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USC Rites of
Sisterhood youth mentoring program
Community
Service*Leadership*Sisterhood*Self-Determination*Self-Responsibility*Self
Discovery* |
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Our Mission Rites of Sisterhood (ROS) is an organization of
college and professional women dedicated to fostering the social, emotional,
spiritual, and cognitive growth of young adolescent women through defining
the essence of sisterhood. Using self-determination, self-responsibility, and self-discovery as
our three core principles, ROS strives to strengthen the University of
Southern California’s surrounding community by guiding young women of color
through the uncertain years of adolescence. |
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Fun Facts About ROS: * Rites of
Sisterhood was founded during the 1997-1998 academic school year on the
campus of USC * Red and
Black are the official colors of ROS * ROS is a
multicultural youth mentoring program that seeks to empower teenage girls
through mentoring * Our
motto is “Sisterhood is Colorblind” Interested
in joining Rites of Sisterhood? Please
e-mail us at ros@usc.edu to find out
how you can get involved in the community! Contact
Us E-mail: ros@usc.edu Fax: (213) 740-3298 Mailing Address: Rites of Sisterhood 3601 Trousdale
Parkway Student Union
415 Los Angeles,
CA 90089-4899 Website: www-scf.usc.edu/~ros Myspace Page: www.myspace.com/uscros |
Dear
Family, Friends, Students, Faculty, and Sistas, The
ladies of Rites of Sisterhood welcome you to our site. Rites of Sisterhood (ROS)
is a unique mentoring program that guides young women of color from the Los
Angeles community on a year long rite of passage by helping them identify,
confront, and then overcome barriers to their success. Rites of Sisterhood is
an organization that values community outreach, higher education, and
sisterhood. ROS mentors are passionate young women who are committed to
advancing the goals and vision of our founders. Completely organized and
managed by undergraduate students at the University of Southern California,
ROS has emerged as one of the premiere community service organizations in
South Los Angeles.
I encourage
the parents to really get involved in this part of their daughters' lives as
this program will not only introduce them to new and exciting things, but I
hope it will also be a vessel of blessings to their futures! So ask
questions, pick their brains and get them to session on time! I look
forward to building relationships not only with the mentors and girls, but
also with parents and the community. I want everyone to know that this IS NOT
an outreach program...it is an UPLIFT program. I'm excited about all the
wonderful things ROS has to offer this year! Sisterhood is Colorblind! Sisterly, Cheylinel
Gaston President,
Rites of Sisterhood University
of Southern California SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, July 28th ROS World on Wheels Roller
Skating Fundraiser All
ROS Sisters (past and present), Friends, Family, and Community Supporters are
invited to attend the Rites of Sisterhood W.O.W. Roller Skating Fundraiser! What: ROS Roller Skating
Fundraiser!!! Hosted by: The sistahs of ROS….YOU
KNOW!!! When: Saturday, July 28, 2007
from 7:00-10:00 pm Where: World on Wheels (W.O.W.) Roller Skating
Rink located at 4645 ½ Venice Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90019. Why: Help the ladies of ROS
raise money for upcoming programs and events! * Details you Should
Know: Admission is $7.00 per
person per entry and includes skate
rental. $2.00 from each ticket sold will go to the Rites of Sisterhood Youth
Mentoring Program. Bring yourself and invite your friends to this fun-filled
event. 2007-2008 Mentee
Applications Now Available: DUE DATE
August 17, 2007 Rites of Sisterhood is proud to
announce that 2007-2008 Mentee Applications are now available. Although there is no fee to
join ROS, we are looking for dedicated young women of all ethnicities who
have a passion to learn and are willing to explore their potential through
their participation in ROS. In order to be eligible: §
You must be at least 12 years old by September 24, 2007 §
You must complete the attached application and return it no
later than Friday, August 17, 2007 §
If you are not a
returning mentee, you must be currently enrolled at one of the following
schools: Dorsey High School, the 32nd Street School, Manual Arts
High School, Crenshaw High School, or Foshay Learning Center ROS will be building strategic partnerships with the
following schools: Dorsey Senior High School, 32nd
Street USC Performing Arts Magnet 7137, Crenshaw Senior High School, Foshay Learning
Center, and Manual Arts High School. This year, we will only be accepting
applications from young women (ages 12-16) who are currently enrolled in one
of these 5 schools** ** The only exception to this rule relates to returning ROS
Mentees. Returning ROS Mentees who had good involvement, behavior, and
attendance during the 2006-2007 academic year are invited to re-apply to ROS
even if they do not attend one of these schools. All applicants will be notified of acceptance in
early September. If you are interested in joining Rites of
Sisterhood, please download the application and return it by Friday, August
17, 2007! Applications will also be available at the ROS partner schools: §
Dorsey Senior High School §
32nd Street USC
Performing Arts Magnet §
Crenshaw Senior High School §
Foshay Learning Center §
Manual Arts High School. Click here
to find out more about becoming a mentee in ROS Click here to download the 2007-2008 ROS Mentee Application New Leadership Team of
Rites of Sisterhood Rites of Sisterhood is proud to
announce our new Leadership Team for the 2007-2008 academic year: President and Executive Director:
Chey Gaston, Class of 2008 Vice-President and Assistant
Director: Ashly Davis, Class of 2009 Director of Mentor Recruitment:
Jennifer Barrios, Class of 2010 Director of Mentee Recruitment:
Geinel Johnson, Class of 2008 Director of Finance: Gianna
Warren, USC Alumni Secretary and Historian: Shawanda
Walker, Class of 2009 ROS is still looking to fulfill
some key positions, including: Programming Director and Publicity Director.
