The Fred Somerset Memorial Scholarship Program

Today’s time with Farrell Police Department, Chief Erick Gatewood and Superintendent of Farrell Area School District Dr. Lora Adams-King was well spent! The Fred Somerset Memorial Scholarship Program is elated to continue the mission of our Legacy Cultural Project in 2024! The Legacy Cultural Project 2024 will serve five Farrell Area School District high school students and their respective parent or guardian, City of Farrell Mayor Kimberly Doss, the school district’s Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Emily Clare, one  local teacher, one police officer from the Farrell Police Department, and one Farrell city council member. The Legacy Cultural Project is a cultural trip to Selma and Montgomery, Alabama created by The Fred Somerset Memorial Scholarship Program to address diversity, equity, and inclusion through the introduction of arts and culture. The City of Farrell, Pennsylvania specifically selected by our organization for The Legacy Cultural Project. The project was designed to respectfully, but intentionally invite discussion on cultural sensitivity, diversity and prompt reflection regarding the harsh realities of Deep South history across the various stakeholders of the city, community, and school district. 

📣The Legacy Cultural Project 2024 will take place Thursday, June 6, 2024 through Saturday, June 8, 2024, in Selma and Montgomery, Alabama. The three-day event will begin with a visit to the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama,  the First White House of the Confederacy, Rosa Parks Museum, The Legacy Museum, The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, Freedom Monument Sculpture Park, and Riverfront Park in Montgomery, Alabama. 

📣If you are interested in supporting this work, tax-deductible donations can be made via:

Cashapp• $thesomersetprogram 

•Zelle• the.somerset.program@gmail.com 

•PayPal• https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=EF4T3T724PVE2

Statement of Dr. Emile Clare, Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction, Farrell Area School District: The inspiration for the Farrell Area School District's African American Living Museum is inspired from the work of Executive Director Mr. Jermaine Somerset and his The Legacy Cultural Project through the Fred Somerset Memorial Scholarship Program. In June of 2023, the non-profit organization sponsored students, families, and community leaders on a trip to Alabama to visit the Edmund Pettus Bridge and the Legacy Museum. That trip changed my life, and I knew I needed to figure out a way to use the trip to help shape learning for all students in our District. After a few brainstorming sessions, the African American Living Museum Project was developed. Students enrolled in an African American History course were tasked with selecting a topic, person or event from the Civil Rights Movement; researching that topic, person or event; and then designing a museum artifact that represented their learning. Students worked together, alongside local artists, to curate an exhibit that showcased all of the artifacts in a way that told the story of the Civil Rights Movement as a collective experience. Community members and families were invited to walk through the museum as students told the story of their selected topic, person or event alongside their museum artifacts. Not only was this a way to make learning more authentic, but it created a voice for our students to tell history as they understand it to a larger audience. Without the vision of the Fred Somerset Memorial Scholarship Program and its Legacy Cultural Project, I know our African American Living Museum Project would not be possible for our students. 

Meet Ms. Alejandra Mabel Galvani  pictured on the right (in all black) and Ms. Suzy Soares Campos pictured on the far left (in black and white). Ms. Alejandra "Ale" Galvani has joined The Fred Somerset Memorial Scholarship Program’s English Language project in Rio de Janeiro to assist our program as an interpreter and provide our students with in-lesson tutoring and problem solving. Ale is originally from South of Argentina and she speaks 3 languages: Spanish, Portuguese ,and English. Ale studied Hospitality and Tourism Management in Argentina and her passion is to travel around the world seeing new places, and exploring new cultures.

