Since 1979, Kappa Omega Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., (AKA) has sponsored an Annual African American Graduation Awards Program. This program is a celebration of outstanding African American High School and honor roll Eighth-Grade students in Kern County. High School graduates receive scholarships and Eighth-Grade graduates are presented with Certificates of Recognition.
AKA awards scholarships to High School graduates based on the following criteria.
Submission of a complete scholarship application packet. The packet must include completed application, personal essay, two sealed letters of recommendation and an official transcript. Successful review of the application packet for significant achievement in one or more areas including: grade point average, school leadership activities, community service participation or athletic competition. There is also consideration of financial need.
Submission of proof of registration in 12 or more college units. Registration must be completed within the first grading period after high school graduation. High School students nominated for a scholarship must meet all of the above criteria. In the event a student fails to meet any of the criteria for the award (e.g. failure to submit proof of registration in college), the award will be returned to the scholarship fund to be awarded in a subsequent year.
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority partners with Community Donors who wish to give scholarships to deserving High School students. Some Community Donors give funds to the Bakersfield Ivy Legacy Foundation, Inc. for scholarship distribution while others give directly to the students. AKA also invites churches and other organizations to recognize their scholarship recipients during the African American Graduation Awards Program.
Eighth grade students are presented with Certificates of Recognition based upon the recommendation of the principal or counselor of their schools.
NOTICE OF POSSIBLE USE OF YOUR NAME, IMAGE OR LIKENESS
Please be advised that attending and participating in this event may result in the use of your name, image and/or likeness in printed and electronic material; including but not limited to publication on the World Wide Web, social network sites, press materials, advertising and marketing materials. You hereby specifically release Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and its agents from any and all claims arising from the use of your name, image and/or likeness based on any of the uses stated above
Please use the QR Code to view Program Booklet and provide feedback about tonight’s program.
2026 DISTINGUISHED SCHOLARS
NORMA BOYD MEMORIAL AWARD
Madyson Harris, Frontier
Sarah Holland, East Bakersfield
SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Derek Jimenez, Centennial
SUSIANNA ANDERSON BOOK AWARD
Myah Wright, Highland
DR. CAREN FLOYD MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Katherine Bassillious, Stockdale
ROCHELLE BUTLER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Kaiya Stowe, Ridgeview
VELASKA CARTER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Isabella Thomas, East Bakersfield
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AWARDS
Malaika Longmire, Foothill
McKenzy Huey, Golden Valley
Ephraim Solomon Imie, Independence
Ezekiel Asamenew, Stockdale
CaraAnn Kirui, Centennial
Maguire Wilson, Liberty
EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE AWARDS
Isabella Arias-Edwards, Bakersfield
Brandon Johnson, Highland
Olivia Willis, Centennial
William Martin, Foothill
Milaana McClanahan, Liberty
Tamia Bulliner, West
Brooklyn Morgan, Ridgeview
Kambria Adams, Liberty
Tori Newsome, Liberty
EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Mikayla Glasgow, Liberty
Kylei Collins, Stockdale
Jameha Ross, Bakersfield
BOOK AWARDS
Russell Grimes, Stockdale
Makaylah Hicks, West
Autumn Johns, Stockdale
LEGACY AWARDS
Don W. Hicks Memorial Isabella Thomas, East Bakersfield
Kamilah Okafor Memorial
Kambria Adams, Liberty
Tori Newsome, Liberty
Keith Vernard McKnight Memorial
Maguire Wilson, Liberty
Susianna Anderson Diamond Legacy Award
CaraAnn Kirui, Centennial
MISS FASHIONETTA® & THE GENTS
SCHOLARSHIP & PARTICIPANTS AWARDS
Miss Fashionetta® 2024 Participants
Khori Crompton, West
LeoNah Denweed, Liberty
Milaana McClanahan, Liberty
Miss Fashionetta® 2026 Participants
Chloee Allison, Bakersfield
Mikayla Glasgow, Liberty
Makaylah Hicks, West
The Gents 2026
Ephraim Solomon Imie, Independence
De’Sharie Williams, Highland
Edward Wrather, Independence
COMMUNITY AWARDS
Charles Benjamin Hodge Education
Aniya Johnson, Independence
Lt. Paul Bradford Memorial Scholarship
Akasia Jackson, Ridgeview
Jaylyn Bradford, Independence
Robert & Ruscel Reader Scholarship
Russsell Grimes, Stockdale
Autumn Johns, Stockdale
Madison Turner, Stockdale
LeoNah Denweed, Liberty
Brent and Diane McClanahan Scholarship
LeoNah Denweed, Liberty
Milaana McClanahan, Liberty
Reuben and Vera Ford Memorial Scholarship
Ta'Myia Howard, Foothill
Clifford Willis, South
Dan Smith Memorial Scholarship
Nathan Daniels, Liberty
Men With A Purpose
Tira Lee, Golden Valley
Aamari Serna, Golden Valley
Sean Sumlin, West
Remember Your Teacher Award
Jameha Ross, Bakersfield
Upside Academy, Inc.
