BLSYW Commencement Exercises Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women Class of 2023 Monday, June 12, 2023 3:00pm Coppin State University Athletic Complex 2523 Gwynns Falls Parkway Baltimore, Maryland
The Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women (BLSYW) prepares the young women of Baltimore City for success in college and life. BLSYW engages students in learning through a strong school culture and innovative teaching practice that nurture the development of the whole young woman—emotionally, physically and academically. BLSYW cultivates strong habits of mind and a sense of community responsibility. The young women of BLSYW demonstrate leadership at every level— self, school and society.
Graduation Program Class of 2023 | Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women PR O CE S S I O N AL "Pomp and Circumstance" WE LC O M E & ACK N OWL E D G M E N T S Carla Henry Hopkins BLSYW Board Chair REC O G N I T I O N O F B L SYW D I P L O M AS Chevonne Hall-Smith BLSYW Chief Executive Officer S T U D E N T A D D RE S S Amiyah Johnson, Valedictorian Class of 2023 KEY N O T E S P EAKER Secretary Tisha Edwards Maryland Secretary of Appointments REC O M M E N D AT I O N O F T H E CLAS S Dana Collins BLSYW Principal PRE S E N TAT I O N O F T H E CLAS S Executive Director Alicia Baltimore City Public Schools ACCE P TA N CE O F T H E CLAS S Chief Dabrowski & Commissioner Esposito Baltimore City Public Schools C O N F ERRI N G O F T H E D I P L O M AS Erika Hall & Christon Quashie T U R N I N G O F T H E TAS S E L & CLAS S C H A N T Ma'ryah Baynard Class of 2023 RECE S S I O N AL “Aida: Marcia Trionfale” BLSYW Assistant Principals I N TR O D U CT I O N O F KEY N O T E S P EAKER Bria Turpin, Salutatorian Class of 2023 P ERF O R M A N CE National Anthem & Lift Every Voice and Sing (please remain standing)
Secretary Tisha Edwards Keynote Speaker For 20-plus years Tisha Edwards has combined the reach of public service and agility of the private sector to ensure all families have access to the resources and opportunities they need to succeed. Across government and corporate leadership roles, she has fused public policy, programmatic innovation and community engagement to remove the racial inequities that historically have prevented Black and Brown families—and youth in particular—from fulfilling their potential. In roles spanning interim CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools, Chief of Staff to the Mayor of Baltimore, President of BridgeEdu and Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Children & Family Success, Edwards has grown organizations, restructured systems for maximum impact and managed multi-million-dollar budgets. In fall 2021, she left City Hall to serve as Chief of Staff to the Maryland gubernatorial campaign of Wes Moore, who ran on a pledge to ensure an equal opportunity at success for all Maryland families. After winning the election, Governor Moore named Edwards his Secretary of Appointments and she now leads the work of making appointments to Maryland’s 600 boards and commissions—all while advancing the Moore-Miller Administration’s mandate to expand representativeness in state government and to leave no one in Maryland behind.
Sakhia T. Austin * ✝ Ma'ryah Baynard *✝☨⍏ Mikell Latiña Bethel Kabrea Lashae Bolling *✝☨⍏ Kayla Talia Brice * ✝⍏ Naashar Brown *✝☨⍏ Morgan Marie Cunningham * ✝☨⍏ Mikalah E. Cureton * ✝ Samaiah Emoni Majesty Davis * ✝ Vickya Sa'liyah Farmer * ✝ Amirah J. Ford * ✝⍏ Dasheara Courtney Hanna * ✝ Amira Hawkins Racq'eal D'asia Jeffers * ✝ Amiyah Nickia Johnson- Valedictorian * ✝☨⍏ Talayah Amani Key * ✝ Taylor Lockley * ✝☨ Kayla N. Lunn * ✝☨ Dierra La'Shae Matthews Ne'Chae L-J. Murphy * ✝ Madison S. Oliver * ✝ Ke'Ara Page Makaija A'nea Parker * ✝ Destiny Lasha'e Rhames * ✝⍏ Jaylen De'Ara Robinson * ✝⍏^ Nannie Robinson-Wall * ✝ Kye Sanders * ✝ Da'Janea L. Scott Zyaira M. Scott * ✝⍏ Paris T. Scott-Buckson * ✝^ Tyeasia M. Sherman Shikera Ky'azia Simmons * ✝ Lakiah Mylaya Small * ✝ Kaleigh Smith☨ Makeya Taylor Stewart * ✝⍏ Bria M. Turpin- Salutatorian * ✝☨ Jayla Denise Katina Watson-Brown J'Lynne Sahrai Wattie-White * ✝☨ Laniah Whisonant * ✝ Kyliah A. White * ✝ Treasure August Williams * ✝ * Indicates BLSYW Community Service Honors (students having completed at least 125 hours of service to their community) – Orange Cord is worn in recognition ☨ Indicates BLSYW Academic Honors (cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher) – Purple Cord is worn in recognition I Indicates Merit Honors (Top 10% of Class)- White and Orange Stoles are worn in recognition. ✝ Indicates recipient of the BLSYW Diploma - Purple Stole is worn in recognition ⍏ Indicates Member of Band, Cheer, Dance, or Step Teams – Silver Cord is worn in recognition ^ Indicates Member of Student Government Association- Red and Blue Cord is worn in recognition The BLSYW Class of 2023
