ABOVE PHOTO: CALM members from left to right; Tracey Hanton, Rosalyn Smith, Andrea Lawful Sanders, Chiquilla Holt, Stacy Deshield, and Lisa Jacobs Smith.
Additional members offer their experiences of the program
By Andrea Lawful Sanders
“Being a CALM member and serving this program, has been an absolute delight,” Rosalyn Smith, vice president of the CALM Society said. “It is my “give back.” I started out with my son Carl, who was an original member of VIBE, and it had done so much for him. And while he has grown and moved on, l am still involved, because there are other children that need the same support he did.”
“ I think it is an amazing experience to know that people in the community care about them,” Julia Vaughn, another parent, said. “Black excellence is extremely important them and their self-esteem and they are not below anyone — they are, and can, achieve greatness at any time.
The VIBE and IMAGINE programs started in 2005. Fourteen years later, with family and community support, it continues to thrive. Hundreds of students and families have benefitted greatly from it.
Leave a Comment