The Decatur Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated awarded over $28,000 in scholarships and book stipends to area students at its Annual Scholarship Recognition Breakfast at Beulah Missionary Baptist Church. More than 40 high school seniors from DeKalb County and surrounding areas competed in this year’s scholarship competition.

Top honors went to the following winners:

1st Place – Christina Lynne Evans of Druid Hills High School: $5000.00

2nd Place – Teryn Thornton of Chamblee Charter High School: $3500.00

3rd Place – Henderson Johnson of Chamblee Charter High School: $1500.00

Additionally, the following 26 students who qualified as finalists will receive a $500.00 book stipend. Jalal Abdul-Azeez, W. D. Mohammad High School; Jasmine Bailey, Southwest DeKalb HighSchool; Johnna Bateman, Columbia high school; James S. Brown, Southwest DeKalb High School; Sydny Caldwell, DeKalb School of the Arts; Austin Copper, Clarkston High School; Jesse Harris, Parkview High School; Shannon Hodge, Druid Hills High School; Kierra Jarman, Druid Hills High School; Daria Johnson, Druid Hills High School; Jabari Kilcrease, Dunwoody High School; Deric Long, Jr., Westminster High School; Elandra Loyal, Chamblee Charter High School; Kamry Mack, Dunwoody High School; Valentine Mba, Chamblee Charter High School; Gabrielle Miller, Lakeside High School; Elaine Mills, Southwest DeKalb High School; Breyanna Morning, Chamblee Charter High School; Sakinah Muhammad, Druid Hills High School; Danielle Reed, Chamblee Charter High School; Kayla Rhynes, Druid Hills High School; Taylor Saab, DeKalb School of the Arts; Jordan Smith, Chamblee Charter High School; Roshaud Turner, Whitewater High School; Tony Weaver, Greenforest Christian Academy High School; Erica Williams, Chamblee Charter High School.

As part of the sorority’s continuing commitment to education, the top winners from the 2009, 2010 and 2011 competitions are also eligible to receive a continuing book stipend in the amount of $500. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. was founded on the campus of Howard University on January 13, 1913. Since its inception, the sorority has been involved in providing service and support to local communities, leading the dialogue on public policy issues, supporting quality education, providing scholarships, sponsoring artistic innovation, creating positive opportunities for the development of youth, and producing new projects to stimulate current and future growth. The Decatur Alumnae Chapter was chartered in 1973 to expand the sorority’s mission, including a commitment to providing public service to the DeKalb County community.

For further information regarding upcoming scholarships or other chapter programs, please visit the Decatur Alumnae Chapter website at http://www.dstdac.org.

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc/ Birmingham Chapter of Alabama sponsored a team to participate in the Divine 9 Birmingham Big Brothers Big Sisters Greek Bowl for Kids Sake on April 14, 2012 at Brunswick Riverview Lanes. The team consisted of Khary Wray, Raphael Bryant, Joe and Laura Evans. The team raised $250 for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Birmingham. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Birmingham focuses on educational achievement and avoidance of risky behaviors such as juvenile delinquency and promotes higher self-esteem, confidence and the ability to relate to others.

For more than 40 years, Bowl for Kids’ Sake has supported Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across the country, becoming its premier fundraising event and raising $20 million nationwide each year. “Bowl for Kids’ Sake brings the whole community together in support of a positive future for our kids,” said Khary Wray, Director of Public Relations of Phi Beta Sigma Inc. Birmingham. We all had a great time bowling for the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization. “Big Brothers Big Sisters Birmingham is a vital part of our community. … A few precious minutes of quality time could alter the path a child walks upon,” said Roderick Wilkins, President of Phi Beta Sigma Inc. Birmingham.

Members and friends of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity collect donations to help the homeless.

They are calling it a sleepout. Beginning at 9:00 p.m. Thursday, some 20 members and friends of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity camped out on both sides of Vine near 20th Street. Their mission, to collect donations to help the homeless.

