by Shaniele Brown
South Jersey Information Equity Project
The 18th Biennial Cotillion, hosted by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Theta Pi Omega Chapter, showcased a spectacular social event of the season.
On Saturday, April 6, 2024, 14 debutantes, along with their escorts and eight debutantes, were joined by over 400 guests, including parents, chapter members, and other distinguished guests inside The Merion. Adorned in their finest attire following the theme “Legendary Bridgerton,” which celebrates the glamour and elegance from the Regency era, attendees enjoyed a delicious variety of culinary cuisines, engaging speeches, a captivating storyline, and lively Waltz dancing. The festivities also included moments of shared sentiments and heartfelt congratulations.
The 14 high school junior and senior debutantes include Alana Beatty, Angelina Beck, Chidima Bird, Chloe Brame-Smalls, Kennedy Dancy, McKenzie Goodman, Logan Hines, Jordan Kirby, Arianna Laster, Rachel Lawrence, Antasia Lloyd, Jaylah May Israel, Payton McSeed, and Sydney Roberts.
The debutantes and their escorts spent the past year preparing for this formal recognition. “We started our program last spring when we did our orientation to the community to invite eligible young ladies in their junior and senior year of high school,” said Nikki Wright, Cotillion Co-Chairman and active member of Theta Pi Omega. “To participate in the program, you must have a 2.5 GPA, and we ask that you also be community service and civic-minded.”
Wright described how the mother-daughter was the first program that kicked off the program. “We had a mother-daughter tea where we taught them the basics, one of the first programs that kicked off in August 2023,” she said. Through the program, the girls engaged in community service, workshops, and rehearsals and maintained their grades.
After registration and food, guests gathered in the beautifully decorated ballroom to witness a magical experience. Serving as this year’s Mister and Mistress of Ceremonies were Kecia Cook and her husband, Terrance R. Cook, a superior court judge in Burlington County. As the festivities got underway, guests were moved by the heartfelt messages from each father to his daughter, evoking touching memories that brought tears to some girls’ eyes. The evening continued with a series of waltz performances featuring Debutantes & Fathers’, Debutantes & Escorts, and Junior debutantes, all executed flawlessly under the direction of choreographer Benjamin White, Jr.
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