Monrovia – Several students from the Slipway Community School in Slipway, Central Monrovia, have participated in special classes conducted by the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.
Report by Edwin G. Genoway, [email protected]
The special activities included poetry slams, dancing, painting, and performing arts.
During the program, AKA members exposed students from the community school to the visual arts and jazz music.
The objective of the program was to allow the kids to tap into their artistic talents by providing them with an interactive painting class instructed by Liberian painter, Lawson Sworh.
The purpose of Arts is to celebrate the contributions of African-American artists during the Harlem Renaissance.
The Sorority decided to host the program in February, known internationally as Black History Month, as a salute to the Harlem Renaissance.
The painting activities brought excitement to many of the students, who said it was the first time that they had ever painted.
“I am happy to learn painting, all what we learned here today was very important to us and thank God now I know how to paint,” one of the students happily said.
Instructions from Sworh were essential for these beginners to learn the fundamentals of painting.
Each student received their own personal set of paint brushes and watercolor paints. They had great fun and enjoyed tapping into their creative sides.
The president of the Eta Beta Omega Chapter, Mrs. Clarine Simpson Vaughn, thanked the Ministry of Information Cultural and Tourism for their support, which provided access to an open-air class on the historic Providence Island as the venue.
“We extend our thanks and appreciation to the government through the Information Ministry for their support to us by allowing us to use the Providence Island to brighten the minds of our students,” Madam Vaugh noted.
She said members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Eta Beta Omega Chapter has engaged in exciting community service and Slipway Community School is one of the beneficiaries of their programs.
She noted that arts education promotes self-directed learning, sharpens critical and creative skills, and improves emotional balance.
Ms. Chiquita Johnson, AKA lead for The Arts, is a performing artist. Ms. Johnson said it was good that students took interest in the program.
“Exposure to the arts is vital for students at an early age, but any age is great to begin exploring your creative side and using art to express yourself,” she stated.
She explained that Alpha Kappa Alpha’s mission is to cultivate and encourage high scholastic and ethical standards, to promote unity and friendship among college women, to study and help alleviate problems concerning girls and women in order to improve their social stature, to maintain a progressive interest in college life, and to be of ‘service to all mankind’.
This is the third time the Sorority has partnered with the Slipway Community School. In 2018, they hosted a Spelling Bee through their Achievement, Self-Awareness, Communication, Engagement, Networking and Development Skills (ASCEND) Program, and also facilitated a Raincoat Drive distribution to students of that community.