Fraternity spokesman Bryan Colbert Jr. said the fraternity has been holding this event in Omaha near 72nd and Dodge for years. This is the first event held in Lincoln.

Holding signs on both sides of the street as cars pass by was effective too. A number of vehicles stopped and asked what was going on. Some even came back to drop off items.

Food, clothing and cash donations are all passed on to a number of Lincoln area agencies who support the homeless.

Colbert said, “It’s a great thing to come out, a lot of people come together and do something for other people.”

Actor Hill Harper is supporting a new national partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC),  Call to Service for St. Jude initiative, which launched earlier this month.

“NPHC organizations have deep roots in education and making a difference in the lives of our youth. Engaging this richly diverse membership through the Call to Service for St. Jude initiative will help raise awareness about St. Jude in the African-American community, while sharing the hospital’s mission of treating the world’s sickest children with the best care.”  Key messages: There’s still time for NPHC members, family and friends to support help St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital provide the best care to the world’s sickest children at no cost to their family by visiting stjude.org/nphc.

One reason this partnership is of such significance is because it is critical that we continue to educate communities about the importance of resources and treatment for pediatric cancer, sickle cell screening and treatment for the disease as well as research aimed at improving the quality of life for those living with sickle cell disease.  The NPHC is composed of historically African-American international Greek letter Sororities and Fraternities. Participating organizations include: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

The shooting death of Trayvon Martin is one that has struck a chord with communities throughout the country, and students at Marshall University gathered Friday to remember Martin and to make the national conversation a local one.

More than 100 students, faculty and community members gathered at the Memorial Student Center Plaza for its own Justice for Trayvon rally, where the message was not one of anger, but one seeking camaraderie between people with any kind of difference said Jonathan Austin, vice president of Marshall’s chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha.

“We’re not looking for a rebellion. It’s not about one race versus another. It’s about respecting and valuing another person’s life,” Austin said. “It’s a tribute to the life of a 17-year-old kid, who, for all we know, could have been a Marshall student next year. We’re commemorating a life lost.”

Reports indicate that Martin, 17, was wearing a hoodie and carrying candy and a bottle of tea he had purchased at a store in the neighborhood of his father’s home in Sanford, Fla., on Feb. 26 when he was shot and killed by volunteer neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman.

Conflicting information has been reported as to what happened after Zimmerman called 911 to report Martin as a “suspicious person” until Martin was shot. Zimmerman told authorities he acted in self defense.

Zimmerman has not been arrested in connection to the shooting, and rallies, like the one on campus, have taken place throughout the country to call attention to the incident.

In a sign of support for Martin’s family, people throughout the country, including celebrities, a Congressman and participants in the event at Marshall, have worn hoodies to draw attention to the case.

Friday’s event was organized by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity & Delta Sigma Theta Sorority members.

Keelon Hinton, a professor of psychology at Marshall said the coverage of the event stems, in part, from how surprised many people were to have heard the incident occurred.

“We’re not here to debate what happened. We all know something wrong happened, that a boy was shot and killed. We are here to decide what we are going to do about it. We need to decide if this is the kind of society we want to live in,” Hinton said. “Wouldn’t it be nice if we were all the same color and had the same family lives? It isn’t about whether you’re black, white, red, yellow or purple. We’re all different. Our skin is different colors and our family lives are different. Instead of pretending like we don’t see these differences, we need to acknowledge them and accept them.”

In addition to Hinton and Austin, speakers at the event included Brenda Green, executive director of the West Virginia ACLU, Kimberly White, president of the Huntington Branch of the National Association of Social Workers and the Rev. Donte’ Jackson, Pastor of First Baptist Church in Huntington.

The event will begin at 10:00AM with a breakfast card party followed by the luncheon at 12:00Noon. The luncheon will feature retail vendors, formal presentation of scholarship awards and a fashion showcase.

For the past 49 years, the luncheon has served as North Jersey Alumnae Chapter’s major fundraising effort to provide scholarships to deserving high school students from Essex, Hudson, and Union counties. Since the benefit’s inception, more than $700,000 in scholarships has been awarded. Students are selected through a rigorous application process and must meet a number of criteria including academic requirements, college acceptance, and teacher/faculty recommendations.

