Thursday June 4, 2016 the Respectful Outstanding Sisters of Excellence, or the ROSE, hosted their fourth annual ceremony at St. Francis in Downtown Brooklyn.
Darlene Walker-Mungin, founder of the ROSE, was unable to host, so Harrielle Pierre-Louis from the Bedford Academy chapter and I hosted for the night. This year was the last year for many girls. These girls, myself included, are graduating and no longer able to participate in the program because we are all going to college. This year during the “I Am My Sister Ceremony,” the girls focused on safety for teenage girls. Girls from the ROSE chapter in each borough performed during the ceremony.
The Woman of Distinction Award was presented to retiring educator Donna Delfyette-White and to Nayaba Arinde, editor of the Amsterdam News.
As a student who’s been a part of the ROSE for four years, I can say that I am glad I’ve been a part of it, and I have learned a lot from it. I learned that sisterhood is important, and as young women, we need to build a network out of the friendships we have made and ensure that they last a lifetime.