Eight women were honored at the inaugural Black Butterflies Award Banquet on Feb. 10, at the Murdock Theater, 558 N. Broadway. The keynote speaker was University of Kansas Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little.
The Black Butterfly honorees were selected because they are excellent role models for Black girls aiming high, says Janice Hardeman, who organized the awards banquet as a fundraiser for the Katherine Johnson Scholar Sisters Club.
The Black Butterfly inaugural honorees were: Arneatha Martin, Bonita Gooch, Councilwoman Lavonta Williams, Lillian Dukes, Mother Dilce Polite, Sen. Olthea-Faust-Goudeau, Sandra Rankin, Jo Brown, and Teresa Barfield.
The Katherine Johnson Scholar Sisters Club promotes interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math careers in its 4th and 5th grade members.
Working with math instructor William Polite, the members are building their math skills to a level that exceeds grade level expectations.
Proceeds from the event will help the members attend an all-girls summer math and engineering program sponsored by the National Society of Black Engineers.
Dinner was provided by Outback.