Gamma Pi Brother Paves the Way for 3 Chapter Offspring to Get Full Rides to His Alma Mater

Bro. Dr. Foy checks out his surprise gift

The spring can be a stressful time of year for families with high school seniors who are about to graduate. Not only are they burdened with tasks related to graduation, but many are anxious about the upcoming cost of college. Even those who get scholarship funds and financial aid still find themselves short to cover the escalating costs of higher education. For three families in Gamma Pi, the expense of college was significantly lessened recently thanks to the coveted “full ride” scholarships their daughters were awarded to attend Tennessee State University (TSU).

TSU President Dr. Glover

There is a definite Omega Psi Phi connection. The students are all from families of Gamma Pi chapter Brothers. Shayla Danielle Simmons of Grace Brethren Christian School (Bro. Tommie Boone and wife Gayle); Kirsten Beverly of Gwynn Park High (Bro. Rodney Beverly and wife Josette); and Victoria Gourdin of Saint Stephens and Saint Agnes (Bro. Vaughn Gourdin and wife Kelly), will all be attending TSU in the Fall to become members of the Class of 2019. To attend Tennessee State, tuition alone (without room and board) is approximately $11,000 per semester for out-of-state students.  And here is another Omega link: The husband of TSU president Dr. Glenda Baskin Glover is a member of Omega Psi Phi, having pledged the Fraternity at Tennessee State soon after Gamma Pi's Bro. Dr. Harrison Foy, DVM.

The Omega connection came through Bro. Dr. Foy, a Tennessee State alumnus (Rho Psi ’67), who personally pitched the students’ academic and personal qualities and is a friend and fellow TSU alumnus of school president Dr. Glover. As a result they were offered four-year “full ride” scholarships. A fourth student, Brandon Jones, who participates in Gamma Pi’s Project ENRICH college preparatory program, was offered in-state tuition rates. All students will begin classes at the school in the Fall.

The families held a celebratory dinner on Sunday, April 12 at the Fort Washington home of Bro. Gourdin. It was an opportunity to meet each other and also to share their aspirations of leaving home together to attend college far away. The young women revealed their career interests: Victoria is interested in law and computer forensics, Shayla in journalism and Kirsten is interested in pediatric dentistry. Brandon Jones and his family were unable to attend due to a prior scheduling conflict.

Dr. Foy was also joined for the occasion by his wife Dr. SanYvette Foy, DVM (Alabama A&M undergrad) and Bro. Willie Hines, who directs Gamma Pi’s Project ENRICH program. Bro. Dr. Foy and Bro. Hines have been investigating ways to create more scholarship opportunities like TSU through Project ENRICH. The families presented Bro. Dr. Foy with a watch – to be inscribed -- as a token of their appreciation for his tireless work on behalf of their students.

Essays Help Project ENRICH Students Gain Confidence on the Road to College

It is a time to get nervous. Sometimes it is a time to be self conscious. Or even flustered. but one thing for sure, for students participating in Gamma Pi chapter's Project ENRICH essay program, it was a time to get valuable experience addressing an audience. The most recent essay program was held Saturday morning, April 18, at Bowie State University’s Thurgood Marshall Library.

The annual essay program is part of the yearlong curriculum that the chapter executes during monthly Saturday sessions for high school students at Bowie State. Each grade group is given a topic to address. This year, the topics were as follows:

Freshmen: Describe or refute the statement: "Technology is good for modern culture.

Sophomores: What is your life goal and how will you accomplish it

Juniors: Describe your greatest achievement

Seniors: Describe a moment in your life that significantly altered
how you felt about your pursuit of a college education.

It was not just about the speeches. It was also about each student's story. One young man wanted to become a veterinarian. Another one waned to enter the Information Technology field. Another student expressed interest in pursuing anesthesiology and one particularly eloquent young man gave a powerful personal testimony of how he recently converted his interest from international relations (after hearing Bro. Teddy Taylor’s presentation to Project ENRICH over a year ago) to a career as a religious foreign missionary.

More than a dozen students representing all four classes (freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors) gave their presentations Saturday to parents, fellow students and Brothers of Gamma Pi who were gathered in the auditorium. Each student received constructive feedback from a panel of Gamma Pi judges including Director Bro. Willie Hines, and Brothers Lucian Cox, Marc Ellington and Reginald Thomas.

The essay program has long been one of the biggest priorities of Project ENRICH director Bro. Hines, who views public speaking as a major ingredient in students’ confidence and overall communications ability.

Project ENRICH will hold its closing program on May 30.

Alisha Jennings, Class of 2016, makes her presentation: 

Talent Hunt 2015 A "Showstopper" All the Way Around: Sights and Sounds

Winner Kayla McDonald with Basileus Brian K. Long
and Talent Hunt Chair Leroy Barton, Jr.

If you were inside the auditorium of Brother Charles H. Flowers High School in Springdale on Saturday afternoon, March 14, you would have thought for a while you were sitting front and center inside the famed Apollo Theater in Harlem. The only thing missing was the infamous Apollo "Sandman," who wasn't needed here because there were no "duds" on stage at Gamma Pi's Annual Talent Hunt . It was all good.