Amari Amey, Bakersfield
Katelin Kamora Neal, Bakersfield
Faith Alexandria Cheatwood, Stockdale
Ronnie & Holly Mitchell Family Scholarship
Jameha Ross, Bakersfield
Milaana McClanahan, Liberty
LeoNah Denweed, Liberty
De’Sharie Williams, Highland
Makaylah Hicks. West
Gwendolyn Johnson Award
Julius Porter, Ridgeview
Lueether Ward Volunteer Service
Aniya Johnson, Independence
Arthur Ward Ethics and Integrity Award
Ernest Jones, Del Oro
Carlos E. Smith Memorial
Julius Porter, Ridgeview
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Aniya Johnson, Independence
Milaana McClanahan, Liberty
Naomi Purify, Independence
Ephraim Solomon Imie, Independence
Myah Wright, Highland
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity
Naomi Purify, Independence
LeoNah Denweed, Liberty
Myah Wright, Highland
Derek Jimenez, Centennial
Ephraim Soloman Imie, Independence
Brandon Johnson, Highland
Dr. Roosevelt Kemp Scholarship
LeoNah Denweed, Liberty
Bryce Gridiron, Bakersfield
Lynn & Grace Edwards Scholarship
Isabella Arias-Edwards, Garces
PLEASE NOTE:
Omega Insurance Award
Ephraim Solomon Imie, Independence
Fred and Stephanie Prince Scholarship
Edward Wrather, Independence
Harvest of Hope Educational Services-
LeoNah Denweed, Liberty
Bryce Gridiron, Bakersfield
Harlem and Beyond
Ta'Myia Howard, Foothill
While several awards are funded directly by our foundation, Community Awards are generously sponsored by individual donors, families, businesses and community organizations. For these externally sponsored scholarships, the Graduation Awards Program serves solely as the host of the Community Awards and the Kappa Omega Omega Chapter and Bakersfield Ivy Legacy Foundation does not manage or distribute the associated funds.
"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education."
- Martin Luther King Jr.
EIGHTH GRADE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE RECOGNITION
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.® - Kappa Omega Omega Chapter and the Bakersfield Ivy Legacy Foundation, Inc. are pleased to recognize Honor Roll Students from the following School Districts:
Bakersfield City School District, Superintendent Karling Aguilera-Fort
Cato Middle School
Chipman Junior High School
Compton Junior High School
Curran Middle School
Downtown School
Emerson Middle School
Lincoln Junior High School
Sequoia Middle School
Sierra Middle School
Stiern Middle School
Washington Middle School
Edison School District, Superintendent Jairo Arellano
Edison Middle School
Fairfax School District, Superintendent Lora Brown
Fairfax Middle School
Fruitvale School District, Superintendent Leslie Garrison
Fruitvale Junior High School
Greenfield Union School District, Superintendent Ramon Hendrix
Greenfield Middle School
McKee Middle School
Ollivier Middle School
Norris School District, Superintendent Cy Silver
Norris Middle School
Panama-Buena Vista School District, Superintendent Katie Russell
Actis Junior High
Stonecreek Junior High
Tevis Junior High
Thompson Junior High
Warren Junior High
Dolores Whitley School
Rosedale Union School District, Superintendent Sue Lemon
Freedom Middle School
Rosedale Middle School
Standard School District, Superintendent Julie Boesch
Standard Middle School
The Negro National Hymn: "Lift Every Voice and Sing"
by James Weldon Johnson
(June 17, 1871 - June 26, 1938)
Lift every voice and sing Till earth and heaven ring, Ring with the harmonies of Liberty; Let our rejoicing rise
High as the listening skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us,
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun
Let us march on till victory is won.
Stony the road we trod, Bitter the chastening rod, Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;
Yet with a steady beat, Have not our weary feet
Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?
We have come over a way that with tears have been watered,
We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered, Out from the gloomy past, Till now we stand at last
Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.
God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, Thou who has brought us thus far on the way;
Thou who has by Thy might Led us into the light, Keep us forever in the path, we pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places, Our God, where we met Thee; Lest, our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee; Shadowed beneath Thy hand, May we forever stand. True to our GOD, True to our native land
SPECIAL THANK YOU
Mayor Karen K. Goh, City of Bakersfield
Andrae Gonzales, Ward 2 Councilmember
Congressman David G. Valadao, United States Representative, 22nd Congressional District
Senator Shannon Lee Grove, California State Senate, 12th District
Dr. John Mendiburu, Kern County Superintendent of Schools
Dr. Vernon B. Harper, Jr., President, California State University, Bakersfield
Dr. Michael Zulfa, Superintendent, Kern High School District
Pastor Roland B. Banks and Pastor Marisa Banks, Compassion Christian Center Robert Reader Photography
