By Jessica Stocks
& Val Thomas-Matson
Hallelujah! It is summer in the Pacific Northwest, time for some easy living. Across the country, June is marked by the celebration of achievement and excellence. The members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Seattle’s Graduate Chapter, Delta Upsilon Omega, are ready for a wee bit of a retreat in July, after June’s jam-packed month of celebrations and ceremonies.
One celebration we joined in was the 2014 Seattle National Pan-Hellenic Council’s (NPHC) Annual Colors of Success Scholarship Awards Banquet. The Council, of nine African-American Greek Lettered organizations, known as the “Divine 9”, follows a national program of service and focus on community impact . Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. is one of the nine organizations, which promotes interactions through cooperative programs and other activities.
On June 7, 2014, at the Annual Scholarship Awards Banquet the Alumni Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, Delta Upsilon Omega, was proud to recognize three young women of color who demonstrate high academic and extracurricular standings in each of their respective schools and studies. Our scholarship recipients included two High School Seniors: Kayla Rae Ortiz and Miriam Mulugheta Tsegay and one college sophomore: Zhané Blades. Kayla had dual enrollment in “Running Start” program at Bellevue College and Issaquah High School.
Among many other accolades, Kayla started her own non-for-profit called “Kayla’s Corner”. The organization collects books and supplies to donate to underprivileged schools. Miriam graduated from Garfield High School with a 3.69 GPA and participated in a long list of school clubs while being a College Access Now peer mentor along with participating in the Mathematical Engineering Science Achievement program at the University of Washington. She has decided to pursue her pre-medical degree at Western Washington University in the fall. Zhané will attend the University of Washington as a sophomore to study Spanish and linguistics and wants to pursue a career as an interpreter for an organization such as the United Nations.
The Seattle Alumni Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated is proud of the high achieving young women who continue to demonstrate dedication to their education and community. We honor their achievements, and congratulate all the awardees.
Edited by Phyllis Scott Lowe.
