Baycon – Kids

The Black Archives of Mid-America is honored to acknowledge the hard work and success of its Black Archives Youth Coalition Network (BAYCON) graduates. We are grateful for the support of donors which allows us to award each of our BAYCON graduates a One Thousand Dollar Scholarship. We hope for continued support to create a tradition with future graduates.

Only two years in existence, BAYCON was founded by Dr Carmaletta Williams, Executive Director of The Black Archives and James McGee II, social media tech at The Black Archives and President of the Student Body at Lincoln College Preparatory Academy. Other founders of the group, the Group of Eight, include Jarri Brooks, Salutatorian of Grandview High School, Makayla Hill at the University of Missouri, Lena Otto of Lincoln Prep, Ivan Williams of Lee’s Summit High School, Donald Smith of Lincoln, Jourdan Dukes of Grandview, and Marcus Bass of Lincoln. Through their hard work, and social media platforms, over an additional 60 young people from Piper, Kansas; to Lee’s Summit; Raymore-Peculiar and throughout the Greater Kansas City area have joined BAYCON.

BAYCON students are in high school and college, with varying interests and abilities, but each one of them has a commitment to their communities. This is a service organization whose activities are vast and wide and include community educational workshops, voter registration drives, working with younger people displaced from school meals because of COVID, assuring they had food, and other community activism.

Part of the mission of The Black Archives is to educate our community on the African American experience. BAYCON has many discussions about social, political, economic, health and other conditions for Black, Brown and White people their age. They have new ideologies, come to terms with racial issues and have created a deep respect for each other.

Imani Im – is a graduating senior that is part of the international baccalaureate program at Lincoln Prep. She plans on attending the University of San Francisco and majoring in critical diversity studies.

DeLea Whitaker – is a graduating senior from the Early College Academy program and Lincoln Prep. She is currently choosing between universities but she intends on majoring in biology with an emphasis in pre-med. Ms. Whitaker aspires to become a neonatal surgeon to help decrease the infant mortality rate amongst the African-American population.

Jason Williams II – is a graduating senior from Lee’s Summit Senior High School. Jason plans to attend Kansas State University and intends to major in architectural engineering. Mr. Williams aspires to become an architectural engineer to build stadiums and institutions to help provide urban communities with more comprehensive opportunities in the future. University of San Francisco and majoring in critical diversity studies.

Marcus Bass III – is a graduating senior from the Early College Academy at Penn Valley and Lincoln Prep.

He is planning on attending the United States Military Academy; intends to study to become a civil engineer. Mr .Bass will proudly serve in the United States Army and come back to Kansas City to help build equitable housing for low to moderate income families.

Donald Smith – is a graduating senior from the Early College Academy at Penn Valley and Lincoln Prep.

He is planning on attending the University of Kansas and intends to major in computer engineering. Mr. Smith aspires to become a computer engineer.

Story Downing – is a graduating senior that is part of the international baccalaureate program at Lincoln Prep. She is currently choosing between University of Missouri-Columbia, Miami University, and Barnard College at Columbia University. Ms. Downing aspires to help the community in some shape or form.

Torin Thomas – is a graduating senior at Lincoln Prep. He plans to attend Tuskegee University where he intends to study to become an aerospace engineer.

Jeremiah Randle – is a graduating senior at Lincoln Prep. After graduating Mr. Randle plans to serve in the United States Air Force. Jeremiah aspires to become a civil engineer and a property investor.

Jaishon Jefferson – is a graduating senior at Lincoln Prep. He is choosing between Northwest Missouri State University and University of Central Missouri to further his education where he intends to study business administration. After graduating from college Mr. Jefferson plans on working to decrease the rate of homelessness and finding ways to build community wealth.

Kemiyah Sims – is a graduating senior from the Early College Academy at Penn Valley and Lincoln Prep. She is choosing between Prairie View University and Harris-Stowe University where she intends to major in biology. Ms. Sims aspires to be a pediatrician.

Christian Thomas – is a graduating senior from the Early College Academy at Penn Valley and Lincoln Prep. She is planning to attend Texas A&M University where she will study criminology. Ms. Thomas plans to become a crime scene analyst so she can work to reduce the rate of bad investigations conducted against African-Americans.

Lena Otto – is a graduating senior who is also part of the international baccalaureate program at Lincoln Prep. She plans to attend American University and double major in biology as well as public health. Ms. Otto aspires to become an OBGYN and research ways to reduce pregnancy related mortality in African-American women.

Roslyn Jackson – is a graduating senior from the Early College Academy at Penn Valley and Lincoln Prep. She plans to attend Kansas City Art Institute and major in photography. Ms. Jackson plans to become a fashion industry photographer.

James McGee II –  is a graduating senior at Lincoln Prep. He is planning on attending Morehouse College where he intends to study international relations. Mr. McGee aspires to become a lawyer and work to reform the education system when he becomes President.

BAYCON Child of the Month

Baycon – Kids

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