Here are some photos from the event provided by Brother Norwood:

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