By Taylor Rexrode
Staff Writer
Baylor’s chapter of Delta Epsilon Psi will host its first-ever Project Come Together for Waco elementary students.
Project Come Together, which was created 14 years ago by a Delta Epsilon Psi chapter in Austin, celebrates the accomplishments of elementary students completing their standardized tests for the year.
Students in Texas, as of 2012, are required to take the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, which includes sections on reading, writing, math, science and social studies. The majority of tests are taken in the late spring, though some are administered in the fall semester.
The Zeta chapter of Delta Epsilon Psi at Baylor will invite fourth, fifth and sixth grade students from J.H. Hines Elementary School to Fountain Mall, where they will get to enjoy five bounce houses.
There will also be an inflatable 75-foot zip line, a magic show, stations for face painting and other games. Other student organizations on campus, such as Alpha Phi Omega, Kappa Phi Gamma and Student American Chemistry Society Association, will run booths and provide entertainment for the approximately 150 children that will attend.
Coppell senior Azaan Ramani, president of Delta Epsilon Psi, said Project Come Together gets kids interacting with college students and thinking about their futures.
“Kids don’t often get to interact with college students,” Ramani said. “It’s a good way to promote higher education when many of them may not think of going to college.”
Throughout the year, Delta Epsilon Psi raises money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the organization’s philanthropy. They were able to use this event to raise money through sponsorship on fliers, T-shirts and other promotional materials. With 26 sponsors, the organization raised $5,400 just through Project Come Together.
Bounce houses, transportation to and from the event and promotional materials have been funded by Baylor’s student government allocation fund. Booths will be run by each student organization that volunteered. Ramani said more student organizations are welcome to volunteer at next year’s event. Those interested can email him at Azaan_Ramani@baylor.edu.
For the organization, this new event does more than just raise money for their philanthropy.
“It helps the Waco community,” Ramani said. “It means a lot to make a difference.”
