On March 15, Mt. Hebron’s Delta Scholars went to the 2016 Delta Scholars Leadership Conference, which was organized by the Columbia Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. in partnership with the Columbia Delta Foundation and the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS).

“Seeing that we weren’t the only Delta Scholars in Howard County made me realize how much higher we could achieve in the future,” said Esther Lawson John, president of the Mt. Hebron chapter, about attending the conference.

It was this new level of interaction with other women that made the event such a success. The 36 members who were able to attend the trip had the opportunity to sit in on various workshops after the introduction ceremony took place. Several speakers, including members of the Delta Sorority, community leaders and HCPSS Superintendent Dr. Renee Foose, addressed the chapters from 11 county high schools.

Lawson John was given the opportunity to speak in front of the student assembly by introducing Dr. Foose.

The workshops covered a wide range of topics, including how to manage finances while in the working world and a detailed look at the steps of the college admissions process. One session that stood out was the “Who Calls Me Beautiful” session. It discussed society’s standards for beauty among women and challenged the girls to accept themselves for who they are.

“It went extremely well,” said Ms. Harrington. “The girls enjoyed it a lot. They certainly gained a lot of knowledge by going.”

Having the opportunity to meet with Delta Scholars members from other schools will help to improve the Mt. Hebron chapter of the organization. Lawson John liked having the chance to talk with other chapter presidents about how they handled certain scenarios like fundraising and communicating with their members.

“They were really nice and taught me what an amazing experience it is to be part of a larger organization, that we weren’t the only Delta Scholars,” commented Lawson John.

Computer Science teacher Ms. Sandy Harrington and Guidance Counselor Ms. Irene Bademosi started the club earlier this year with the mission of getting female students involved to offer service to the local community and to learn about self-improvement.

The new members, all of whom were inducted in November, have since conducted meetings for college preparation, volunteered around the school, tutored fellow students, and built relationships with business women in the community.

So far during their first year of service, the organization has worked to strengthen friendships between its members, to form ties with Mt. Hebron’s ESOL program, and to help out the community in a larger sense.

Any girls from 10th through 12th grade who have at least a 3.0 GPA are encouraged to join the organization. To be considered, applicants need to have met these requirements and submit teacher recommendations.