We are also looking for ROS sisters who are interested in serving as the ROS
representative in the Women’s Student Assembly, the Latino Student Assembly,
the Black Student Assembly, and the Asian Pacific American Student Assembly.
If you are interested in any of these positions, please contact ROS
President, Chey Gaston at ros@usc.edu
Visit our MEMBERSHIP
PAGE to learn more about the Leaders of ROS. ROS To Unveil New Logo
in October 2007 ROS will begin using a new and improved
logo in October 2007. The ladies of Rites of Sisterhood want a logo that
represents the culture and diversity of all ROS sisters. Please stay tuned
for the new logo. Coming soon! Rites of Sisterhood
honored as the Best Community Service Organization
of the Year After being nominated in several
categories, including Best Social Action Organization and Most Innovative
Programming, Rites of Sisterhood was voted by the Black Student Assembly as
the Best Community Service Organization
for the 2006-2007 academic year. The ladies of Rites of Sisterhood feel
privileged to be recognized with this award and look forward to continuing to
make our presence felt in the community surrounding USC. ROS would also like
to congratulate ROS President, Divinity Barkley for being voted by the Black
Student Assembly as the Most Involved
Student Leader for the 2006-2007 academic year. ROS….YOU KNOW!!!!! End of the Year Awards
Banquet On
Friday, April 27, 2007, Rites of Sisterhood celebrated out 9th Annual
End-of-the-Year Banquet. The ladies of ROS recognized the dedication and hard
work of all ROS mentees and mentors while also celebrating the successful
completion of the 06-07 Rites of Passage journey. We presented awards, such
as the Sisterhood Award, the Best Dressed Award, the Danielle Harvey Award,
the Leadership Award, the Most Dedicated Award, and of course, the award for
Diva and Lil Diva of the Year! Photos coming soon! Evening of Soul High School
Conference: Motivating Tomorrow’s Leaders TODAY On Saturday, April 7, Rites of
Sisterhood was one of several student organizations that hosted Evening of
Soul, a high school conference for local high school students. The High
School Conference was a free, all-day youth outreach program designed for 100
high school students within the USC neighborhood, whose participation will
hopefully allow them to see the diversity that exists on the campus of USC.
Overall, our primary goal for the program was to help promote an interest in
going to college after high school, instead of going immediately into the
work force or worse avenues. All of the students received a free t-shirt and
dinner as well as important information about college admissions,
scholarships, financial aid, student life at USC, and internships! Here are
some photos from this wonderful event.
Evening of Soul 2007! Building
UNITY through CommUNITY! For
more photos from the Conference, please visit the ROS Photo Gallery. Summer Job Opportunities ROS
mentees, are you looking for something positive to do this summer? Do you
want to earn some spending money? Do you want to learn more about a specific
career? Here is a list to get you started. §
For information about Summer Job Programs in YOUR
neighborhood, call your local public library! California
Library Directory lists the address and phone number for
every library in California. Local summer employment programs are operated by
governments, public or private agencies. Each program serves youth (ages
14-21 in most cases) in a specific
community, so you'll need to check close to home. Your library can help you
make the connection. §
First Break: The First Break program
is a year-round employment program designed to help link eager and interested
high school students in the Los Angeles Unified School District [LAUSD], to
the world of work. First Break provides students access to over 20,000 job
listings throughout the greater Los Angeles area. http://firstbreak.lausd.net/index.htm For more information on summer job
opportunities, please visit our Resource Page. ROS in the News January 26, 2007 issue of
the Daily Trojan Divinity Barkley: A Woman of Action By Elizabeth Geli November 2006 issue of Black
Voices Rites of Sisterhood: A Closer Look at the Bond of Sisters By Jasmine Ellis November 15, 2006 issue
of the Daily Trojan Groups Combat Minority Stereotypes By Eunice Oh |
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