Black Grad 2024 Booklet

Dear Attendees of BYLP's Black Graduation Celebration,

On behalf of the Board of Directors, it is with great pleasure that we welcome you to this momentous occasion. We are thrilled that you are here to join us in honoring and celebrating the remarkable achievements of our graduates and promoters This event is a testament to their dedication, hard work, and unwavering commitment to their educational journey

Today, we gather as an intentional community, bound by a shared sense of pride and unity. We recognize the significance of this celebration as we embrace and uplift Black excellence. It is a time to reflect on the incredible accomplishments of our graduates and promoters and to acknowledge the unique challenges they have overcome.

We want you to know that we have something truly special in store for you This celebration is more than just an event; it is an opportunity for us to come together and forge lasting connections, fostering a network of support and empowerment. It is a space where we can collectively bask in the brilliance and resilience of the Black community.

As you sit back and immerse yourself in the festivities, we encourage you to savor every moment. Let the spirit of this occasion fill your heart with joy and inspiration. Take the time to appreciate the achievements of these remarkable individuals as they embark on the next phase of their educational journey, armed with the knowledge and experience they have gained

Tonight, we celebrate not only the accomplishments of our graduates and promoters but also the strength and unity of our community. Together, we stand tall, showcasing the power of collaboration, determination, and unwavering support. By honoring the brilliance within us, we pave the way for an even brighter future.

Once again, we extend our warmest welcome to each and every one of you. Thank you for joining us in this celebration of Black excellence. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the remarkable journey we are about to embark upon together

With deepest appreciation,

OFFICIAL WELCOME LorreenR.Pryor

Lorreen r Pryor President/CEO President/CEO

HOSTS - BLK V. BOE PODCAST TEAM

ADRIENE

QUINESSA

KEILA

MS. LORREEN

PROGRAM

NEGRO NATIONAL ANTHEM

FOR THE KIDS IN MY 8TH GRADE SPANISH CLASS -ARIANA BROWN

2024 BLACK GRAD CELEBRATION INTRODUCTION

WELCOME & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

FIRST FEW: NAME THAT TUNE

VIOLIN PERFORMANCE - FAITH VILLAFANA SMITH

PRE K & ELEMENTARY PROMOTION RECOGNITION

WHOLE MOOD SCHOLARSHIP PRESENTATION

BYLP KIDS TRIVIA

MIDDLE SCHOOL PROMOTION RECOGNITION

ADVOCACY SCHOLARSHIP PRESENTATION

POEM - MILISSA JOI SUTTON

EARLINE JACKSON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP PRESENTATION

HIGH SCHOOL & COLLEGE RECOGNITION

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: OLIVER NORTH

BYLP WHOLE MOOD TRIVIA

BLACK EXCELLENCE HONOREES

CLOSE OUT DINNER

CLASS OF 2024 GRADUATES CLASS OF 2024 GRADUATES

PRE K PROMOTERS PRE K PROMOTERS

BARON JAMES BAULWIN - ELITHA DONNER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

KAINE DANIEL - FOULKS DONNER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

NAIMA DEBBS - DAVID REESE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

MALANI HAMILTON - WOODBINE ELEMENTARY

MAYAH TAYLOR - DAVID REESE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

ELEMENTARY PROMOTERS ELEMENTARY PROMOTERS

BRICE JOURNEY BAULWIN - CALIFORNIA MONTESSORI PROJECT

GIA HAYES - ROY HERBERGER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

SIMAYA ODUNI - C.C.A.

KALEELA MARIE LEROY LEWIS - ZEHNDER RANCH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

