Jefferson School, Kappa Alpha Psi Kick-off the '19-20 School Year

The administration and staff of CHSD 170's Jefferson School recently welcomed members of the Chicago Heights Chapter of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity to help kick-off the 2019-20 academic year.

The visitors included Guide Director Dr. Charles Alexander, Chicago Heights Alumni Chapter Polemarch Jeff Thomas, Roosevelt Martin, Justin Copeland, and Pastor JaVon Moore.

The fraternity is continuing its partnership with the school by sponsoring a "Guide Right Program" that promotes the importance of education and positive behaviors to the school's junior-high male students. The program provides mentoring to students on issues ranging from careers, character development, truancy, behavior, and academics.

"The Guide Right Program is a superb mentoring activity," said Jefferson Principal Christopher Baikauskas.

"It that serves as an essential component of our school's initiative to help students understand the importance of succeeding in school and in life," he added.

"The program, involving many alumni of our school district, has been wonderfully effective in reinforcing our students' commitment to bringing their best behaviors and best efforts to school," he continued.

Kappa Alpha Psi also supports the school with events, supplies, academic programming, guest speakers, and holiday baskets for students.

According to its website, Kappa Alpha Psi is a fraternity of predominantly African-American membership founded on January 5th, 1911, at Indiana University. The fraternity has over 160,000 members with 721 undergraduate and alumni chapters in every state, and around the world.

The Chicago Heights Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity was chartered on October 23rd, 1965, and maintains a position of prominence within the Kappa Alpha Psi orbit. The chapter is made up of men of many different professional backgrounds who call the Chicago Heights Alumni Chapter home

The fraternity's affiliation with Jefferson School is but one example of the organization's sponsorship of and participation in various programs that provide community service, social welfare, and academic scholarship.

Kappa Alpha Psi also held a school supplies drive and cookout this past Saturday, August 24th, at the Joe Orr Woods in Chicago Heights. State Representative Anthony De Luca joined the fraternity in support of the event.