Many students will benefit from the Dr. Walter A. Kyte Memorial Foundation, thanks to ongoing fundraising efforts in honor of the late professional whose motto was: “If I can help somebody as I pass along, then my living will not be in vain.”
These meaningful words of Dr. Kyte continue to inspired compatriots who came out in full on Saturday, Feb. 28, to lend their talents to a cultural evening of song, dance and music to aid the memorial scholarship fund, named for the late Guyanese American educator.
The packed Grace Christian Church of Seventh Day Adventist on Dewitt Avenue in Brooklyn, showed commitment to fostering the growth of the fund that recently handed out its first scholarship to Miss Taneshia Lewis of Teachers Prep High School.
After a word of prayer by Pastor R. Howell, and an introduction of Emcee Jacob Caesar by Elder L. Abrigo, Jamaican Dr. A. Myers evoked stirring laughter with folklorist Louise Bennett’s stylized poetry.
Petra Young, Ingrid Cudjoe and Judy Abrigo, dressed in costume, in turn, garnered loud applause for their traditional Trinidad Bele Dance sequence, before Anne Marie of St. Vincent and the Grenadines presented tales from her homeland.
Set against the backdrop of flags from Guyana, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago, as well as Nigeria, Guyanese Cheryl Martin and group, engaged the audience with classic folksongs from Guyana, and danced to the rhythmic beat.
Many other performers helped to raise much needed funds to carry on the work of Dr. Kyte, who was called an advocate for education, by widow, Jennifer Kyte.
“He was a visionary, and was acclaimed as a turnaround expert based upon the results of advancement in his district,’ said Kyte.
Formed in 2013, after Dr. Kyte’s tragic accident in Linden, where he was born, the foundation has stayed true to its mission to increase students’ opportunity for careers in education by implementing and supporting social, economic, educational and community-based programs.
Kyte had gone to Linden to head the Linden Fund USA’s annual three-day Edu-Professional Development for teachers, administrators, and head teachers when the accident occurred.
This is an intense workshop that the Linden Fund had been spearheading for several years and facilitated by the late Dr. Kyte.
“He had a reverberating passion for education and special gifts of excellence in Special Education and Early Childhood education,” said Kyte.
With the generous support from individuals, public and private enterprises, Kyte thanked the diverse and experienced board which she said is charged with keeping the legacy of Dr. Kyte alive.
The Dr. Kyte Memorial Foundation Scholarship fund will expand its awards this year by giving more than one scholarship to deserving students who are college bound.
Board members include: Joel Haravay, Carolyn Kee, Linda Felix, Barbara Haravay, Cheryl Martin, Jennifer Kyte, Dr. Pamela Outram, Louis Abrigo, Jean Pickering, and Dr. Reynold Howell.