Class of 2023 Awards & Scholarships BLSYW Departmental Awards BLSYW Departmental Awards are presented to seniors from each content area. Bri Turpin and Mikalah Cureton J'Lynne Wattie-White and Naashar Brown Kaleigh Smith and Shikera Simmons Zyaira Scott Amiyah Johnson and Kye Sanders Ma'ryah Baynard, Dasheara Hanna, and Makaija Parker Morgan Cunningham, Kye Sanders, Tyeasia Sherman, Ke’Ara Page and Kabrea Bolling English Math Science Dance Health I Health II Visual Art The Gerald M. Richman Scholarship Fund The Gerald M. Richman Scholarship Fund was established in the loving memory of one of BLSYW’s most beloved Founding Board members Amiyah Johnson $2,500 Academic Award Barbara Shapiro 2023 College Scholarship Fund Thanks to the generosity of Barbara Shapiro, BLSYW has awarded the following college awards to these deserving seniors: Ma'ryah Baynard $500 Best High School Attendance (9th-12th) Kyliah White $500 Most Accumulated Service Learning Hours Madison Oliver $500 Highest GPA Attending Community College Da'Janea Scott $500 Most Improved GPA (9th-12th) Mikell Bethel $500 Out-of-State College or University Scholar Lois B. Feinblatt BLSYW “Spirit” Award The Lois B. Feinblatt “BLSYW Spirit Award” is presented to a senior who embraces the BLSYW mission, beams with BLSYW pride, and embodies the spirit of the Class of 2023! Kyliah White $500 Lady Kandace Pierce Award The Lady Kandace Pierce Memorial Award acknowledges a student who has served the school community, achieved a 3.0+ GPA and will attend a HBCU: Dasheara Hanna $500 The Annie Bryan Breaking Barriers Award This award celebrates the life of Annie M. Bryan. Ms. Bryan was born in the segregated South and overcame insurmountable odds to ensure all her children and grandchildren had access to college. This award acknowledges a senior with over a 3.0 GPA who will attend college in the South. Morgan Cunningham $1000 Rhonda Allen Award- Sistas Moving Forward The Rhonda Allen Award is given in honor of her daughter, Sanae Allen (BLSYW Class of 2017). The Rhonda Allen Award honors a BLSYW graduate with a learning difference who pushed past learning labels or obstacles to pursue a college degree. Mikalah Cureton $500 Laniah Whisonant $500
Class of 2023 Success Plans Sakhia Austin Ma’ryah Baynard Mikell Bethel Kabrea Bolling Kayla Brice Naashar Brown Morgan Cunningham Mikalah Cureton Samaiah Davis Vickya Farmer Amirah Ford Dasheara Hanna Amira Hawkins Racqeal Jeffers Amiyah Johnson Talayah Key Taylor Lockley Kayla Lunn Dierra Matthews Ne’Chae Murphy Madison Oliver Ke’Ara Page Makaija Parker Destiny Rhames Jaylen Robinson Nannie Robinson-Wall Kye Sanders Da'janea Scott Zyaira Scott Paris Scott-Buckson Tyeasia Sherman Shikera Simmons Lakiah Small Kaleigh Smith Makeya Stewart Bria Turpin Jayla Watson-Brown J’Lynne Wattie-White Laniah Whisonant Kyliah White Treasure Williams Jackson State University McDaniel College Arizona State University McDaniel College Notre Dame of Maryland University George Mason University Paul Quinn College Bowie State University University of Maryland Eastern Shore Morgan State University North Carolina Central University Benedict College Baltimore City Community College/Workforce Coppin State University Xavier University of Louisiana Community College of Baltimore County Notre Dame of Maryland University McDaniel College Baltimore City Community College Morgan State University Baltimore City Community College Hood College Community College of Baltimore County Coppin State University Community College of Baltimore County Baltimore City Community College/EMT Baltimore City Community College University of Maryland Eastern Shore Jackson State University Central State University Stella Maris CNA/GNA Training Program Coppin State University Baltimore City Community College University of Maryland Eastern Shore Lincoln University Towson University Bowie State University Coppin State University Bowie State University Trinity Washington University University of Maryland Eastern Shore
FACULTY, ADMINISTRATION, & STAFF Hazma Adbul-Jalil Juan Andrade Paola Andrade Andrea Bates Adrienne Bond Cursandra Brown Teresa Cabillos Andrea Carrington Shamell Carter Keegan Cassady Catherine Champion Dana Collins Caroline Cook D'Aria Couther Nathaniel Crawford Alyssa Deiter Maggie Demeterio Latisha Dorsey Delia Dreher Edward Ellis Angela Fitch Arthur Fitzhugh Chasity Fletcher Maisha Graves Alyssia Green Lawanda Green Kasia Eubanks Abigail Haresign Erika Hall Chevonne Hall-Smith Robert Hewes Megan Imwold Nicole Jackson Alisa Jessee Joshua Jones Rhonda Jones Asiania Jupiter Ana Kuoh Victoria Lehr Romare Marshall Michael Matthew Pamela McGowen Robert Meeks Radia Michael Danyae Morgan Racquel Murphy Juwan Nicholson Neto Opara Maia Parker Maggie Phenicie Dustin Poelker Christon Quashie Mariffi Ramos Kourtney Reynolds Ky Robertson Janelle Rollocks Adrienne Rubenstein Lillian Rubi Kelsey Sellmon Jacqueline Steward Shernell Small Carrie Stickel Ivan Terrones Laya Theberge Melva Thomas Jessica Toomey Cameron Turner Lagondia Tyler Kamaria Wakefield Gina Watkins Tona Williams Shellae Wilson-Franklin Rebecca Wondrack Jodie Zisow-McClean
Superwomen Class of 2023, You are remarkable! Your strong will and undeniable talent are unmatched. I can't wait to see you transform Baltimore & Beyond! I love you always. "23, where you at?" -Ms. Reynolds WE'RE TRUE TO THIS!" "We're not new to this
Brenda Brown Rever, Founder Carla Henry Hopkins, Board Chair Chevonne Hall-Smith, Chief Executive Officer Dana Collins, School Principal