THE GUIDE RIGHT PROGRAM
The Fraternity began Guide Right, its national social out-reach program, in 1922.
Today, National Guide Right programs provide programming, role models, mentors,
and financial assistance for at risk youth in communities throughout the
country.
Guide Right History
In the infancy of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity when chapters were blossoming
and flourishing throughout the length and breadth of the United States,
both individual and collective efforts were being made to incorporate
meaningful programs into the various local chapter activities.
The very foundation of Guide Right can be traced
to the St. Louis Alumni Chapter and Leon W. Steward, who rightfully
is dubbed as the "Father
of the Guide Right Movement".
According to THE STORY OF KAPPA ALPHA PSI,
soon after the St. Louis Alumni Chapter's beginning in 1921, Brothers
Leon W. Steward and J. Jerome Peters were assigned to study the needs
of active chapters for guidance and funds and to devise a "meaningful an d practical
approach" to the problem.
Ultimately, Brother Steward, a Y.M.C.A. secretary, proposed a program
of guidance to be designated as Guide Right, with the purpose of assisting
high school seniors to choose and pursue useful careers, consistent
with fraternity purpose. This program was immediately adopted at the
local level and the 12th Grand Chapter adopted Guide Right as the
national service program.
The focus of Guide Right, from its inception, was to provide scholarships
to needy and talented students, and to inform young people in the
professions and career options.
The basic concepts of Guide Right may be summarized as follows:
- To help youth, especially those of high school age, in the
selection of courses leading to vocations compatible with their
aptitudes, interests, and personalities.
- To assist students, while they are in training, to get started
in employment, and to progress successfully in their chosen
fields.
- 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 entertainment and cultural
enrichment.
- To inform youth of the values of higher education, of assistance
available for continued educational pursuits, scholarships,
loans, professional counseling, fellowships, etc.; of various
occupational and professional opportunities; and of current lab
or demands and the trends on the labor market, supply rewards,
etc.
Kappa Alpha Psi's commitment to young people is
well established, and our Guide Right efforts, both individual and
collective, can continue to serve as a mechanism to "inspire service in the public interest".
Overview
Our Guide Right programs are effective, innovative, motivational,
and this is our effort to share those programs with our Brothers, families
and the many friends of Kappa. On our site you will see the history of
Guide Right, a directory, a list of events and highlights of past activities
of Northeastern Province Chapters. We will also provide information on
our national Guide Right initiatives such as the Kappa Kamp, held at
the Piney Woods School in Mississippi and the A-Man program out of Los
Angeles, developed for young men interested in science and math.
We hope you will enjoy the site and take advantage of what we have
to offer. Feel free to contact us with any of your comments or questions.
We are always looking for ways to serve you.
Chairman - Robert L. Bailey, Jr.
Asst. Chairman - Raven Wilkins
Events - View a list of upcoming events for Guide
Right events within the province
Kappa League Calendar of Events
May 2008