The fundraiser is open to the public. Scholarship Benefit Luncheon tickets are $75 and must be purchased in advance. This year more than 600 attendees are expected to attend. Additional opportunities to support the scholarship benefit are available and local retail small businesses are invited to participate in the vendor showcase. For tickets and more information, Email: ScholarshipBenefit@NorthJerseyDeltas.org, call 973-324-3600 or visit the organization online at www.NorthJerseyDeltas.org. The North Jersey Minerva Corporation is a 501(c) 3 not-for-profit public charity. All donations are tax-deductible as permitted by law.

 About North Jersey Alumnae Chapter. Chartered in 1939, the North Jersey Alumnae Chapter serves Essex, Hudson and Union counties through the development of programs and initiatives that promote the Sorority’s national five-point program. The chapter has successfully implemented a number of programs in the community such as the Delta Teen Lift Program, Dr. Betty Shabazz Delta Academy, and School America Literacy Initiative as well as workshops and seminars on health education, financial literacy and voter education. The chapter’s signature event is the scholarship benefit, held annually each spring, which provides tuition assistance to college bound high school students. For more information, visit: www.NorthJerseyDeltas.org.

The Men of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc, Zeta Rho Sigma Chapter, Amicae and our Sisters of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Omicron Omicron Zeta, Gamma Nu Zeta and Chi Rho Zeta chapters celebrated Black History Month by doing a Read-In at Wiggins College Prepatory Lab School in Camden, New Jersey.  Each Zeta and Sigma was assigned a classroom to read a book, discuss their career path, the history of their respective organizations and by engaging students in a literacy activity they were able to “ lift the words off the pages”.

This program was developed by Omicron Omicron Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., hosted by Soror Irene Richardson who is an educator at Wiggins.

]]> http://progressivegreek.com/organizations/phi-beta-sigma-fraternity-organizations/south-jersey-sigmas-and-zetas-celebrate-reading-black-history/feed/ 1 http://progressivegreek.com/organizations/alpha-kappa-alpha-organizations/alpha-kappa-alpha-launches-asthma-management-program/ http://progressivegreek.com/organizations/alpha-kappa-alpha-organizations/alpha-kappa-alpha-launches-asthma-management-program/#comments Fri, 24 Feb 2012 21:28:07 +0000 kevin1914 http://progressivegreek.com/?p=6949 Source

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority has embarked upon a national multi-year campaign to educate the community about how to manage asthma through its Asthma Prevention and Management Initiative. The sorority will galvanize thousands of members who will fan out to the nearly 1,000 communities worldwide where Alpha Kappa Alpha has chapters. Locally, Mu Alpha Omega (Midland) and Eta Upsilon Omega (Saginaw) have combined resources to address the issue in Midland, Saginaw and Bay counties. The initiative is expected to reach millions of people afflicted with the disease, with a particular emphasis on reaching children.

This campaign is being carried out in partnership with the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), a program under the National Institutes of Health. NICHD conducts and supports research on all stages of human development, from preconception to adulthood, to better understand the health of children, adults, families, and communities.

According to attorney Carolyn House Stewart, Alpha Kappa Alpha’s International president, Alpha Kappa Alpha was motivated to wage a public education offensive when the sorority became aware of the pernicious effect asthma has on children’s quality of life and on the nation’s economy.

According to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP), asthma accounts for more visits to the emergency room, costs the nation $3.2 billion to treat annually, afflicts 5.6 million school-aged children and can lead to death. Asthma disproportionately afflicts low-income, minority children, a population most vulnerable to the ravages of the disease but a population with few outlets where parents can be informed about the disease and how to manage it. Reaching this population is the core mission of AKA’s Asthma Prevention and Management Initiative.

