KAPPA ALPHA PSI NATIONAL SERVICE PROGRAM
The national service program of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. is called Guide Right. The purpose of the Guide Right program is to place the training experience and friendly interest of successful men at the disposal of youth for educational and occupational guidance, primarily inspirational and informational in character. Kappa Alpha Psi sponsors the Kappa League, an organization oriented toward helping young men of high school age grow and develop their leadership talents. The fundamental purpose of Kappa Alpha Psi is achievement; it is therefore, the fraternity’s primary purpose to help these young men to achieve worthy goals for themselves and make constructive contributions to their community.
The purpose of the guide right services program are to place the training experience and friendly interest of successful men at the disposal of the youth needing inspiration and counsel regarding their choices of a life’s career, and to arouse the interest of the entire community in the problems of youth as they seek to realize lives of usefulness. The basic objectives of Guide Right may be summarized as follows:
- To help youth, especially those of high school graduating classes, in their selection of courses leading to vocations compatible with their aptitudes and personalities.
- To assist students, while they are in training, to get started in the employment, and to progress successfully in their chosen field.
- To assist parents in the handling of their children by giving them opportunities to talk over their problems with those who know and are successful in their chosen vocations.
- To afford the less fortunate youths a respite from the drudgery of the streets, through sponsored trips to ball games, zoological gardens, museums, picnics, hikes, etc.
- To inform youth of the values of higher education, of assistance available for continued pursuits, scholarship, loans, professional counseling, fellowship, etc., of various occupational and professional opportunities, and of current labor demands and the trends on the effect of these demands and trends on the labor market, i.e., supply rewards, etc.; requirements for obtaining employment, i.e., personal and scholastic.
NATIONAL PROGRAMS–GUIDE RIGHT
The five national Guide Right initiatives are Kappa League, Jr. Kappa League, A-MAN Program, St. Jude Research Hospital, and the premier program, “Kappa Kamp,” which enables inner city boys to attend camp at the Piney Woods Country Life School in Piney Woods, Mississippi. In addition to the above-mentioned national initiatives, chapters within the Fraternity sponsor a wide variety of Guide Right programs in their communities that support their local youth.
KAPPA LEAGUE
The Kappa League was founded Thursday, February 12, 1970 by the Los Angeles (CA) Alumni chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi; under the direction of Mel Davis. Davis brought the idea to LA from Dayton, OH where he had worked closely with Jay Crosby to expand the guide right activities of Dayton (OH) Alumni chapter. The Kappa League is a series of activities designed to help young high school male students develop their leadership talents. The activities provide both challenging and rewarding experiences to enhance their lives. The goal of the League is to help the students achieve worthy goals for themselves and to make meaningful contributions to their communities. The League includes a series of workshops to achieve its goals.
STUDENT OF THE YEAR COMPETITION
The Student of the Year Competition is a contest that encompasses six areas deemed critical to a successful life – scholarship, talent, community involvement, poise and appearance, career preparation, and model chapter operation. Each Province sponsors a pageant during its Council. In the year of a Grand Chapter Meeting, the Province winners compete at the Grand Chapter Meeting. The first Student of the Year Pageant was held on May 20, 1972 at Drexel University, under the direction of Mel Davis. The first Pageant at the Grand Chapter Meeting occurred at the 58th Grand Chapter Meeting.
KAPPA ALPHA PSI FOUNDATION
The “Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation,” established in 1981, is the philanthropic arm of the fraternity and assists both alumni and undergraduate chapters in support of scholarships, after-school programs, and national projects such as Habitat for Humanity.
The Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation was conceived by Dr. Oliver S. Gumbs, the 23rd Grand Polemarch. His dream began to take shape at a May 1982 with the past Grand Polemarchs and the national officers in Washington, DC. He proposed forming a separate 501(c)(3) charitable foundation to accept contributions to finance the headquarters’ renovation project. Fraternity members contributing to the new foundation could deduct their donations as charitable contributions for income tax purposes. The Foundation would also accept contributions from individuals, organizations and businesses.
WHAT IS KAPPA LEAGUE?
Kappa League is one of the five components of the Guide Right program. The Guide Right Program is the national service program of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Kappa League is an organization oriented toward helping young men to grow and develop their leadership talents in every phase of human endeavor. It provides both challenging and rewarding experience, which richly enhance their lives. Since the fundamental purpose of Kappa Alpha Psi is ACHIEVEMENT, it is therefore the Fraternity’s primary purpose to help these young men to achieve worthy goals for themselves and to make constructive contributions to their community when leadership roles become their responsibility. In essence, Kappa League is a youth mentoring, personal, and academic and leadership program. Career opportunities, inspiration, and exposure to the best are primary standards of our program.
MISSION AND OBJECTIVES OF THE KAPPA LEAGUE
Guide Right is the national community service and mentoring program of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated. For many years, the Fraternity has supported activities to develop youth in America. For the Mansfield Cedar Hill Alumni Chapter, the Guide Right should be a major community service activity of the MAC. The young men who participate in the MAC Guide Right Program are known as Kappa Leaguers. Members of the Kappa League participate in a wide variety of programs to build teamwork; help improve their academic readiness for college and to develop a love of providing service to the community. Activities carried out by the Kappa League include:
- Training exercises to help complete college applications
- College Scholarships to graduating High School Seniors
- Community Service – For Needy Children
- Working with local Schools in the area of academics /SAT-PSAT Preparation
- National Society of Black Engineers Pre-College Initiative Program
- Career Day at with either local businesses and/or with at the company of a brothers
- Participation in the Dallas Black Expo
- Campus visit to local Universities (UTA, University of Texas, Baylor etc.)
- Community Clean-Up
- Time Management and Decision Making Workshop
- Golf Lessons
