Rites of Passage – Ariya
The Rites of Passage/ARIYA Program is sponsored by the St. Louis Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Its purpose is to provide character development and leadership training for young African-American Women and to encourage them to pursue college after high school graduation as well as to empower them to take ownership of their futures by providing an opportunity for them to generate scholarship funds for their post-secondary education.
The participants partake in six months of training where they are exposed to leaders in the community, who present workshops in carefully selected areas geared toward enhancing self-esteem, valuing education, appreciating cultural heritage, promoting community involvement and other areas of special interest.
After completing six months of training, the participants in the Rites of Passage Ceremony are granted permission by their families and the community to transition to the next level of social and educational development. The ARIYA, a Swahili word meaning celebration, is the program’s culminating activity and public celebration where the participants are presented to the community.
All participants must be high school seniors with a minimum GPA of 2.5 (4.0 scale). There is a non-refundable application fee of $200.00 that may be paid in two installments.
Please complete all sections of the attached application, including the essay with two letters of recommendation and a copy of a current transcript. All applicants will be contacted for an interview.