Thursday, June 3, 2010

Mrs. North Carolina International "Words to Inspire" Speaker at the 5th Annual Teen Achievement Awards Banquet




Jackie Billie-Skeen ~ Founder of Teen Achievement Foundation



"Words to Inspire" ~



2010 Award Recipients 
  

Mike Minter ~ Rosa K. Billie Teen Embrace 2010 Award Recipient   


Myron Bell ~ Guest Speaker
  

Ny Simpson ~ Mistress of Ceremonies; Marcus Looney ~ Spoken Word

 

Mrs. and Mr. North Carolina International 2010

 

Prince Coles-Albert


Prince Grayson



Chef Gene Briggs


The Royal North Carolina International Family with Alexandria and Alex ~ Owners of Blue 

What an honor and fabulous opportunity I had to speak "Words to Inspire" at the Teen Achievement Awards Banquet at the Levine Museum last Friday, May 28. It truly was inspiring to meet the ambitious teens who are performing at a high level at their schools and who dream of big achievements. Myron Bell, who is a former NFL football player, also spoke, and Mike Minter, former Carolina Panther, received the Teen Embrace Award. Jackie Skeen, who started the foundation in 2004 with her husband, was gracious in accepting the praise that she so deserves for her work with our youth.

In all, the night was a wonderful tribute to the teens and those who are giving back to the community. As Mr. Bell stated, this was an event that deserved state-wide media coverage.

The Teen Achievement Foundation's Goal is to assist students with preparation for college by offering key components that allows a successful transition into college and future endeavors.  Their Mission is to emphasize the importance of continuing education by offering positive guidance and financial assistance for students expressing the desire to attend college.

They offer tutoring services grade k-12 and through fundraising, donations, and sponsorship the Teen Achievement Foundation has presented over $3000 in scholarships since 2006.  Each year 2 deserving students expressing the desire to attend college are awarded $500 scholarships to continue their education following high school graduation.  The minimum GPA of 3.25 is required for eligibility.

We decided to extend the evening and enjoy dessert at one of Joseph and my favorite restaurant ~ Blue located in dowtown Charlotte!  This was a special treat for the young ones as their brother Andrew was in a show and Taylor in dance rehersal. It was a perfect ending to a perfect evening when I lifted up my napkin and Joseph had slipped a little black box under it. Inside the little black box was a custom made Amethyst ring with diamonds!  Purple is the color of Alzheimer's and Joseph felt I needed to have a purple ring to enjoy as a symbol of my PURPLE PASSION 4 Alzheimer's work. 

Blue Restaurant and Bar Executive Chef Gene Briggs has created a multi-cultural menu that features dishes from Spain, France, Greece, Sicily, Italy, and Morocco. With more than 25 years of experience working in a variety of restaurants, the upstate New York native’s cooking mantra is simple: fresh. Chef Briggs incorporates fresh ingredients with fresh hand-selected cuts of meat creating exceptional food and a phenomenal dining experience.  Prepare to savor the taste of a Moroccan Tagine, Galette de Crabe et Homard, or Tenderloin ala Blue. Chef recommendations include the Duo of Wild Boar, the Pan-seared Mediterranean sea bass, a dish prepared with fresh herbs, artichokes, and pear tomatoes.
Don’t forget to leave room for Blue’s incredible Cake di Chocolate served with a warm molten center and accompanied by vanilla ice cream.  I of course ordered this!  MMMM!

A Meditteranean diet combined with exercise has been shown through studies to decrease the risk of Alzheimer's by 70%. 

Teen Achievement Foundation
http://www.teenachievmnt.org/

Event Makeup Artist ~ Kelly Ward Manion
http://www.eyeseyesbaby.com/

Event Hairstylist ~ Jeff Capell
http://www.justjaneandco.com/

Event Fashion ~ Flow by Tara Davis
http://www.flowbytaradavis.com/

Event Photographer ~ Lacy Kell Camp
http://www.lacykell.com/

PURPLE PASSION 4 Alzheimer's
http://www.pp4alz.org/

Blue Restaurant and Bar
http://www.bluecharlotte.com/

Cynthia Griner
Mrs. North Carolina International

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