"The Million Dollar Scholar", Derrius
Quarles' Speech at the NEED Dinner, March 15, 2010
NEED is a service of the country’s turbulent civil rights era
of the 1960s. Led by two of Pittsburgh’s pioneering women, Marion Jordan
and Florence Reizenstein who were members of the Urban League’s Education
Committee, the non-profit began as a temporary effort to find funds for 76 black
high-school students who had been accepted to college, but, unfortunately, could
not afford to experience the benefits and rewards of higher education.
As time and ideologies changed, NEED has evolved into a nationally
recognized college access program that is supported by the corporate,
philanthropic and general communities.
NEED is designated as an Education Improvement Organization (EIO) through
Pennsylvania’s
Education Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and, as a college access program, offers
grants, scholarships, mentoring, counseling and internships to help
underrepresented, low-income and first-generational youth in college and career
opportunities and options.
Since its inception in 1963, NEED has supported approximately
19,000 deserving youth by providing over $19 million in grant allocations.
These grants have helped to empower
Pittsburgh’s and
the region’s next generation of leaders and to overcome financial, social
status, educational and cultural barriers.
We Salute Our Class of 2009 African American Male
Mentees!!!
On behalf of the African-American Male Mentoring Initiative (AAMMI) program,
funded by The Heinz Endowment, we would like to commemorate our 2008-2009 senior
members who all graduated from high school and went on to achieve post-secondary
education.
Out of the 20 seniors
who participated in the AAMMI program, 19 of these students are currently
enrolled in a college, university, art/technical institute.One of these students decided to dedicate his patriotic services to the
United States Military after high school which we also praise and are proud of.
Dante Clarke
Penn State University
Davaughn Copeland
Slippery Rock University
Aeriel Green
Rosedale Technical Institute
Jahmiah Guillory
Penn State - Greater Allegheny
Dough Hollaman
Edinboro University
Jeremy Johnson
University of Pittsburgh
Javon King
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Antonie Mathis
California University of Pennsylvania
Denzel Moore
Pennsylvania Culinary Institute
Omarr Moses
United States Military
Michael Peays
Cheyney University
Marcus Platt
Slippery Rock University
Anthony Roberts
Penn State - New Kensington
Glenn Smith
California University of Pennsylvania
Dieontae Swoope
California University of Pennsylvania
Carlos Thomas
Community College of Allegheny County
Michael Titus
Penn State - Greater Allegheny
Greg White
Penn State - Greater Allegheny
Jerry Horton
California University of Pennsylvania
The AAMMI Program is proud of the achievements of its former members. These young men have portrayed the ideal characteristics of the program and we are proud of them. We look forward to their much deserved success, and we expect the list to continue to grow with the expansion of the African American Male Mentoring Initiative Program.
CONGRATS & GOODLUCK ON YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS!!!
NEED is designated as an EIO through PA's EITC program. We thank the following donors for contributing through this program:
Allegheny Technologies
Bank of New York Mellon
Dollar Bank
Equitable Resources (now EQT Corporation)
Highmark
UPMC
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
FAFSA Applications available after January 1, 2010. Deadline for PHEAA Grant Applications May 1, 2010
NEED 47th Annual Benefit Dinner
March 15, 2010 Pittsburgh Hilton and Towers
Quick Reminders!!
NEED Board of Directors Retreat Jan. 30, 2010 9am-2pm Baywood Country Club
For free personal income tax/FAFSA preparation offered by United Way
Click Here!!