By definition, asthma is a long-term inflammatory disease in which the airways of the lungs constrict, causing wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing. It is a potentially debilitating disease that results in “episodes” when the disease is triggered. The NCCDPHP reports that tobacco smoke, dust mites, furred and feathered animals, molds, chemicals and strong odors in the school environment can trigger asthma attacks.

However, according to the NICHD, children with asthma can lead full and productive lives through proper diagnosis control of triggers that spark episodes, and through overall management. This can be achieved through an aggressive public outreach effort, which is the purpose of the Asthma Prevention and Management Initiative.

The initiative is a major program under AKA’s new administration, whose theme is “Global Leadership Through Timeless Service.” The local effort is being spearheaded by the chapters’ taskforce, which is chaired by Bridget Hall of Saginaw, and Octavia Cabey of Midland. Dr. Diane Adams, M.D., a member of the sorority, is project director of the campaign.

After a successful Dollar Day fund-raiser to raise money to cover the expense of surgery for 12-year-old Dijae Dean, the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity presented a check for $2,000 to Dean Wednesday evening.

Dean, who is inflicted with a non-cancerous tumor that is growing in her mouth and her mother Mizpha Mitchell joined the fraternity on The Mall Drive and Pioneer’s Way on Saturday as they sought to collect funds to cover the cost of the $60,000 surgery.

Mitchell expressed sincere gratitude to the group for their efforts to assist her daughter.

“I just want to say a special thank you to the guys for their time and effort and to the community who has supported the worthy cause,” she said.

Dean who is currently unemployed said she has under $20,000 of the sum needed for the surgery, but said she is hoping to get it performed as soon as possible.

She said it requires $30,000 to get the surgery started at Miami Chidren’s Hospital.

“I really need to get this over and done with because they told me that the longer I take with it, the worse things will get for her,” Mitchell said. “They e-mailed me to see what I’m doing because they said she would experience difficulty breathing, swallowing and with her speech.”

Mitchell said it is a difficult time for her family because she does not have insurance, so she is relying on the community’s help.

“I am still pleading for prayers because I can get the money I need to take my daughter, but if God isn’t behind it, it will still be the same. Pray for me and pray for my daughter that she will get her surgery and everything will be okay.”

Dean said when the tumor initially started to grow she thought it was a bump, then doctors diagnosed it as a tumor.

She said it has been a difficult and frightening experience.

“I have experienced headaches and bleeding and it has an odor coming out of it, so I’m scared to talk to people,” Dean said.

She said although she would appreciate it if the community could make monetary donations for her surgery, she wants people to pray for her if it is all they can do.

Fraternity member, Reno Smith said the fraternity was so moved by Dean’s plight that it had to get involved.

“We don’t feel that any child because of their socioeconomic situation should be denied medical services,” Smith said. “We were trying to help her raise the first half necessary for the surgery to take place.”

He added that the fund-raiser was also successful and the public was more than willing to help, adding that many were people searching their cars for what little change they could find.

Smith said although they are far away from the sum that is needed to cover Dean’s surgery, the group is prepared to go back on the streets to collect more funds.

He added that Sister Mary Patricia Russell Junior High School will hold a steak-out for Dean on Friday at the school from 12:00 noon to 6:00 p.m.

Smith said the cost of the tickets are $10 and encouraged the public to support the effort.

He issued an appeal to the corporate community last week to churches and the corporate community to provide assistance to Dean and since then Smith said they have been informed that one or two banks have decided to lend assistance as well as a major food store on the island.

He noted that a local church has also provided some funds toward Dean’s surgery.

Smith said after getting involved with Dean’s case, the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity has decided to have an annual fund-raising event beginning February of next year to aid the Sir Victor Sassoon Heart Foundation.

“It was brought to our attention that several Grand Bahama families had babies born with heart defects and it was mentioned that hardly anyone goes back to the Victor Sassoon Heart Foundation to say thank you,” he said.

Smith said the fraternity would begin a fund-raiser called “Matters of the Heart,” to help all Bahamians born with heart defects, but more specifically Grand Bahama.

He said the organization is just one of the charitable organizations the fraternity will seek to aid.