The melodic voices, the sharp sounds of finely tuned instruments, the awe-inspiring dance moves and the captivating emotion of dramatic readings made you feel like you were watching tomorrow's stars today. In many respects you were, as Gamma Pi showcased the dynamic talents of area high school students, delighting the audience of about 400 who turned out to take in the entertainment and fine arts.

Participants lined up across the stage

A total of 33 students participated, including 11 who displayed artwork. As in previous years, trying to pick a winner from such an outstanding field was next to impossible. To help ease the pain of having to choose from so many talented contestants, Gamma Pi, as always, employed a panel of professional music and fine arts educators to serve as judges, including the manager for legendary R&B act Earth, Wind &Fire.

The performance categories were instrumental classical, instrumental contemporary, vocal contemporary, drama and art. Students represented public and private high schools from Prince George's County and surrounding communities.

Audience enjoying the competition

Flowers High School senior Kayla McDonald was the overall winner and also took first place in drama. She performed vocals on the selection "My Funny Valentine" by Richard Rodgers, and was accompanied by her father, Charles McDonald. She also performed a drama routine from the Tyler Perry movie, "For Colored Girls Only." Graceson Moore (Suitland High) won in the instrumental classical category, Aston Woolery (Suitland) won the instrumental classical piano category, Nylah Drummond (Flowers High) was selected winner in the vocal contemporary category and she also won the dance category, and Oluferanmi Quadrias won in the dance division. A full list of winners is below,.

"The display of talent is awesome. It gets more stunning every year ," said Bro. Dr. Leroy Barton, Jr., the chapter's longtime Talent Hunt chairman."It's real encouraging to know we have so many youth with so much talent They all have such a bright future."

Juwan Blocker performs a drama piece

Like the classic "Amateur Night at the Apollo" and the more recent "American Idol," the Gamma Pi Talent Hunt excited and engaged the audience. From well-timed applause to cheers to standing ovations and oohs and aaahs, members of the audience found numerous ways to demonstrate their love for the contestants.

What really makes Talent Hunt special is the diversity of the performances in styles of vocal and instrumental music, dance and drama. In other words, there was something for everybody at Talent Hunt 2015. It was definitely an afternoon and evening to remember. Watch a special video presentation below:

VIDEO FEATURE

Dramatic Interpretation/Drama

First Place – Kayla McDonald*

Second Place – Mauriana Calhoun

Third Place – Juwan Blocker

Instrumental Classical

First Place – Graceson Moore

Second Place – Renee Banks

Third Place – Zakiyyah Thompson

Instrumental – Classical Piano

First Place – Aston Woolery

Second Place – MaKenzie Sherman

Third Place – Jesse H. Springfield

Vocal Contemporary

First Place – Nyah Drummond

Second Place – Kayla McDonald

Third Place – Diangelo K. Scott

                                                                                               

Dance

First Place – Nyah Drummond

Visual Art

First Place – Oluferanmi Quadri

Second Place – Melissa Gessner

Third Place – Terris Johnson

* overall winner

Students Give Their Views on Social Issues for Project ENRICH Black History Month

Bro. Willie Hines, Project ENRICH Chairman, speaks

For young people, Black History Month is a time to read about and listen to stories highlighting the contributions of African Americans throughout our nation's history. Quite simply, it is a time to listen and learn. But the students who participate in Gamma Pi's Project ENRICH program experienced a different kind of Black History Month observance this year. This time, they were the voices of Black History Month, as they provided their views on social issues and talked about the challenges they face in a society that is still struggling with diversity and cultural problems.

During the February 14 program at Bowie State University's Thurgood Marshall Library, more than 20 students from Project ENRICH engaged in a public exchange of ideas and information about various hot button topics before a crowded auditorium of parents, friends and Gamma Pi chapter members. Divided into three panels, they took turns articulating their views on such issues as the black male image, the black female image, popular culture, careers, college life, their goals and dreams, how they navigate their daily environments, identifying the influences in their lives and their generation as a whole, black-on-black crime, police-community relations and the last panel dealt with critical thinking. The question posed to the panel was "Are we teaching our children how to think critically or are we teaching them what to think?"

"I think the energy and the passion we are getting from our young people is very powerful...The future leaders of tomorrow are right here.So the best way to engage our young people is to hear from them to see what they see as the best solutions to solve some of their problems," said Brother Willie Hines, chairman of Project ENRICH. He conceived this year's approach to Black History Month as a way to get the youth to start visualizing their futures.

Parents and students take in the information 

At the end of the panel session,s individual students came forward and shared with the group developments in college acceptance, selections, scholarships and any other academic and scholastic exploits. It was encouraging to see the many opportunities Project ENRICH students are receiving.

Project ENRICH focuses on encouraging and preparing youth for college and productive lives as adults through monthly Saturday sessions at Bowie State, beginning in the 9th grade and ending with high school graduation. Students learn study skills, what to expect in college and what courses to take to prepare for college. Along with their parents, they get financial aid and scholarship information as well as insight on the college application and selection process. About 80 students are enrolled this year.

The Black History month panels were broadcast live on Gamma Pi chapter's Ustream TV channel. The archived broadcast can be viewed at: www.ustream.tv/channel/gamma-pi-on-location  

For more information,visit Project ENRICH on the web at: www.projectenrich.org or www.facebook.com/projectenrichprogram