By Nichole Williams
Raleigh’s Beta Lambda Sigma chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. hosted its annual Youth Symposium on Saturday, March 9th at the Raleigh Girls Club of Wake County.
Soror Farrah Pickstock led the planning committee for the event, which was jam packed with plenty of fun and edifying sessions for both children and adults alike. Falling in line with year’s theme for the event, “Making Our Youth Greater”, sessions ranged from a STEM workshop for younger children to build cars out of recyclable water bottles and balloons to sessions on self-esteem involving affirmations and decorative mirrors. Younger children also enjoyed a session focused on learning how to prepare healthy snacks without microwaves or ovens.
Older youth attendees sat in on sessions about business etiquette and professional dress as well as a discussion on the elements of healthy relationships. Parents of attendees also enjoyed programming on self-care and even had a chance to show off some dance moves during the line dancing instruction for adults. The adult session was a new addition to Youth Symposium programming for this year.
The event culminated with a step show showcase and Tik Tok dance challenge, both popular activities from last year’s Youth Symposium, that allowed the youth attendees to show off their skills for parents and other community members.
In addition to all the fun, the Youth Symposium also mixed in a healthy dose of community service.
Wake Up and Read, a community coalition that advocates for literacy among children, partnered with Beta Lambda Sigma this year to provide free books to the youth attendees of the event. There was also a can drive for Oak City Cares, and parents arrived to pick up their children with canned goods in hand to donate to the cause. The drive was able to collect 93 cans for Oak City Cares.
Beta Lambda Sigma was also proud to be able to donate art supplies to the Raleigh Girls’ Club’s art room, and that particular donation was received with excitement by a youth artist who regularly uses the art room.
“I would have to say, every year we have the Youth Symposium at the Raleigh Girls’ Club. This year, we were able to make a donation of art supplies to them. For me, that was the highlight knowing that they were helping us with giving us their space, but we were able to give back to them with the art supplies. There was a particular kid there who was one of the artists there, so it was pretty cool because she was so excited when she saw all of the paints and the paint brushes and the art paper that was donated. She was ready to start painting. That was the best part being able to give to Raleigh Girls’ Club because they are so instrumental to the community.” said Youth Symposium planning chair Soror Farrah Pickstock.
Representatives from the entire Beta Lambda Sigma chapter family were present to help out with the Youth Symposium this year. Rhoers, Philos and undergraduate Sorors from Shaw University’s Beta Theta chapter pitched in to help attendees, parents and community members.
The Youth Symposium is a national initiative of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. that is held simultaneously by alumnae chapters across the nation on the second Saturday of March each year to address pertinent issues among the youth, such as low self-esteem, bullying, and more. For more information about the Youth Symposium, visit SGRho1922.org.