KAPPA LEAGUE SPOTLIGHT
Kappa Alpha Psi Adapts its Signature Mentorship Program with Weekly On-Line Sessions, Leads to Virtual National Kappa League Conference
Weekly Kappa League sessions kept students engaged with each other and their sponsoring chapters.
to think about how do we continue to have a positive impact and a positive influence on students was something that inspired me. We were getting ready to do a workshop at the Southwestern Province Council, where it was going to be different activities that were going to happen, and we were going to have an online live conversation, and so getting together with (Chairman) Brother Bur- nett and the committee, I just thought about, well, how do keep our students engaged?” Brother McCaleb donated usage of his Zoom account and they initially planned for 100 students, but the rollout response was more anticipated by the Kappa Leaguers than they imagined. Brother McCaleb describes the first session. “I signed on 15 minutes early and there's already 60 people in the waiting room. Okay, so we maxed out the first week. Kevin (Burnett) said let's do it again next week, and I thought that this was going to be something.” He was correct. The next week, they set up the call to accommodate 300 students, and again they maxed out. “To be honest, I didn’t expect 300 people. Based on what we normally get for our webinars, (but) to see that hunger, the need from our
Kappa Leaguers, was a great feeling to see that we maxed out,” said Brother Jackson. In addition to the initial topic of Coronavirus, the sessions ranged each week. “I think that it's a way for them to get out and socialize. We actually had what we called the senior forum where we talk to the seniors about college, and how do they feel about the potential not having proms, graduations, etc.,” recalled Brother Jackson. This virtual model also led to the first National Kappa League Conference, held virtually, from July 10-12 2020, complete with speakers and breakout workshop sessions of a variety of topics, for 100 registered Kappa League mem- bers across the country. As the national sessions grew in success over the summer, local chapters also began their own virtual sessions to close out the year, and many are prepared and planning to carry on with this method through the Fall. So, as the world grapples with Coronavirus, Guide Right will continue its mission, albeit in an adapted form, of mentoring and train- ing for leadership its Kappa Leaguers.
A s the country began shutting down, to shelter in place, in reaction to the growing global coronavirus pandemic in March, and chapters cancelling their Kappa League meetings, members of the National Guide Right Committee’s Educational Technology subcommittee quickly began to make provisions for weekly virtual Guide Right sessions for Kappa Leaguers across the country. Brothers Ben Jackson and Thomas McCaleb had already been holding we- binars for other programs with smaller groups throughout the year, so when the shelter in place orders were given, they began planning for weekly sessions, initially to serve 100 Kappa Leaguers. “One of the things that hit me was we needed to do something to encour- age our students around the country, especially if some of the programs were not able to have meetings with the students face-to-face,” said Brother Ben Jackson, Chairman. “There's 168 hours a week, we spend two to three hours, possibly, depend- ing on the program with the students. The rest of those hours are filled with other people and other influences; and
By Damon Peebles
28 | SUMMER-FALL 2020 ♦ THE JOURNAL
Publishing achievement for more than 105 years
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs