Mentoring program gives girls tools
Zhanda Malone, zmalone@theintelligencer.com
08/17/2005
The Edwardsville Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Upsilon Phi Omega, concluded its three-part summer mentoring program Saturday.
The program, Tomorrow's Pearl, was conducted as part of the sorority's Black Family Programming Initiative.
Participants of the program included 11 girls ages 13 to 16. The program featured one workshop each month starting in June.
Saturday's workshop was entitled "Increasing Your Cash Flow While Setting Your Goals."
According to Dr. Earleen Patterson, chair of the Black Family Committee, the purpose of the workshop was to equip participants with skills to apply for a job.
"We wanted to stress the importance of presenting the proper image," Patterson said. "We want to plant the proper and appropriate seeds."
Participants were taught what type of attire to wear to an interview, how to fill out a job application and how to answer interview questions."
The other workshops offered this summer focused on self esteem and etiquette.
In celebration of the culmination of the workshops, the sorority will host a Mother Daughter Tea at Martha's Tea Room Saturday, Sept. 10.
Patterson said this is the first time the Edwardsville chapter has presented Tomorrow's Pearls."
"We anticipate that this will be an ongoing program from now on," Patterson said. "We will continue to have a progressive relationship with these girls."
Patterson said the sorority will conduct another series of workshops next summer.
"We will be announcing the time frame prior to next summer," she said. "It will be open to new participants."
ŠEdwardsville Intelligencer 2005
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