Alpha Phi Alpha, Beta Sigma Lambda Chapter in Hartford, CT

Beta Sigma Lambda - Hartford Alumni Chapter

Tuesday, September 07, 2010

Welcome from the BSL Foundation President

Thank you for your interest in the BSL Educational Foundation Inc. The foundation activities exemplify the motto and ambition of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc; First of All, Servants of All, We shall Transcend All.

The BSL Educational Foundation, Inc., a federally recognized 501c-3 non-profit private foundation, has a mission to provide educational programming and services for middle and high schools from the Greater Hartford area that will enhance their students’ opportunities for academic excellence beyond high school. There are four areas of programming: Academic Development, Leadership Development, Personal Development, and Social Development. Through a network of partnerships such as the March of Dimes, Boy Scouts of America, Greater Hartford middle and high Schools, faith-based organizations, and civic groups we cast a wide net to reach young people of color. Our programs and services are enrichment focused to enable the development of the mind, spirit, and character of each participant.

The BSL Educational Foundation received funding in the recent past from its membership through an Annual Fund Drive as well as major funding from The Connecticut Health Foundation, CIGNA, Aetna Inc, The Hartford, Travelers Insurance and other individual and civic sponsors. A detail listing of annual corporate and civic contributors is found in our Annual Report. Individual contributions are welcome. Please view our Community Outreach Letter and Giving Guide to see how you may support our programs. BSL Educational Foundation Community Letter and Giving Guide

Brother Kenneth Summers

President, BSL Education Foundation Inc.

bslfoundationpresident@hartfordalphas.com

BSL EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION INC. PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Youth Oratorical Contest

January 2009 will mark our fifth annual event. The program features eight finalists with four in the middle school and four in the high school divisions. The finalists compete for scholarship prizes in the form of US Saving Bonds. The individuals reach the finalist stage after a rigorous process of tryouts, public speaking workshops, one-on-one mentoring and coaching to enable them to effectively deliver original speeches on the event’s theme. The 2009 theme is Education: Can We Close The Achievement Gap? The program will be held January 10, 2009 at Bethel A.M.E. Church in Bloomfield, CT. Attendance for the past four years has averaged about 350 persons. To date we have 31 Middle and High School students who have been finalists in our Oratorical Contest.

Project Alpha

This is a national program developed with the March of Dimes. It is a one day event where middle and high school males learn sexual responsibility, personal responsibility, healthy and nutritional living, and personal grooming. The event has been held on the campus of Eastern Connecticut State University, University of Hartford, and Hartford area private and magnet schools. Attendance has averaged 50 participants the past five years. The annual event is planned for October 2008. Since 2003 more than 300 students have participated in our Project Alpha Program.

Leadership Development Institute

Participants of our Project Alpha and MLK Oratorical programs are nominated to attend the four-day Leadership Institute held at St John’s University. The program focuses on leadership development, personal organizational, social skills, and academic preparedness for the collegiate level. The Foundation sponsors two to three participants with a Foundation member as chaperone.

The Alpha Breakfast Club and Alpha Academy Programs

These programs are in partnership with the Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School. Alpha Breakfast Club members of the Foundation and the invited guests meet with students to discuss their careers and the challenges they may find during their development as successful students and prospective college-bound young men. As a separate focus, Alpha A prospective college-bound young men. As a separate focus, Alpha Academy is as an after-school mentoring and Saturday enrichment program that tries to round out the students’ life with candid discussion, as well as educational and recreational enrichment. Saturday programs are held on the campus of area colleges. The weekly Breakfast Club usually has eight to ten young men attend while the Saturday program is often made up of a group of eight to ten different young men.

Hartford Step Off Classic and Wellness Expo.

This is an annual event held in April which has been sold out at the Bushnell Performing Arts Theater the past two years. The all-afternoon event is intended to provide entertainment through community middle and high school “step” performance teams and regional collegiate teams competing for prize money. Proceeds from the event are used to grant scholarships and build the BSL Educational Foundation, Inc. Endowment. The event also features a wide representation of local health companies, insurers, medical professionals, health advocacy groups, and civic organizations that provide free on-site health screening and information to patrons. Each year more than 2,800 attendees become educated and aware of personal health issues and are encouraged to be proactive in proper health maintenance.

Scholarships

Each year the Foundation awards $1,500 scholarships to graduating seniors from the Greater Hartford Area. The scholarships are awarded based on merit after a rigorous essay and interview process. Our scholarship is listed annually in the Scholarship Directory of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. Since the Foundation’s inception, more than $75,000 in scholarships has been awarded. To secure an application for 2009, please go to the following link for the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving Scholarship Directory http://www.hfpg.org/html/scholarships/details2.asp?ID=252