Youth Initiatives

Delta Academy

Delta Academy was created out of an urgent sense that bold action was needed to save our young females (ages 11-14) from the perils of academic failure, low self-esteem, and crippled futures. Delta Academy provides an opportunity for Berkeley Bay Area Alumnae members to enhance the education of students at West Oakland Middle School. Delta Academy meets every second Saturday in the West Oakland Middle School library from 10am-12pm. The young women participate in a variety of activities on topics including: health and fitness, sexual health, body image, and self-esteem. Participants will also have the opportunity to go on field trips for college exposure or other special outings to cultural events, museums, plays, or concerts.

Delta GEMS

Dr. Jeanne I. Noble Delta GEMS Institute

The Delta GEMS program was created to catch the dreams of African – American at – risk, adolescent girls aged 14 – 18. Delta GEMS provides the frame work to actualize those dreams through the performance of specific tasks that develop a CAN DO attitude. Through the GEMS experience, the participants will hopefully develop into compassionate, community minded, successful young women.

The goals for Delta GEMS are:

To instill the need to excel academically;
To provide tools that enable girls to sharpen and enhance their skills to achieve high levels of academic success;
To assist girls in proper goal setting and planning for their futures high school and beyond; and
To create compassionate, caring, and community minded young women by actively involving them in service, learning, and community service opportunities.

The Delta GEMS framework is composed of five major components (Scholarship, Sisterhood, Show Me the Money, Service, and Infinitely Complete), forming a road map for college and career planning. Topics within the five major components are designed to provide interactive lessons and activities that provide opportunities for self-reflection and individual growth.

EMBODI

The EMBODI (Empowering Males to Build Opportunities for Developing Independence) program is designed to refocus the efforts of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., with the support and action of other major organizations, on the plight of African-American males. Both informal and empirical data suggests that the vast majority of African-American males continues to be in crisis and is not reaching its fullest potential educationally, socially and emotionally. EMBODI is designed to address these issues through dialogue and recommendations for change and action.

EMBODI addresses issues related to STEM education, culture, self-efficacy, leadership, physical and mental health, healthy lifestyles choices, character, ethics, relationships, college readiness, fiscal management, civic engagement and service learning.

The goals of EMBODI are:

To expand the horizons of young African American males by cultivating a personal vision for their lives;
To provide tools for young African American males to attain a higher quality of life;
To provide young African American males with an awareness of various college and career options to make rewarding life choices and decisions; and
To create community-minded young African American males by actively involving them in service learning and community service opportunities