KHLOEE DENISE PRINCESS WARD - COLA ACADEMY

MIDDLE SCHOOL PROMOTERS MIDDLE SCHOOL PROMOTERS

KANE BELLAZAIRE - WESTMINSTER MATH MAGNET SCHOOL

MIKAYLA CENANCE - GIL GARCETTI LEARNING CENTER

KAYCIE JOHNSON - WATTS LEARNING CENTER

JAYLIN BARKUS JOHN EHRHARDT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

MARIAH TAYLOR SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

MAYAH TAYLOR - ETHEL I. BAKER

JAZYAH TURNER - KINGSWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL

SERIYAH WILLIAMS - SIERRA VIEW ELEMENTARY

HIGH

SCHOOL GRADUATES HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES

KIELAN BLACKSHIRE - CONSUMNES OAK HS

NIA COBB - WILLIAM DAYLOR HS

JA’LEN FLENORY - LAGUNA CREEK HS

CANAI GATLIN - FRANKLIN HS

J’DA HINES - SHELDON HS

INDIA ISAAC - CAPITAL CHRISTIAN HS

JAYDA JOHNSON - MONTEREY TRAIL HS

AMIYAH KEMP - CHRISTIAN BROTHERS HS

ARIANA MCCULLOUGH - C.K. MCCLATCHY HS

JANAE MEREDITH - SACRAMENTO JOB CORPS, SIA TECH

BRIAN MILLS - LAGUNA CREEK HS

JAY MITCHELL - ROSEMONT HS

KIMORA MORELY - C.K. MCCLATCHY HS

JAEL ELISE MORGAN - THE MET HS

DAYANAH LOLA NINATA OTHMAN - SACRAMENTO JOB CORPS, SIA TECH

AADRIAN POPE - JOHN F. KENNEDY HS

MIYAH QUINN - FRANKLIN HS

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES CONT.

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES CONT.

JON RANKINS JR. - ALDAR ACADEMY

SERENA R. SMITH - LOS FLORES HS

MILISSA JOI SUTTON - DA VINCI HS

LEIA TAYLOR - DUNCANVILLE HS

JONAH WILLIAMS - SACRAMENTO JOB CORPS

AALIYAH YOUNGBLOOD - MONTEREY TRAIL HS

COLLEGE GRADUATES COLLEGE GRADUATES

UNDERGRADUATE

EYANNA BROWN - SACRAMENTO STATE UNIVERSITY

SIMONE LEE DEBBS - SACRAMENTO CITY COLLEGE

JADA LYDIA GREY -

GENESIS HAYES - AMERICAN RIVER COLLEGE

JALEN HILL - MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

CAITLYN MOLLOW - SACRAMENTO STATE UNIVERSITY

NATASIA RODRIGUEZ - SACRAMENTO CITY COLLEGE

GENESIS A. TAYLOR - SACRAMENTO CITY COLLEGE

MAI TOWNSEND - SACRAMENTO STATE UNIVERSITY

GRADUATE

CHARLES A. MIXON III - STRAYER UNIVERSITY, MASTERS

VELEDA MIXON - STRAYER UNIVERSITY, MASTERS

DR. CHARITY CHANDLER-COLE - LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY, PHD

DR. JEREMY DEWAYNE GREENE - UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC, PHD

CELEBRATIONBlackGraduation

ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR

Dr. Toniesha D. Webb

Dr. Toniesha D. webb

DR. WEBB IS ENTERING HER 16TH YEAR IN EDUCATION. SHE BEGAN HER CAREER AS A HISTORY TEACHER IN OAKLAND UNIFIED AND NOW SUPERVISES PRINCIPALS AT ASPIRE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IN HER CURRENT ROLE, SHE ASSISTS AND COACHES PRINCIPALS IN CREATING SAFE AND INCLUSIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR STUDENTS

DR. WEBB BELIEVES THAT EDUCATION IS THE GREAT EQUALIZER. WHEN APPROACHED CORRECTLY, STRATEGICALLY, AND THOUGHTFULLY, IT CAN CLOSE GAPS AND CREATE PATHWAYS FOR THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH OF ALL STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY STUDENTS OF COLOR.

TEACHER OF THE YEAR

KEITH HODGES HAS DEDICATED OVER 30 YEARS TO EDUCATION, BEGINNING AS A MATH TEACHER AT RICHMOND HIGH SCHOOL IN 1991. HE TAUGHT AT BERKELEY HIGH, EL CERRITO HIGH, AND OAKLAND TECHNICAL HIGH, WHERE HE ALSO SERVED AS SENIOR CLASS ADVISOR AND MATH DEPARTMENT CHAIR. HE LATER TAUGHT AT NATOMAS HIGH AND GALT HIGH, CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROJECT PIPELINE TEACHER CREDENTIAL PROGRAM AND EARNING HIS ADMINISTRATIVE CREDENTIAL FROM SACRAMENTO STATE

KEITH HELD ADMINISTRATIVE ROLES AT SEA CHARTER HIGH SCHOOLS, INDERKUM HIGH, AND SANTA CRUZ CITY SCHOOLS, DIRECTING THE ALGEBRA BRIDGE MATH ACCELERATION PROGRAM. HE TAUGHT AT MONTEREY TRAIL HIGH, CO-ADVISED THE BSU, AND NOW TEACHES AT WOODLAND HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE HE FOUNDED THE DREAMMAKERS FARM AND OUTDOOR CLASSROOM

KEITH IS MARRIED TO PAMELA AND HAS A SON, DEUNTE LAWSON-HODGES.

TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Wilisha Beatty Cherry

Wilisha Beatty Cherry

WILISHA BEATTY-CHERRY IS A NATIVE OF STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA. SHE IS THE WIFE OF STEVEN CHERRY SR., PROUD MOTHER OF 7 AND GRANDMOTHER OF 6 SHE IS AN ENTHUSIASTIC CHILD DEVELOPMENT TEACHER AT VILLAGE OAKS HIGH SCHOOL AND HAS WORKED FOR LINCOLN UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT SINCE 2009. WILISHA EARNED AN ASSOCIATE OF ARTS IN SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES IN 2015, A BACHELOR OF ARTS IN SOCIAL SCIENCES IN 2020 AND IS CURRENTLY A STUDENT AT TCSJ OF SAN JOAQUIN. SHE IS THE FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF FRUITFUL CHERRY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2015 WILISHA DEMONSTRATES HER “FRUITFULNESS” BY BEING A POSITIVE ROLE MODEL AND THROUGH LIVING OUT ACTS OF LOVE AND KINDNESS.

YOUTH ADVOCACY AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT ARE THE CORE OF HER BEING. WILISHA’S DAILY MESSAGE TO HERSELF AND TO OTHERS IS TO “BE ENCOURAGED!”

COACH OF THE YEAR

Dante Bush

Dante bush

COACH DANTE BUSH IS A DEDICATED HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COACH, SCIENCE TEACHER, MENTOR, AND LEADERSHIP COUNSELOR FROM TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA. AN ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN AT LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL, HE GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA WITH A B A IN ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND A MINOR IN AGRICULTURAL LAW

DANTE'S CAREER SPANS ROLES AT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IN NYC AND LEHMAN BROTHERS. SINCE 2008, HE HAS FOCUSED ON EDUCATION, WITH 15 YEARS OF TEACHING AND COACHING EXPERIENCE, CURRENTLY SERVING AS HEAD COACH AT JOHN F KENNEDY HIGH SCHOOL

DANTE IS MARRIED TO JASMIN FRANCIS-BUSH, HEAD OF BRAND MANAGEMENT AT UC DAVIS, AND THEY HAVE TWO CHILDREN, ZAIDEN AND ZYELLE. HE IS COMMITTED TO INSPIRING EXCELLENCE AND INTEGRITY IN HIS STUDENTS AND ATHLETES

SPECIAL MUSICAL GUEST

FFaith Villafana-Smith

MY NAME IS FAITH, I HAVE BEEN PLAYING VIOLIN FOR 8 YEARS AND I AM CURRENTLY STUDYING WITH FRIEDA YANG, A JULLIARD BACHELORS AND MASTERS GRADUATE I AM A PART OF THE FOLSOM LAKE COLLEGE YOUTH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA AND ALSO HAVE BEEN FOCUSING ON JAZZ VIOLIN. I AM GRATEFUL FOR MRS. LORREEN AND THE WHOLE BYLP TEAM FOR SUPPORTING ME AND MY EDUCATION.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Oliver North is the founder and CEO of Only Thoughts of Ownership LLC, a consulting company dedicated to building community, and challenging every human to take ownership of their life while being led by passions over paychecks. Oliver is a national keynote speaker, business strategist, master trainer, mentor, and the author of the best-selling book “Win Today! A Simple Page A Day Empowers The Mind” He is defiant to obstacles; being 1 of 14 Children to parents that are former drug addicts, as well as going from foster care and homelessness to a master’s degree by 23. Oliver is a true radical and to him, the word “no” is simply a “yes” that has not arrived yet He believes deeply in the concept of taking ownership in every aspect

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