Our alumni are such incredible humans with varied accomplishments, passions, and limitless potential to change the world. We have a future oceanographer, graphic designers, veterinarians, forensic scientists, an oncologist, screenwriters, many entrepreneurs, and more. During our third annual network-wide Alumni Weekend event in April, we celebrated, reconnected, and shared internships, programs, and community networks with our alums and our graduating classes!
We want to remove barriers and provide opportunities, so that these current and future leaders can fully and freely pursue their dreams. This Alumni Weekend was all about opportunities and “March Madness.” During our Community Expo, alumni were connected to select opportunities we vetted and chose specifically with them in mind. These opportunities are offered in partnership with community organizations like Green Heart, Western Golf Association’s Evans Scholarship, Grip Tape, Teen SHARP and more!
Most notably we highlighted our first ever Alum of the Year and Alumni Families of the Year. This will be a special honor bestowed yearly across the Meeting Street Schools Network. Our Alumna of the year is Ms. Sanaa Belcher, current 8th grader at Charleston County School of the Arts, majoring in dance. Sanaa is the epitome of doing the most and always reaching for her dreams! She has come to every single Teen SHARP workshop, she has stayed connected with her mentor, she works hard in school and takes every ounce of feedback possible, she follows up and goes the extra mile, she is kind, she is loyal, she is amazing. We want her to know that she has so many people in her corner who love and support her and cannot wait for her to represent the Meeting Street School Alumni community for the next year.
This first year of our Alumni Family of the Year awards, we would be remiss if we did not honor some founding and forever grandmothers who have been with Meeting Street every year since their grandbabies started. Many of them have grandchildren who have graduated and left Meeting Street Academy and come back daily to work and support the mission. They are a testament to One Team, One Family as all students know that they are loved and valued by them. A resounding congratulations goes to Ms. Darlene, Ms. Lynn, Ms. LaSheia, and Ms. Antionette. From the bottom of our hearts we are endlessly grateful.
We also held our second annual Alumni Basketball Tournament, this time coached and reffed by the College of Charleston’s Men’s basketball team. Our alumni teams were beautifully mixed with Meeting Street alums ranging from 7th-college freshman from all three Charleston campuses, current graduating Meeting Street students, current and alum parents and family members, former and current staff members, AND a few of College of Charleston’s basketball players. Not to mention our amazing families and community members who filled the stands. We had two close and super fun games and a nail biting final game which ended 45-44! Congratulations to our first tournament champs!
Want to listen to the full recap? Follow “The Alumni Pop By” Podcast and check out Episode 8: Where We Review Alumni Weekend, now on all listening platforms!
