Ivy Center For Education Completes 2014 College Tour

The Ivy Center for Education Inc.,  completed its 11-day 2014 College Tour/Cultural Enrichment Trip to New York City, Connecticut and Washington, D.C. The tour consisted of 32 very bright and intelligent students. The chaperons consisted of members of the Ivy Center for Education Board of Directors — Mattie P. Collins, president; Patricia Berry, executive director; and Marguerite Flannigan, secretary. Other chaperons included Chandra Griffin, Alycen Jones, Michela Martin, KaRyn Terry, Virginia Hymes, Chanta Pulliam, Brandun Flannigan and Dedric Jones. New York Students once again toured New York University, visited the African Burial Grounds, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and were guests on the BET hit TV show 106 and Park. They visited the Statue of Liberty and enjoyed an evening of dining and playing games at Dave and Busters. Students were given a sightseeing bus tour of the Empire State Building, Ground Zero and enjoyed a fun night walking in Times Square. Students also toured the famous Flight Club where tennis shoes may cost more than $7,000. To top off the New York trip, students and chaperones attended the Broadway Show, “Aladdin”. Kaya Griffin, a rising junior at Pine Bluff High School, said, “I was so amazed with the show and had such a great time. I hope we go back to Broadway next year.” Connecticut Students toured Yale University, which was founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut as a private Ivy League Research University. The university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States. The school was renamed Yale College in recognition of a gift from Elihu Yale. While at Yale University, ICE students viewed an original copy of the Gutenburg Bible located in the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. In Middletown, Conn., students toured Welselyan University, founded in 1831. Wesleyan, a private liberal arts university, provides graduate research in many academic disciplines, and grants doctorate degrees primarily in the sciences and mathematics. Washington, D.C. Students visited Howard University, which made for the sixth visit to Howard. A luncheon for the students was hosted by members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Students also toured Georgetown University, the African American Civil War Museum, White House, U.S. Capitol, Smithsonian Holocaust Museum, Museum of Natural History, statue of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Lincoln Monument, Reflection Pool, Frederick Douglass Home and the Pentagon. Students attended church at Ebernezer AME Church in Fort Washington, Md., and enjoyed supper at the Cheesecake Factory. This year, Rod Terry, an alumni of Dollarway High School, met the students at the Capitol and Pine Bluff High School alumni John Eaves met students at the Pentagon. Both gentlemen complimented students on their outstanding academics and character. They both encouraged students to stay in school and to get the best education possible. There was an oratorical debate and quiz bowl competition again this year sponsored by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., and moderated by Brandon Flannigan. The winners of the oratorical competition were Ashlyn Wooten, Alex Jones, Michael Ferrell and Alex Ladd. They won $15 each. The quiz bowl competition consisted of over 50 questions about the colleges and universities and other sites visited during the college tour. There were bonus-point questions from the college tour chaperons. All 32 students participated in the competition.