Former Prince George’s County Chapter Top Teen, Kyndal Truesdale Is Named Organizer and Founding President of the NCNW Collegiate Section at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore

By MARIA CAMPBELL

Ms. Kyndal Truesdale, a rising senior at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) formed a Collegiate Section of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW).  Ms. Truesdale is a former member of Prince George’s County’s Top Teens of America (TTA) Chapter of Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc. (TLOD), where she served as Youth Chair of the NCNW Committee for two years.  She is also a National Life member of NCNW, and former Youth Member of the Prince George’s County Section.

Ms. Truesdale was named Organizer and Founding President during a virtual ceremony on Saturday, May 24, 2025.  National Chair, Dr. A. Lois Keith presided over the ceremony and formally installed the Executive Board members.

The new Section currently has forty-two collegiate members. Creation of the collegiate section encourages the involvement of young adults to extend the legacy of NCNW Founder, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune to improve the lives of women, children and families in need. Congratulations to Former Teen Kyndal and members of UMES NCNW Collegiate Section. 

University of Maryland Eastern Shore Charter Member List

Kyndal Truesdale, Ryane Curtis, Mar’Shay Robinson, Tayonna Johnson, Laila Dent, Aniya Hood, Angel Leach, Kaneijah Dorsey-Gwynn, Alaynah Martin, Alexa Barnett, Alexus Butler, Amanda Exantus, Amaya Wade, Aniyah Carter, Aurelia Keels, Brionna Farrar, Charley Weng, Chesney Martinez, Christ-Love Talabert, DeAnna Frazier, Jade Rollerson, Kamille Trammell, Kayla Baker, Kendall Artis, Khamara Logan, Kimani Stephens, Kiyae Carter, Logan Forrest, London Harris, Minaya Humphries, Morgan Gaddy, Mya Holland, Mya Lawson, Myesha Palmer, Na’Zyia Edmonds, Niesha Jacobs, Samara Tinch, Shemiah James, Syliah Harris, Tirzah Bailey, Tylanah Teasley, Wasileh Diamant.

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Students Reunite With Their Teacher and Classmates

By DELORES WALLS
Sojourner Truth Elem. School Reunion Committee

The alumni of Sojourner Truth Elem. School came together on Saturday, June 14, 2025 at 2 p.m. for the 1st Reunion Picnic at the Boniwood Rec. Center in Clinton, MD. From 1931 to 1962 Sojourner Truth Elem. School stood as a beacon for Black families in Oxon Hill and beyond. It closed in 1962. The Oxon Hill Public Library was later built in its place. A committee of eight planned this event with lots of enthusiasm and a desire to see classmates they hadn’t seen since elementary school.

A flyer was designed and distributed throughout Oxon Hill and the nearby communities to advertise the reunion picnic. The students were asked to bring their own food and drinks. The DJ was awesome and he entertained us with some fantastic music.

Some students’ parents had attended the school too. The students now range from 68–91years old. We were fortunate to have three students who were 88, 89, and 91 years old attend the reunion picnic. Mr. Arthur Dock, who was a 6th grade teacher at the school is the only living teacher. He was invited to attend. He turned 94 years old on June 19.

Once everyone had mingled and introduced themselves to each other, Delores Butler Walls started the program. She welcomed everyone and introduced her committee. Then she asked the students to share their memories of elementary school. Many students shared lots of interesting and funny memories. Then came the moment everyone had been waiting for. Our guest of honor, Mr. Dock, arrived looking just as handsome as ever. Everyone stood and applauded as he walked into the room. Ruth Mason Lewis introduced him. He asked her to read his prepared speech. Then she presented him with a card with money in it from the committee.

Nadine Savoy Pickeral thanked everyone for coming and she presented Mr. Dock with a card with monetary donations from the students who were there. Mr. Dock was overwhelmed with all of the students coming up to him to thank him for being a great teacher.

This was a very successful reunion. We had about 75 people attend with their spouse or significant other. The committee was asked to have another reunion next year.

