Page 44 - TTA Newsletter Spring Summer 2018

~Houston Chapter~

Senior“Signing” Day-2018

May is a month full of academic celebrations! On Saturday, May 5, 2018, the Houston Chapter of Top Teens of America
celebrated its third annual Senior “Signing” Day. Several years ago, coordinator Lady Paula Harris had the vision to recognize
the chapters’ graduating seniors. Like the many athletic-based signing events held across the country, Senior Signing Day is yet
another piece of Lady Paula’s vision. On this day the Top Ladies and Teens of the Houston Chapter donned their favorite
college gear as the chapter’s graduating seniors were highlighted. The twenty-three seniors arrived to take their places at the
head tables decorated with personalized name cards noting their schools of choice and an array of balloons in each of their
prospective school colors. The seniors were presented with an amusing, yet very informative dialogue from motivational
speaker, trainer and author of the Amazon best seller, “Master Your Career Playbook: Resumes,” Juanita Hines of Regional
Consulting. Miss Hines engaged the entire audience as she demonstrated to the seniors how easy it was to become complacent
with being comfortable versus “reaching” for higher goals!
Three of the seniors, Teens Jalon Jackson, Jayd McGaffie and Deandra Smith, were recognized by Congressman Gene Green’s
office for their outstanding service. Congressman Green’s office also rewarded each of these outstanding teens with “college
readiness packs” full of supplies to get them started on their new journeys. The graduates then took the “oath” declaring to
put their studies first at their various schools, to give 100 percent in this effort and then “signed” their commitment to these
goals! In just a few short weeks, these young men and women will walk the yards at various campuses as college freshmen:
Teen Hylan Coffman-Louisiana State University; Teens Kevin Giddens, Jalon Jackson, Deandra Smith, Mark Snow, Matthew
Woodard-Tolliver and Da’Lisa Thomas-Prairie View A&M University; Teen Skylahn Gyampoh-Howard University, Teen
John Hall III-Oklahoma University; Teens Kennedy Haskett, Camaya Hayes and Daniel Hinton-Sam Houston State
University; Teen Charles Hopper-Stephen F. Austin University; Teen Joshua Howard-Saint Edwards University; Teens
Jordyn Jackson, Morgan Jackson and Trinity Parker-Xavier University-La.; Teen Maxwell Jefferson-Blinn College; Teen Jayd
McGaffie-Alabama State University; Teen Caleb Punch-Texas State University; Teen Dylan Williams-Huston Tillotson
University and Teen Jaylon Wright-University of Missouri.

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