Ms. Suzy Soares Campos is our newest student enrolled in the English Language Project and she is from São Gonçalo, Rio de Janeiro. Suzy has been employed as a rideshare driver for 7 years and works 12 hour shifts daily. Ms Campos serves as Assistant Pastor at the Renascer em Cristo Church in Vila Isabel- Rio de Janeiro. Since becoming a member, the church has embraced her and changed her life by giving her the spiritual sustenance to withstand all of life's challenges. Suzy knows it is in the communion of the Lord that she recharges her energy. Through her church, Suzy discovered the true meaning of life, which is JESUS. Suzy enjoys adventurous outings that give her an adrenaline rush. Suzy will use the English Language Project to increase her professional qualifications which enable her to pursue the profession of her dreams, and move to the United States.

Mr. Jermaine Somerset the Executive Director of The Fred Somerset Memorial Scholarship Program @the.somerset.program 

🔊THE FRED SOMERSET MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM BOARD MEMBER SPOTLIGHT 📢

Board Member, Corwin Somerset, has embraced her lifetime commitment of faithfully serving Youth and Families through her role at the Shenango Valley YMCA from 2012-2020.  In her supervisory role at the Chavers Community Center After School Program, she continued to  give back to the community.   Corwin elevated her passion by joining the staff of the Shenango Valley Urban League in 2017, as the Education Director.  She was promoted in 2022 to the dual role of Director of Housing and Education. While at the Urban league, Corwin's responsibilities include, but are not limited to, coordinating a variety of yearly programs like the Annual MLK Breakfast and the Summer Youth Apprenticeship Program (SYAP), a summer enrichment program to prepare youth for their future.  Corwin also oversees an Urban League initiative which provides basic computer skills to residents in Mercer County, the National Urban League Incentives to Excel & Succeed Program (NULITES), a nationwide youth program designed to provide opportunities for personal and leadership development through participation in community service projects. In 2021, Corwin became a HUD Certified Counselor which allows her to  provide pre and post home purchase and rental counseling to residents in Mercer County. 

On October 12, 2023 Corwin was recognized by the Mercer County NAACP Branch for her service to the community with the NAACP Community Service Award.

The Fred Somerset Memorial Scholarship Program is pleased to announce The Education and the Arts Project for the period of August 3 2023 through November 2025. Additional details, including session announcements, are coming soon. 

The Education and the Arts Project will benefit the residents of the historic Capitol Hill and Anacostia communities in Washington, D.C.; as well as Northern, Central, and Southeast Virginia, by using the arts as a catalyst to improve the generational development of families through positive health and economic means. The Education and the Arts Project will utilize workshops to educate its participants by addressing a need to encourage improved dietary habits through the knowledge of healthier food options; assisting in the eradication of food insecurity; stressing physical fitness to combat high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity; in addition to promoting mental and physical health by discussing early detection of anxiety and depressive disorders, learning disabilities, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Additionally, financial professionals will divulge processes to promote financial literacy by teaching strategies for the development of short-and-long-term savings and investment plans, family financial planning by using budgets, financial and debt management tools, and stressing the importance of using life insurance as a generational wealth practice. The project will also educate our participants regarding the benefit of the grant application versus loan application process for higher learning funding. The Education and the Arts Project workshop facilitators will consist of local educators, health professionals, financial professionals, local historians, and curators. By using the arts, including the early achievements and contributions of African Americans to our society, our participants will receive exposure to unique experiences that will foster improved cultural awareness and fuel advancements in their educational achievement through the knowledge of African American culture obtained from professional members of the community who may not have been easily accessible to our participants previously. 

🔊THE FRED SOMERSET MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM BOARD MEMBER SPOTLIGHT 📢

The Fred Somerset Memorial Scholarship Program is proud to sponsor Springfield Central High School's Class of 1988 during their 35th Class Reunion. Our organization is especially excited to sponsor the reunion this year in honor of our board member, Edward "Jamil" Miller, who is a very proud member of the Class of 1988. The great Class of 1988 enjoys a reunion every five years and is known for producing multiple educators and community leaders. Springfield Central High School is located in Springfield, Massachusetts. The Fred Somerset Memorial Scholarship Program sends congratulations to the Class of 1988!! Furthermore, during this Veterans Day weekend, we would like to recognize our board member retired SKC Chief United States Coast Guard Mr. Edward "Jamil" Miller for his 25 years of service!!!! Salute my Brother!!!