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Eighteen Maryland Students Awarded at Nationwide Competition
Prince George’s County winner is selected for Documentary Showcase at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

By PRESS OFFICER
Maryland Humanities

Baltimore (June 13, 2025)—Maryland Humanities congratulates eighteen Maryland students for their accomplishments at the National History Day Contest.  Franka Hebisch of Montgomery County won a Gold Medal for her performance on the Match Girls Strike of 1888. Tirzah Chan, Annabelle Wu, and Surie Zhang of Howard County received a Bronze Medal for their group performance on corporate responsibility. Fourteen other Maryland students earned Special Prizes, a spot in a showcase at a Smithsonian Institution museum, or another form of special recognition at this year’s national competition.

Held June 8–12, 2025 at the University of Maryland, College Park, a total of 67 students from Maryland competed at this year’s national competition. The honorees hailed from Frederick and Prince George’s County, in addition to Montgomery and Howard Counties.

The National History Day competition welcomed an estimated 3,000 students to the final stage. Over a half-million students participated at the school, district, state, and national levels. Competitors from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, and international schools in China, Korea, and South Asia traveled to College Park, Maryland to compete.

Students who advance to National History Day won first or second place at the Maryland History Day State Contest, a culmination of the year-long Maryland History Day program presented by Maryland Humanities. For Maryland History Day, an affiliate of National History Day, students create original documentaries, exhibits, performances, papers, or websites exploring a historical topic of their choice based on the annual theme. This year’s theme was “Rights and Responsibilities in History.”

The following students received honors: Laila Asamoah of Frederick County; Sravya Annappareddy, Tirzah Chan, Hemant Kantheti, Shiven Trambadia, Justin Wang, Annabelle Wu, and Surie Zhang of Howard County; Chloe Chang, Jacob Frias, Lydia Garside, Emmanuel Getahun, Franka Hebisch, Genevieve Lichtenberger, Maya Mourshed, Nikhil Pandey, Nuaimaan Tewfik of Montgomery County; and Christopher Hill of Prince George’s County.

Learn more about the Maryland History Day program here: https://www.mdhumanities.org/programs/maryland-history-day/

Maryland Winners at National History Day 2025

Prince George’s County

Student:  Christopher Hill

Honor: Selected for Documentary Showcase at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Category: Senior Individual Documentary

Title:  The Fight for The Right of Flight: The Tuskegee Airmen

School:  Oxon Hill High School

Teacher: Adam Thomas

Maryland History Day is supported by Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), National History Day®, Thalheimer-Eurich Charitable Fund, Baltimore County Commission on the Arts & Sciences, James T. and Virginia M. Dresher Center for the Humanities at UMBC, and Wright, Constable & Skeen, LLP.

Maryland Humanities creates and supports bold experiences that explore and elevate our shared stories to connect people, enhance lives, and enrich communities. For more information, visit www.mdhumanities.org. Maryland Humanities is generously supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities; the State of Maryland; the Citizens of Baltimore County; private foundations; corporations; small businesses; and individual donors. Connect with Maryland Humanities on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Maryland History Day is an affiliate of National History Day and a year-long educational program of Maryland Humanities. More than 26,000 middle and high school students create original projects that explore a historical topic of their choice on an annual theme. Professional development for teachers is offered through online courses and platforms, summer teacher institutes, workshops, and classroom outreach. Maryland Humanities produces Maryland History Day. For more information, visit www.MDHistoryDay.org. Connect with Maryland History Day on Facebook.

National History Day® (NHD) is a non-profit organization based in College Park, Maryland, that seeks to improve the teaching and learning of history. The National History Day Contest was established in 1974 and currently engages more than half a million students every year in conducting original research on historical topics of interest. Students present their research as a documentary, exhibit, paper, performance, or website. Projects compete first at the local and affiliate levels, where the top entries are invited to the National Contest at the University of Maryland at College Park. NHD is sponsored in part by HISTORY®, the National Endowment for the Humanities, Patricia Behring Foundation, Diana Davis Spencer Foundation, World Education Foundation, the National Park Service, the 400 Years of African-American History Commission, the Better Angels Society, The Dr. Scholl Foundation, and individual donors. For more information, visit nhd.org.

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