Great Lakes REGIONAL SPOTLIGHTS
Director, Tom Melius, USFWS Midwest Region- Assistant Regional Director, External Affairs-Charles Traxler. We also spoke with US Senator Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota). Senator Klobuchar and Dr. Karen Oberhauser, University of Minnesota gave presentations on the monarch butterfly, its habitat, life cycle, migration and the milkweed plant which is food for the monarch butterfly. This
event was well attended by conservation partners. There were live exhibits of the monarch butterfly, and developing a habitat in your own yard. State Director Harrell and Soror Fannie Harrell, Chair of the Board, helped with the tagging and release of a couple of monarch butterflies. Other notable highlights around the state of Ohio this Sorority year included the following: On August 23, 2015 the ladies of Gamma Delta Zeta Chapter participated in the reopening of Cleveland’s Historic League Park, with the unveiling of Cleveland’s own Fannie M. Lewis sculpture and a ribbon cutting ceremony. Gamma Delta Zeta Chapter contributed to this event by passing out school supplies to the children.
THE STATE OF OHIO
LaRita Smith, State Director In December 2014, Ohio welcomed Dr. Algeania Warren Freeman to our state as she vigorously pursued the continued academic success of Wilberforce University students as its newest president. Faced with the daunting task of saving the school from losing its accreditation, Dr. Freeman has worked diligently to attract not only funding, but also more students to the historically black college campus. In September 2015, Dr. Freeman was officially installed as the university’s president. The arrival of Dr. Freeman was not the only Zeta news on Wilberforce’s campus this year. Gamma Epsilon was one of two reactivated chapters in the state this year. Xi Gamma of Ohio State University also returned to their campus to thunderous applause. As the Sorority is moving into the year of the undergraduate, these two chapters are poised to make notable marks on their respective campuses. Ohio also had the honor of hosting President Wright at the 57th Ohio State Leadership Conference on October 16-17, hosted by Mu Rho Zeta chapter of Akron. The Ohio conference featured a Centennial Launch party on October 16. Being that Ohio is the home of founders Viola Tyler Faithful and Myrtle Tyler Goings, Regional Director Porter Norman and Ohio State Director LaRita Smith announced that plans are underway to commemorate them in 2018 as part of the Centennial Celebration. The Centennial Launch Party event also brought together six of the seven living past and current Ohio State directors. 108 THE ARCHON MAGAZINE l SPRING/SUMMER 2016
Gamma Zeta Zeta’s “From Girls to Pearls” is a program for adolescent females of color to prepare them physically, socially, emotionally, intellectually, spiritually, and culturally for passage from childhood to teen. In 2015, the 8th year for the program, 19 “Princesses” participated. The Princesses completed seven three-hour rites of passage courses that directly align with Youth Z-HOPE programming and encompassed the three component areas of mind, body and spirit. One special guest was State Senator Charleta Tavares, who discussed the significance of women of color in government and the importance of voting during the “Our Community Elections” course. The program finale is a formal Ball, which included a sit-down dinner and waltz with the Princesses wearing beautiful light blue gowns, tiaras and pearls, and their escorts in tuxedos. Each year, two $1,000 scholarships are given; one to a former Princess and one funded by a generous donation from the Tearte Family Foundation, Inc., supported by Past President Tearte. On March 14, 2015, the Central Ohio community gathered for Sigma Iota Zeta Chapter’s signature program, Breakfast with the Artist, held at Monaco’s Palace. Focusing on the youth of the community, the Breakfast featured Urban Strings, a Central Ohiobased community youth orchestra comprised of young, talented musicians from various public and private schools throughout the metropolitan Columbus area. Additionally, the crowd was entertained by various acts ranging from spoken word to dance to visual art. This was the 13th Annual Breakfast with the Artist celebration. The proceeds of the breakfast benefit the Bessie K. Jackson Memorial Scholarship fund. This year, Sigma Iota Zeta chapter awarded two scholarships to Central Ohio High School seniors: Claudia Owusu, who is a student from SIZ’s Adopt-ASchool partner, Mifflin High School; and Archonette Janthel Davis, who is a senior at Bishop Hartley High School. Mu Rho Zeta’s End of the Year chapter awards took place June 13, 2015, recognizing Soror Thelma Boyd for 40 years of Service to Zeta. Several other Sorors were celebrated for significant Zeta milestones, including Zeta Dove and Life Member Dr. Ellen