In The Kommunity

Bossier City Alumni Adopt a School goes the extra mile

The Brothers of the Bossier City Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi adopted Plantation Park Elementary School in Guide Right’s Adopt a School Program.  The Brothers typically have a back to school line, Muffins for Mom and Donuts for Dads.  However, this year, the Brothers felt inspired to step things up and create the “High Achievers” Project within the school.  The High Achievers Project embodies all the aspects of developing young budding leaders to be self –motivated for career achievement and exhibit positive moral and ethical values.

Alwyn Holman, Bossier City Alumni Adopt a School chairman stated, “The primary purpose of the High Achievers Project is to help young men achieve worthy goals and to make constructive contributions to their communities when they become leaders.  Brother Holman went further to say that this approach will provide a variety of instructional approaches, with special services, resources, and opportunities to support their learning, and provide them with the appropriate encouragement for success.

The program was presented in four phases.  Phase one was self-identity with Brother Frank Jackson, Career Choices and Academic Focus presented by Brother George Winston, Social Etiquette and Manners presented by Brother Greg Williams of the Undergraduate Chapter Xi Alpha, and finally the program graduation led by Brother Isiah Whitaker.  The young men that finished the program received a certificate and a bow tie that matched their school colors.

The High Achievers Project received much attention from the entire school as well as the Bossier City Alumni Chapter with several  Brother, including the Chapter’s Polemarch and Vice-Polemarch, attending and participating in the program’ graduation.  When asked her thoughts on the High Achievers Program, LaJuana Stephens, counselor at Plantation Park, stated, “I thoroughly enjoyed the program for our boys.  They have learned so many social skills that they needed to understand as they start to become young men.”  Kim Hawkins, the school’s assistant principal, stated, “I have seen a definite change in attitude in the young men.  The dress shirts and the bow ties seem to give them a sense of pride in themselves.

Brothers Alwyn Holman and Isiah Whitaker originated the program and arranged the lessons and presenters.  Forty fifth grade students underwent to 4 week program and proudly graduated.  During the graduation, the young men were presented with green silk ties, which matches their school colors.  The Brothers of both Xi Alpha Undergraduate Chapter and the Bossier City Alumni Chapter assisted the young men in tying their bow ties.  Several students were excited as this was the first bow tie that they had ever owned.  When asked what predicated the program, Brother Holman stated that the Polemarch [Brother Ajjay Foreman] tasked him with coming up with an interesting, inventive way to interact more with our adopted school.  After working with some existing ideas and conversing with the school counselor about needs that she saw in the school, Brother Holman developed the High Achievers Project and enlisted Brothers from the Bossier City Alumni and Xi Alpha Chapters to be mentors.

The High Achievers Project was a huge success for the students and faculty at Plantation Park Elementary and for the Brothers of Bossier City Alumni and Xi Alpha Chapters.  The young men learned a lot of valuable information, and the Brothers got the opportunity to give back to the community.