The Beta Epsilon Sigma Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., in Columbia, SC, presented its Annual Youth Symposium on Saturday, March 8, 2025, at Southeast Middle School in Hopkins, SC. Forty elementary, middle and high school youth participated in a wide variety of workshops, activities, and discussions.
The program began with an interactive presentation by Richland County Deputy Tony Jeoung who enabled youth to make decisions on practical life scenarios that represented recent incidents involving youth in Richland County. This presentation set the tone for and was an introduction
into the symposium’s theme, “Protecting our Youth Today for a Prosperous Tomorrow.”
To enable participants to more freely express their thoughts and feelings, two groups were formed. The boys covered the topics of Financial Literacy, It’s Computer Time, Mental/Physical Health, and Social Awareness. Presenters were Jonathan Bright, David Noel, Sr., Dr. Lee Knuckles, and Autery Randle.
Girls covered the topics of Choosing My Future, Mental Health, Financial Literacy, and Dress to Impress. Presenters were Kiara Ashely, Cindy A. Noel, Ayah Favors, and Sandra Sutton.
A memorable statement to the boys was “If you know how to code [computers] you will always have a job.” The boys were very interested in how they could become wealthy. Girls were reminded that “What you wear to a job interview tells something about you.” They appreciated knowing the advantages of using a virtual private network (VPN) while in public places and using a virtual wallet rather than a debit card.
Everyone enjoyed light morning refreshments and a delicious lunch. The chairpersons for this event were Sabrina Scales-Moye and Rose Wood.
