Lambda Psi Omega Chapter of AKA, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity team up for bi-annual cotillion

By Traci Rose Tate, Robert Hill

Publicity Committee

for Cotillion-Beautillion

COURTLAND

The Lambda Psi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and Franklin-Southampton (VA) Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. will present 12 young ladies and nine young gentlemen to society at their Bi-Annual Ball on Saturday, June 1, at 7 p.m. in the auditorium of Southampton High School in Courtland.

This year’s debutantes are Harundia Ahkey, Zaria Anderson, Theja Carr, Emerald Contee’, Kierra Cross, Shayla Eley, Mariah Leonard, Amira Long, Ariel Vaughan, Ny’Asia Whitehead, Miah Wilson and Kendra Zollicoffer. Beaus are Harun Ahkey (not pictured0, Martin Baskerville, Trevon Bellamy, Trevor Blow, Harrison Colvin, Tamajian Reid, Kendal Roberson, Jaylon Woodley and Paul Wyche

The debutantes and beaus participated in a year-long enrichment activities that included: a social media challenge; dress for success day; college tours; Christmas parade; Christmas play at Evangel Cathedral in Upper Marlboro, Maryland; Trooper Hill Toy Drive; public speaking workshops conducted by Andrea Hall-Leonard, speech language pathologist of Southampton County Public Schools. and Brian Hill of WTKR TV; Alfred Street Baptist Church Annual HBCU festival; African-American History presentation with local historian James McGee; Down the Middle Teen Summit, a sister-to-sister/brother-to-brother activity; and a formal dining experience at The Backporch Grill of the Village at Woods Edge.

A professional photo shoot was done by Gwendolyn Wilson Photography at High Street Methodist Church, Courtland.

The students created and participated in fundraisers for the sorority and fraternity scholarship fund. All students selected have met the challenges placed before them and they display high scholastic achievement, tenacity, commitment, and good character. The public is invited to join the debutantes, beaus, their parents, members of Lambda Psi Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha and members of Franklin-Southampton (VA) Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi. The highlight of the evening will be the crowning of Miss Cotillion 2019 and Mr. Beautillion 2015.

This year’s keynote speaker will be Chanika M. Nelson of Chevy Chase, Maryland, native of Franklin, Virginia, and former debutante.

Cherese Parker-Freeman, Sonya Ford-Davis, Jerrell King and Robert Hill are committee chairmen. Sonya Ford-Davis and Robert Hill are their chapter’s presidents. Admission is free.

Attire for the evening is Sunday’s best (no jeans or athletic wear).

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. is an international service organization that was founded on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C., in 1908. It is the oldest Greek lettered organization established by African-American, college-educated women

Alpha Kappa Alpha is comprised of nearly 300, 000 members in 1,024 graduate and undergraduate chapters in the United States, Liberia, Bahamas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Germany, South Korea, Bermuda, Japan, Canada, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.

Led by International President Glenda Baskin Glover, AKA is often hailed as “America’s premier Greek-lettered organization for African-American women.”

For more information on Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and its programs, visit www.aka1908.com.

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. is an international organization founded on the campus of Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, on Jan. 5, 1911.

Since its inception, it has trained over 150, 000 men, particularly undergraduates, for leadership roles in their communities and the attainment of a high degree of excellence in their academic pursuits. The international headquarters is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.