KAPPA ALPHA PSI PRESENTS 38TH STEVE LEWIS SCHOLARSHIPS

The Sarasota (FL) Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., in association with Sarasota-Bradenton Kappa Alpha Psi Project Guide Right, Inc., presented the 38^th Annual Steve Lewis Achievement Awards ceremony on Saturday, April 10^th at the Steve Lewis Community Center in Bradenton. This year, the fraternity presented seven scholarships and to date, has awarded over $208,000 in scholarships. They also recognized the citizens of the year from Sarasota and Manatee County, Olympia Baylou and Reggie Bellamy.

Scholarship recipients were DeMario Antwon Evans, Jr., Julian Jerold Gauthier, Zorian Veshawn Geathers, Kaivon Jamal Moran, Reid Anderson Pitts, Myles Edward Woodard and Jabrielle Nelson, who received the Fraternity’s nursing award. The 2021 Citizens of the Year are Olympia R. Baylou and Reggie Bellamy.

DeMario is a senior at Booker High School where he maintains a cumulative GPA of 4.57. He also received the AICE Diploma and qualified for the highest level of the Bright Future Scholarship. He is a two-sport athlete in football and basketball and has been accepted into Florida Atlantic University, University of South Florida, University of Central Florida, Florida Gulf Coast University and the University of Tampa and plans to major in media production/communication.

Julian is a senior at Venice Senior High School and maintains a cumulative GPA of 4.38. He will attend the University of Tampa to pursue a bachelor’s degree. His extra-curricular activity includes playing golf and is considered one of the school’s top golfers.

Zorian is a senior at Palmetto High School, where he will graduate with a cumulative GPA of 3.72. His extra-curricular activities include football, basketball, track, and community service with the Mosaic Academy. He was crowned the school’s 2020-2021 Homecoming King. He plans to attend a four-year university to pursue his bachelor’s degree in Cinematic and Film Production.

Kaivon is a senior at Sarasota High School where he plays basketball and is a community resource to his peers. He will graduate with a cumulative GPA of 4.04 and has been accepted at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to study Aeronautical Science, entering as a freshman but considered a sophomore. He is currently working on his private pilot’s license which he will obtain in December 2021, and after graduating from college, he plans to begin flying for a regional airline.

Reid is a senior at Venice Senior High School and maintains a cumulative GPA of 34.38. He has taken a rigorous course load including Honors classes and is enrolled in the Dual Enrollment program at State College of Florida. He will be attending the University of Central Florida to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. He has worked as a lifeguard at the Sky Family YMCA and North Port Aquatics Center.

Miles is a senior at Sarasota High School, where he will graduate with a cumulative 3.71 GPA. His extra-curricular activities include swimming, track, community service and volunteering at teen court. He will attend Florida Gulf Coast University where he will major in Health Science and later pursue a master’s degree in Occupational Therapy.

Jabrielle is a senior at Booker High School where she maintains a cumulative GPA of 3.58. She will attend Jacksonville University to pursue her bachelor’s degree in Nursing. Her interest in nursing is because of her mother, who is her role model. Her mother’s dedication inspired Jabrielle to explore the healthcare field.

Mrs. Baylou is the Citizen of the Year from Sarasota County and is the owner and founder of Blooming Impressions FL, LLC. A native of Tampa, she is a graduate of the University of South Florida. After a 15 year career in financial services, she transitioned to a new career in education where she teaches physical and life sciences to middle school students. She created “Blooming Impressions,” a personal development program for youth, as a church ministry in 1997 and in 2016, became registered as a minority-owned and women-owned business in the State of Florida.

Bellamy is Citizen of the Year from Manatee County. He is a native of Bradenton and graduated from Manatee High School. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Bethune Cookman University and served in the United States Army. He has worked as a graduation coach and mentor, facilitating graduation plans and encouraging students to stay in school and has served as an academic advisor at the State College of Florida. Presently, he is a Dean at Buffalo Creek Middle School in Palmetto and is the Executive Director at the Palmetto Youth Center. He also serves as head coach of the Palmetto High School boys basketball team and serves on the Manatee County Commission.

The fraternity also recognized the Kappa Man of the Year, Dr. Ray Taylor, and Polemarch Man of the Year, Carey McCoy, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the chapter.

Top Picture (awardees):

2021 scholarship recipients (left to right) Jabrielle Nelson, Myles Woodard, Zorian Geathers, DeMario Evans, Jr., Kaivon Moran, Julian Gauthier and Reid Pitts.