Pink Goes Red for Day: American Heart Month
National Canned Food Month
Partners:
1. Alaska Health Fairs, Inc
2. Clark Middle School
Emerging Young Leaders (EYL) Program
Academic Scholarships and Community Awards
The Sorority started its scholarship program in 1984. Seminars were presented annually at local churches to expose students on all grade levels
to ways that they could get local,state, and national scholarship awards. As a result, more black students were entering scholarship folders and competing for academic awards. A dance extravaganza was held
annually until 1988 to raise funds for the scholarships. However, in 1988 a community cultural fashion show was added to enhance the affair and the scholarship guidelines were changed to include one scholarship to a
student who would attend a traditionally black college. The Finer Womenhood Award program was started in 1987 which recognized high school senior women for their outstanding scholastic achievement,
community participation, and personal efforts. These two programs were very successful. However, in 1992 the chapter decided to combine their efforts and the Progressive Teen/Cotillion Program was established.
The program broadened the focus of the scholarship and awards to all deserving students in the community.
Progressive Teen and Annual Cotillion Programs
In 1988 Xi Psi Omega became involved in the
Miss Alaska Pre-teen Pageant. One of our soror's daughters was a contestant and the sorority was one of her sponsors.
It was very pleasing and rewarding to have Kristina Bellamy reign
as the first black Miss Alaska Pre-teen. The
Progressive Teen Program consists of junior and senior girls from local high schools. It was started in 1992 by several sorority members who possessed an overwhelming concern to enhance positive qualities in the
African-American female teenagers in the Anchorage community. The desire to direct these young ladies towards self-discovery was their goal; it continues to be the chapter's goal as we strive to enhance young ladies in the areas of self-esteem, college preparation,
etiquette, and respect for themselves as African-American women. Workshops along with other activities conducted by professionals on a variety of subjects included self-defense, date-rape, scholarship folder completion, examination of college choices,
promoting employable skills, and exposure to the arts in attending a variety of professional performances at the Anchorage Performance Arts Center. This is a year-round program with the culminating activity being the Cotillion, a fund-raiser ball held the latter part of May each year.
Education/Literacy
The Literacy Project was instituted in 1985 with Sorors volunteering to work with individuals whose reading levels were below the standards for literacy through church and community groups. This project has helped to raise reading levels and bring a closes and better working relationship with the community. During the past three years, Xi Psi Omega Chapter implemented the Sorority's Signature Program, On-Track which was an after school and weekend program designed for children ages 8-12 years. Over the next four years 2002-2006, the chapter will adopt the Sorority's new Signature Program, Education, The Ivy Reading AKAdemy which is a community based early intervention reading program for low performing K-3 grade students. It is important that we start early with our children making sure no child is left behind in the area of education and they are reading at acceptable and above standard levels.
Health
One of our Sorors who was a dietitian at the Elmendorf Air Force Base was very instrumental in organizing the Health Fair sponsored by Xi Psi Omega in 1987.
This is an on-going project. Today we participate with Providence Hospital's annual Health Fairs. In keeping with the Sorority's new program initiatives, we will focus on the importance within our chapter and the broader community of sharing health information with family members and health care providers regarding cancer prevention and early detection. Under our Senior and Safety Issues, we will focus on the aging population of our members, addressing the issues of critical health concerns and the general quality of life. Our Golden Soror will be handled with much concern and care.
The Black Family
This is a new program for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated for the next four years. Within The Black Family is our National Family Volunteer Day. Members will join together with the Volunteer Center National Network of the Points of Light Foundation on the third Saturday of November each year to promote National Family Volunteer Day. This day will focus on family-oriented volunteer programs in order to help raise awareness of the importance of famiy volunteering. Also as part of The Black Family is a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, "A Day On Instead of a Day Off." We will observe the MLK, Jr. Holiday as a "day of service."
'Day of Service' at Kid's Kitchen
