On Saturday, May 21, 2016, the Altadena Senior Center was filled with community members, elected officials, school personnel, family and friends as the Pasadena Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. hosted its annual reception in honor of the 2016 Academic Award Recipients. The room was beautifully decorated by Scarlet Flowers Designs, setting the stage for the program, which was opened by President Tanya Cobb. The invocation was given by Chaplain Phyllis Beech and Congresswoman Judy Chu brought greetings as well as presented a certificate of commendation to the Pasadena Alumnae Chapter for outstanding work in the community. A very inspirational and motivating keynote address was delivered by Ms. Ella Turenne, Assistant Dean for Community Engagement at Occidental College. Dr. Lindsey Malcom-Piqueux, Academic Awards Committee Co-chair, introduced Ms. Turenne. PUSD Trustee Elizabeth Pomeroy, Marshall Principal, Dr. Mark Anderson, Gerald Philips representing Assemblyman Holden and Alex Keledjian representing Supervisor Antonovich were in the audience.
Denise Jones, Academic Awards Committee Co-chair, presented awards, in the amount of $1,000 each, to the following deserving and accomplished students: Jane Strong-Moses & Jesse Moses Commemorative to Payton Faulkner – Flintridge Preparatory High School, Houlemard Family to Naomi Berhane – Flintridge Preparatory High School, Carolyn Edwards Jones Commemorative to Bradey Foster – Pasadena High School, Gwendolyn & Tommy McMullins Family to Brooklyn Ragland – Pasadena High School, Mabel Lockett Martin Commemorative to Kaylah Abdullah – Marshall Fundamental Secondary School, Anita Johnson Cole Commemorative to Deonee Russell – William Blair High School, Presidents Commemorative to Kylee Sharp – John Muir High School, Jean & Clarence Mills Family to Dominique Wright– Flintridge Preparatory High School, Nelle Kigh Thompson Commemorative to Taylore Thomas – Pasadena High School and Willie Mae Hooks Lewis Commemorative to Sumayyah Muhammed – William Blair High School, Pyramid Academic Awards, in the amount of $500 each, were presented to Kennedy Brown – William Blair High School and Devin Henry – William Blair High School. One of the 2015 Academic Award Recipients; Annika Lars, graduate of Polytechnic High School and now attending Harvard College, attended the reception and gave insights to the incoming freshmen on her experiences during the first year of college.
Certificates of commendation were received by each award winner from the offices of Congresswoman Judy Chu, Senator Carol Liu, Assemblyman Chris Holden, Supervisor Michael Antonovich and Mayor Terry Tornek.
The Pasadena Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. has given over $440,000 in academic awards to worthy students for the pursuit of post-secondary education over the last fifty-three years. In addition to educational development, the Pasadena Alumnae Chapter has provided services in the areas of economic development, physical and mental health and political and international awareness/involvement since its chartering on January 27, 1961.
The Academic Awards Committee consists of Denise Jones/Lindsey Malcom-Piqueux – Co-Chairs, Christina Bentley, Hilarie Dyson Green, Johari DeWitt-Rogers, Nicci Gorham, Gwendolyn McMullins, Kathy Pentecost, Juanda Scoggins, Rayne Stewart, Alma Stokes and Sylvia Wiggins.
