Guide Right
Conceived in 1922 by Leon Wop Stewart, and suggested at the twelfth Grand Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, Guide Right became the Fraternity's National Service Program. Jesse Jerome Peters, later to become the eighth Grand Polemarch, was chairman of the committee, during the administration of W. Ellis Stewart as Grand Polemarch.
Guide Right is administrated by a National Director and a Guide Right Commission. The Guide Right Commission consists of the Director and twelve Province Guide Right Coordinators, one from each Province, appointed by their respective Province Polemarchs. The Director is uniquely qualified to perform the duties of this office and is appointed by the Grand Polemarch. He prepares such directives as are necessary for the successful and efficient observance of this National movement. He also edits and prepares the Manual for the universal use of Undergraduate and Alumni.
The five national Guide Right initiatives [11] are Kappa League, Jr. Kappa League, A-MAN Program, St. Jude Research Hospital, and the premier program, "Kappa Kamp," which enables inner city boys to attend camp at the Piney Woods Country Life School in Piney Woods, Mississippi. In addition to the above-mentioned national initiatives, chapters within the Fraternity sponsor a wide variety of Guide Right programs in their communities that support their local youth.
Kappa League
The Kappa League was founded Thursday, February 12, 1969 by the Los Angeles (CA) Alumni chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi; under the direction of Mel Davis. Davis brought the idea to LA from Dayton, OH where he had worked closely with Jay Crosby to expand the guide right activities of Dayton (OH) Alumni chapter. The Kappa League is a series of activities designed to help young high school male students develop their leadership talents. The activities provide both challenging and rewarding experiences to enhance their lives. The goal of the League is to help the students achieve worthy goals for themselves and to make meaningful contributions to their communities. The League includes a series of workshops to achieve its goals.
Student of the Year Competition
The Student of the Year Competition is a contest that encompasses six areas deemed critical to a successful life - scholarship, talent, community involvement, poise and appearance, career preparation, and model chapter operation. Each Province sponsors a pageant during its Council. In the year of a Grand Chapter Meeting, the Province winners compete at the Grand Chapter Meeting. The first Student of the Year Pageant was held on May 20, 1972 at Drexel University, under the direction of Mel Davis. The first Pageant at the Grand Chapter Meeting occurred at the 58th Grand Chapter Meeting.
Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation
The "Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation," established in 1981, is the philanthropic arm of the fraternity and assists both alumni and undergraduate chapters in support of scholarships, after-school programs, and national projects such as Habitat for Humanity.
The Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation was conceived by Dr. Oliver S. Gumbs, the 23rd Grand Polemarch. His dream began to take shape at a May 1982 with the past Grand Polemarchs and the national officers in Washington, DC. He proposed forming a separate charitable foundation to accept contributions to finance the headquarter's renovation project. Fraternity members contributing to the new foundation could deduct their donations as charitable contributions for income tax purposes. The Foundation would also accept contributions from individuals, organizations and businesses.
