Dry conditions as clouds continue to move out. >> Theme parks founders Day for the Omega sci fi This week the fraternity hosted events to celebrate achievement and pour back into the community. Joining us to share the importance behind the Brotherhood is Darryl Shackelford. Thanks a lot for coming in this morning.
Thank you for having me. >> So can you give us an idea how Achievement Week all began? Okay. Well Achievement Week was kind of the brainchild of Dr. Carter G. Woodson If you know who Dr. Carter G. Woodson is, he is the father of Black History Month.
And in 1920 we had a conclave which is like a national meeting for the fraternity. And he pretty much came to the brothers and said I think we need to focus on achievement in the United States. So at that time Black History Month was just Achievement Week hence the Achievement Week piece.
So in 1927 we decided to adopt Achievement Week and we’ve been doing it ever since. >> Yeah it’s fantastic has lasted this long now your chapter New Omega. What have they been doing for Achievement Week specifically? Well, New America first of all, we’re celebrating 100 years of service in Detroit.
We were chartered in 1923. We have so many things that we do that I’m so proud of. Number one, I think is our mentorship program. Our mentorship program takes place at a Durfee Innovation Center. And we do it every other Thursday from 530 until about 7:00 where we work there after school program.
Just a group of boys who were elementary to middle school age actually will be meeting with them to pack food boxes for our annual Thanksgiving turkey basket giveaway. Is this something I just feel is really important that you’re dealing with kids who may not have positive black male role
Models And we’re here to be that for them. Now somebody want to get involved in that program. How do they do that? Do they just show up or do they have to contact you or a website? Well, you kind of have to be a part of the fraternity bars. >> Right? Okay.
It’d be nice if you were part of our chapter because it’s pretty much just, you know, just us doing it. But anybody who would want to be involved, we definitely would not push you away. I would say to you could just contact Mr. Neighbors because Miss Neighbors at Durfee is who
We are working with and she’s our point of contact. >> Talk a little bit about the need for mentorship and the positive impact you have on youth and what you’re really providing. >> Well, I’m a career educator. I worked in Detroit Public Schools since 1994 and I am now with the Washtenaw Intermediate
School District. And just working in inner city with inner city youths for most of my life you just really see that there is a piece that may be missing. And I’ve always wanted to try to fill that void And you know there is a misnomer a lot of
Times that a lot of these kids don’t have fathers in the homes or anything and that is far from the truth. But just being an extra role model in a kid’s life can be really important. And I’ve always tried to involve my members of the fraternity in that There was a
Time where I had them coming to my school to read to the pre-K and kindergarten students and it may seem like something that small but just I always talk about exposure even if you don’t maybe get it at that time . Being exposed to something is just super duper important that
You can maybe look back. You can remember that purple and gold that you saw when you were five and six years old and say Hey I remember you guys came to my school And I just think that that just the exposure was the most important. >> Yeah. The exposure And how receptive
Are the kids when they get that exposure Because a lot of times they don’t have any outlet for it. >> So when they get it I mean they really are receptive to it At first they’re like Whose dad is that When you go in the classroom or who is grandfather
That depending on how the memory may be But just there’s a brightening of the eyes because if you know anything about education it is a female dominated enterprise. So I’ve worked at schools where I was maybe one of 3 or 4 men in the school out of a thousand kids.
So just having men around these boys and girls is just a big deal And having black men coming in in suits and ties and just showing them something different than they may be used to is just super important. >> All right. Any other plug for omega sci fi? Now’s your chance.
I know you’re passionate about it. Yes, definitely. Our founders David is on November 18th at 1:00 at Fellowship Chapel. Tickets are available currently if you go on our website which is new omega.com we would love to have you there. >> It’s open to the public. We love to have you there
Special guest tickets on me. >> Even better tickets are $65 and we will be giving out awards. We will be awarding our citizen of the year because that’s something that we hold near and dear as well as our Omega man of the year and our friends is that service award winner.
So a great luncheon, great place and we love to have
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