The Chi Tau Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated of Covington, Ga., serving Newton and Rockdale counties, awarded $20, 000 in scholarships on June 21, 2015 at Antioch AME Church in Conyers to high school students heading to various colleges and universities including HBCUs in the state of Georgia and nationwide.
The Chi Tau Omega Chapter awarded scholarships to two recently graduated seniors from each high school in Newton County and Rockdale County. Dr. Joy Jackson-Guilford, chapter president, and Ms. Debbie Hillman, president of the Community CARES Foundation (CCF), along with Chi Tau Omega Chapter, Scholarship Chairman, the Rev. Darlene M. Smith, presented six students with a $2,000 scholarship, and six students with a $1,000 scholarship in support of their educational pursuit to higher learning institutions of their choice.
Among the students were 11 females, and one male. The students, the schools they are attending and their mentors are:
Elisa McPherson (UGA, Darlene Smith, Shanta Mayes) and Harold Monte, Jr. (KSU, Jennifer Eskin) of Alcovy High School;
Aliyah Davis (Savannah State U., Lekecia Gray) and Aspen Dobbins (Georgia Southern U., LaKenya Nesbitt) of Eastside High School;
Kiera Cofield (FAMU, Cynthia Brown) (Kiera has three older sisters who have all been past recipients of Chi Tau Omega scholarship awards) and Ashley Jean-Baptiste (Spelman College, Deidre Murray) of Newton County High School;
Alexis Moreland (Spelman College, Lorraine Davis) and Jaylin Carter (Alabama A&M, Alma Woodard) of Salem High School;
Jamaya Booker (Spelman College, Fiesta Kagler) and Damali Thomas (Huntingdon College, Joy Guilford) of Heritage High School;
Brionna N. Johnigan (KSU, Ruth Moon-Davis) and Khalia Smith (Gwinnett Technical College/West College, Caroline Dixon) of Rockdale County High School.
Attending the scholarship event were students’ parents, siblings and some of the 173 Chi Tau Omega Chapter members. A Scholarship Reception after the event was also held in their honor. Each of the 12 students was assigned a Chi Tau Omega Chapter Mentor to assist them during their educational journey. The Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. is comprised of all college trained women.
The Chi Tau Omega chapter further awarded to their members who have graduating seniors a $150 book scholarship. In January 2015, during the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration at the Newton County High School, the Chi Tau Omega Chapter awarded a $500 scholarship to an Oxford College at Emory University Student.
To date, the Chi Tau Omega Chapter has awarded well over $83,000 in Scholarships to students in Newton and Rockdale Counties.
The Chi Tau Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. was chartered in Newton County on December 12, 2004. The chapter’s Community CARES Foundation was established in December 2014. The Chi Tau Omega Chapter and Community CARES Foundation provides service to all in both Newton and Rockdale counties.