The Fred Somerset Memorial Scholarship Program would like to thank Ms. Mariana Souza, Director of Finance, and Ms. Sabrina Schwab, Human Resource Director, at the JW Marriot Rio de Janeiro in Brazil for meeting with our Executive Director, Jermaine Somerset, to discuss a partnership for The Marriott English Language Project. The Marriott English Language Project is our newest scholarship project created specifically to benefit associates of the JW Marriott Hotel Rio de Janeiro who desire to speak the English language fluently. Associates in the project will be awarded financial assistance to enroll as students in “Path to Fluency.” The Path to Fluency course is taught by instructor, Mr. Jonatas “Teacher Jonatas” Lourenco. Our organization intentionally collaborated with Teacher Jonatas for The Marriott English Language Project because we have great confidence in Teacher Jonatas’ qualifications to accomplish the vision of this unique project. Our organization has already enrolled two JW Marriott Hotel Rio de Janeiro associates in The Marriott English Language Project: Ms. Lorraine Santos and Ms. Erika Bento. Ms. Santos and Ms. Bento are members of the hospitality staff, and both are experiencing a significant increase in their ability to speak the English language and to confidently engage with hotel guests who visit the JW Marriott Hotel Rio de Janeiro.

Jermaine Somerset, Executive Director of The Fred Somerset Memorial Scholarship Program attended the Juneteenth celebration in Farrell, Pennsylvania on Saturday, June 17, 2023. 

The Fred Somerset Memorial Scholarship Program would like to extend our gratitude again to Mayor Kimberly Doss and the Farrell Police Department in support of the recent Legacy Cultural Project, a cultural trip to Selma and Montgomery, Alabama sponsored by the program during which Farrell, Pennsylvania high school students, family, and community leaders explored deep South history and engaged in nightly Q & A sessions reflecting on the day’s activities and the creation of steps aimed at increased positive community development for the future. The Fred Somerset Memorial Scholarship Program stands together with Mayor Doss and the Farrell Police Department in combined efforts to continue the goal of the Legacy Cultural Project with discussions of innovative and progressive ideas to embrace a collaborative approach to the fostering of healing by bridging divides within the City of Farrell. 

The Fred Somerset Memorial Scholarship Program is extremely excited to have sponsored Farrell, Pennsylvania high school students, family, and community leaders on The Legacy Cultural Project, a cultural trip to Selma and Montgomery, Alabama. Student Syon Rain (Class of 2024), his mother Roxanne West, Student Destini McDonald (Class of 2026), her grandmother Deborah Gavins, Student Brielle Foore (Class of 2028), her mother Tonya Foore, Mayor Kimberly Doss, School Board Member Reverend Tiffany Holden, and Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Emily Clare attended the trip hosted by The Fred Somerset Memorial Scholarship Program and its Founder/Executor Director, Jermaine Somerset (1991 Farrell High School graduate). The group visited the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama (the site of the brutal “Bloody Sunday”), The Legacy Museum (located on the site of a former warehouse where Black people were forced to labor), the Riverfront Park in downtown Montgomery, and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice (a memorial to the 4,400 African Americans who were lynched in this country between 1877 and 1950). Mr. Somerset engaged the group in nightly Q & A sessions to reflect on the day’s activities and the development of steps aimed at increased positive community development for the future. The Fred Somerset Memorial Scholarship Program understands the importance of building strong community relations. To accomplish this goal, the program focuses on the “Four Pillars” that are a foundation of our communities: Citizens, Community Leadership, Law Enforcement, and Education. We are strongly committed to the process of activism, and we promote a collaborative approach to the fostering of healing by bridging divides between those four pillars. The Fred Somerset Memorial Scholarship Program is proud to continue its mission of giving back to the City of Farrell, Pennsylvania.