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The
Pearl Initiative |
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About Us
Board of Directors
Goals
Vision
Scholarships
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Present Programs and Strategies
Contact Us
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Welcome
to THE PEARL INITIATIVE
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About
Us
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I have noticed that we live in a time where there is little hope and optimism. People, unfortunately, have faithless assurance and dim futures. It seems as if a false sense of security surrounds us in many ways and many places. International, national, state and local problems are constantly causing moral decay, unfairness and inequities in lives that are not rooted in the ethical teachings of good and wholeness.
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Board
of Directors
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Dr. William E.
Flippin, Sr., CEO and Chairman |
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Mrs. Sylvia T. Flippin,
Assistant
Secretary |
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Rev. Frederick Zak,
Board Member |
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Rev. Richard C.
Flippin, Assistant Treasurer |
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Mrs. Harmel Mason,
Board Member |
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Dr. Jamie
Wilson, Vice-President |
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Rev. Alene I.
Denson, Parliamentarian |
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Rev. Antonio Grissom,
Board Member |
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Pastor Will D.
Hayes, III,
Board Member |
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Mrs. Kedra P.
Flippin, Secretary |
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Dr. Joann
Cooper, Treasurer |
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Rev. Joseph C. T. Flippin,
Board
Member |
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Rev. William E.
Flippin, Jr., Board
Member |
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Attorney Adam Smith,
Board
Member |
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Mr. Jeffrey Taylor,
Board
Member |
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Rev. Maggie
Womack, Board
Member |
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Druenetta Smith,
Board
Member |
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Goals
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The
Pearl Initiative, Inc.
aspires to be the merchant of life in search of
individual fine pearls. As a merchant of society, our
purpose is to find the Pearl locked within a person. A
pearl is unique, one of kind, a rare, attractive jewel
that is hard to find. It is our aspiration to find
God’s hidden treasures stored in the oysters of life,
locked in the deepest of water; the Pearl of a person's
souls. The Pearl Initiative, Inc desires to strip the
oysters, the flesh of people to uncover the uniqueness,
display the beauty and rarity that each individual has
to offer.
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We seek to accomplish this goal by:
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- Assist
high school students pass all components of the
Georgia High School Graduation Test
- Assisting
Pre-College students achieve a 1000 or higher on the
S. A. T.
- Assist
Pre-College Students complete college application
- Solicit
new voter registration among eligible voters in high
school and undergraduate schools
- Provide
transportation to polls for young eligible voters in
high school and undergraduate schools
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Coordinate a youth mentoring program in the East
Lake Community schools
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Vision
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I have noticed that we live in a time where there is little hope and optimism. People, unfortunately, have faithless assurance and dim futures. It seems as if a false sense of security surrounds us in many ways and many places. International, national, state and local problems are constantly causing moral decay, unfairness and inequities in lives that are not rooted in the ethical teachings of good and wholeness.
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Because of this crisis, The Pearls Initiative, Inc. seek to claim glory not defeat; riches not poverty; peace not chaos; and fellowship not fear. In order words, The Pearl Initiative, Inc.’s vision is to Speak Life to present day dilemmas and problematic circumstances.
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The Pearl Initiative, Inc. is aware that there are valuable jewels hidden in society’s inner cities, hiding in suburbs, complacent in classrooms, and paralyzed in person’s homes. These jewels can be found in life’s ocean, hidden under life’s oysters.
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As I close, I am reminded of my grandmother from Tennessee who would take old clothing that had been worn and stored in huge cloth sacks. To many, this was the notion of a foolish old lady who was content to be a pack rat. Nonetheless, each spring, my grandmother would take those rags, those clothes, those pieces that were worn and stored and mend them together into beautiful, priceless quilts. Likewise, The Pearl Initiative, Inc.’s vision, charge, challenge and mandate is to search and find the PEARLS that has been stored and locked and hidden in the oysters of life. The Pearl Initiative, Inc. seeks to find PEARLS in the oceans of life and sacrifice all to save these precious pearls, God’s hidden treasure. It is The Pearl Initiative, Inc.’s vision to take these pearls, God’s hidden treasure, thread them together into beautiful admirable necklaces.
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Reverend Dr. William E.
Flippin, Sr.
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Scholarships
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Memorial Scholarship
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The
Virginia Brooks Flippin Memorial Scholarship was started
in 1989 to celebrate the life and legacy of this great
woman.
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Fisk University
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Mrs. Virginia Brooks Flippin was active in her church in Nashville, Tennessee for over 60 years. She was a woman of deep faith and an abiding love for her family. Mrs. Flippin was the mother of four sons; two are graduates of Fisk University and two are ministers in the Lord's church. Four of her grandsons are now preaching the gospel.
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Each year, a student from Fisk University with intentions of attending an accredited seminary to pursue a course of study in religion is given this award. This award is presented at the annual
W.E.B. DuBois Senior Awards Program.
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ELIGIBILITY:
The scholarship(s) shall be limited primarily to graduating seniors of the Baptist faith who are U.S. citizens in good academic standing. Recipients must also be of good moral character and have demonstrated qualities of leadership and the ability and desire to excel academically. This scholarship will be awarded to students who have definite intentions to pursue graduate religious studies at an accredited institution.
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SELECTION:
The President of Fisk University will have general supervision over a committee to be appointed annually for selection of scholarship recipients
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REQUIREMENTS:
As is the practice or policy of Fisk University, the scholarship will be listed as the VIRGINIA BROOKS FLIPPIN MEMORIAL FUND in all publications.
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The awards will be announced on the University's Honor Day and listed in the Annual Commencement program.
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CONDITIONS:
Each scholarship award exists for one year only. The scholarship is to be applied to the student's account at Fisk University and no portion of the scholarship will be given to the student in cash. If a student should withdraw, the unused portion of the award shall be granted to another candidate or revert back to the fund.
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Scholarship will be awarded annually, in an amount not less than $150.00. Ideally, the funds will be used to partially finance the entry into a graduate religious course of study at an accredited institution. Any unused portion will revert back to the campus fund to be used in future awards.
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The University may increase the amount of the scholarship if the earnings from the investment permit such increases.
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The University may accept additional funds, assets and securities from any sources, and incorporate the same into the corpus, subject to all the terms and provisions set forth in this agreement.
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For more information about or to make a contribution to the Virginia Brooks Flippin Memorial Scholarship, please contact Dr. William E. Flippin, Sr., