Page 8 - Florida Sentinel 5-13-16 Online Edition

Local
Pentecost Sunday
Lett Undergraduate Leader Selected
Service Celebrates The Birthday Of The Church
Deandre Shareese Rucker, a junior at Georgia Southern University, States- boro, Georgia, was named the 2016 Stella J. Lett Undergradu- ate Leadership Award Recipi- ent at the recent 63rd South Atlantic Regional Conference of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Miss Rucker is a member of Lambda Kappa Chapter and was selected “Lett Leader” among Alpha Kappa Alpha un- dergraduate members throughout Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. Annually, since 1999, a panel of judges have determined the winner of the coveted award by evaluat- ing the applicants’ accomplish- ments that most closely model the undergraduate experience of the late Stella J. Lett – scholarship, leadership and sorority involvement.
Miss Rucker is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in
Honor Society; Iota Psi Omega Chapter Scholarship Recipient; Southern Ambassador; Univer- sity Programming Board; Peer Leader; President’s List 2013- 2016.
Along with the recognition as “Lett Leader,” Miss Rucker was awarded a $1,000 scholarship, generated by the Sonja W. Garcia Endowment in memory of Stella J. Lett, a former local educator in Hills- borough County District Schools.
Mrs. Lett was President of the Beta Pi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorpo- rated at Alabama State Univer- sity, Montgomery, Alabama. After graduation she relocated to Tampa and served as Presi- dent of Gamma Theta Omega Chapter. She passed away in 1998, on the day Sonja W. Garcia was elected South At- lantic Regional Director of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
The Tampa Bay Coalition of Clergy, led by Bishop Thomas Scott, presents Pen- tecost 2016. This partnership concept was birthed in the heart of Dr. Jeffery John- son to bring churches to- gether from a multiplicity of Christian faith backgrounds to worship together for the “Birthday of the Church!”
This vision was then shared by Dr. Johnson with Bishop Scott in 2010 and this ecumenical service has re- mained strong ever since then. “Each year the number of at- tendants increases into the hundreds,” Dr. Johnson said. “We’re excited about that!”
The guest speaker for this year’s service is Bishop Rudolph W. McKissick Jr., Senior Pastor of Bethel Institutional Baptist Church and Vice Presiding Bishop of the Global United Fellowship, Presiding Bishop Neal C.
DR. JEFFERY JOHNSON ...Founder of Ecumenical Service
Ellis.
This year’s Ecumenical Serv-
ice will be held on Sunday, May 15, 2016, at the Brown Memo- rial Church of God in Christ, 2313 E. 27th Avenue, Tampa, FL 33605 at 6 p. m. Bishop Matthew Williams is the Senior Pastor.
All participating clergy are encouraged to wear cleric robes, and deacons/dea- conesses to wear their official attire for Holy Communion will be served. A pastor and spouse reception will be held after- wards.
The community is invited to attend this service.
DEANDRE SHAREESE RUCKER
Child and Family Develop- ment, and currently holds a 4.0 GPA. She is admired for her tenacity and solid work ethic. Within her chapter she serves as Ivy Leaf Reporter and Secre- tary. Her exceptional writing and editing skills are clearly demonstrated in the chapter newsletters and submissions to the sorority’s journal, The Ivy Leaf.
Miss Rucker is the recipi- ent of other honors – Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society; Phi Upsilon Omicron National
West Tampa Man Continues His Mission To Help Area Youth
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
There has always been con- cern in African American com- munities that not enough successful people give some- thing back to the community to help others succeed.
In West Tampa, Master Chris Holmes has spent years trying to do just that, but he still hasn’t managed to find anyone who will take him seri- ously.
“Before there was any talk about introducing golf into the public school system, I tried getting martial arts classes, and was met with opposition, or not met at all.
“I reached out to individu- als within the school system as well as those higher up, and I got no response. However, they exhibited great interest in having a bunch of kids walk around with golf clubs.”
Holmes said he has noth- ing against golf, but the ex- pense that comes along with the sport is more than a lot of African American families can handle.
“I think the families should have had an alternative. If they wanted their children to take up golf, then so be it. However, if they wanted them to study martial arts, they should have at least had that option.
“Aside from trying to set up a martial arts program for the youth, I’ve also worked hard at trying to establish a program to retrain people being released from prison so they can find work a lot easier. The jobs being offered today require specialized training or at least some kind of vocational skills.”
Holmes said funds are al- ways at the root of getting something started, and it’s no
different when it comes to community-based programs.
“It’s hard or impossible to get funding for community- based programs. If it was the United Way, Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA, or other big pro- grams, they have funding sources already, so it’s easy for them to direct our youth to their programs.
“What happens to the kids who are left on the outside looking in? What happens to the kids who’ve been turned away from those facilities for one reason or another? Do we just give up on them? That’s not what I’m here for, and I don’t give up on anyone.”
WithaCRAnowsetupin West Tampa, Holmes hopes that the foundation has been laid for better opportunities to make a program like he’s sug- gesting work.
“Within a year, this neigh-
borhood is going to change. Most of the kids will be gone, because North Boulevard Homes will be gone.
“But, all the kids that call West Tampa home don’t nec- essarily live in public housing. What happens to them? When the area starts losing services and programs, what will hap- pen to those young people?”
Holmes said he’s welcome to address that issue and oth- ers if he’s given the opportu- nity.
“I will continue to attend community meetings and CRA meetings with hope that some- one will understand what’s going to happen in the near fu- ture, and start working with me on solutions.
“There are no guarantees with anything, but I believe it’s up to us to guarantee our young people have at least a chance to be successful.”
PAGE 8-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016