Jefferson County Alumnae Chapter Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated introduced 18 young ladies at its 7th Annual Rubies and Pearls Debutante Cotillion on Saturday, November 22, 2014, at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham- The Wynfrey Hotel. Ms. Katrina McTyer is chapter president. Mrs. Frieda Bush and Mrs. Vallery Lee were chairpersons for the event.
The Debutantes presented were: Miss Darian Deonna Bester, senior at Ramsay High School; Miss Kaylan Simone Brown, senior at Ramsay High School; Miss Gabrielle DeAnna Chambers, senior at Ramsay High School; Miss Amber MariRose Green, senior at Ramsay High School; Miss Asia Monquie Holley, senior at Minor High School; Miss Regina Shandrell Jiles, senior at Ramsay High School; Miss Kiona Denise Jones, senior at Clay Chalkville High School; Miss Courtney Jacques Larkin, senior at Minor High School; Miss Maya Giovanni Leonard, senior at Ramsay High School; Miss Kaila Mykei Mayfield, senior at McAdory High School; Miss Kalyn Ashleigh McMillan, senior at Jackson- Olin High School; Miss Diamond Jamila McNeil, senior at Ramsay High School; Miss Tyra Denise Middlebrook, senior at Leeds High School; Miss Fallon Ra’quel Phillips, senior at Hoover High School; Miss Tyra Leondra Rogers, senior at Ramsay High School; Miss Morgan Rose Smoke, senior at John Carroll Catholic High School; Miss Belinda Patrice Solomon, senior at Minor High School; and Miss Melody Nicole Wilson, senior at Ramsay High School.
Members of the 2014 Rubies and Pearls Court were: Miss Belinda Patrice Solomon winner; Miss Courtney Jacques Larkin 2nd place; Miss Maya Giovanni Leonard 3rd place; and Miss Darian Deonna Bester 4th place.
Scrapbook winners were Miss Kaylan Simone Brown winner, Miss Morgan Rose Smoke 2nd place, and Miss Kalyn Ashleigh McMillan 3rd place.
Essay Contest winners were Miss Kaila Mykei Mayfield and Miss Kalyn Ashleigh McMillan.
Haiku winner was Miss Morgan Rose Smoke; and Perfect Attendance winner was Miss Belinda Patrice Solomon.
Each participant received a certificate of participation, a long stemmed red rose, a 16X 20 black and white portrait which was prominently displayed in the lobby area, and a swag bag filled with goodies.
Eleven participants received laptop computers, four participants received 10 inch nextbooks, and the top four participants received laptop bundles which included a laptop computer, a printer, and a laptop case.
The cotillion culminated an eight month mentoring program which included workshops on scrapbooking, technology, public speaking, debating, and modeling. The young ladies participated in a book chat with the author attending to discuss the book with them. A personal trainer came to one of the workshops to give health and exercising tips to the young ladies. The young ladies also had a social outing which included painting at Sips N Strokes and lunch at a local restaurant. To showcase their decorated hats, the young ladies participated in a Hat Tea held at the Parthenon Conference Center.
The young ladies were escorted by the following young men: Isaac Cade, Bobby Casey, De’Montrez Clark, Daniel Ford, Bryan Generette, Jabari Harris, Evan Holloway, Ja’Leon Jemison, Courtney Johnson, Quinton Jones, Oscar Lee, Brandon McCaskey, Michael Rankins, Eric Richardson II, Robert Sellers, Jr., Ki-Juana Slaughter, Christian Watts, and Darrius White.
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is a nonprofit service organization founded on the campus of Howard University on January 13, 1913, by twenty- two outstanding Black women who shared a concern for social welfare, academic excellence, and cultural enrichment. Today, more than 300,000 women in over 900 chapters have devoted their efforts to the continuation of service.
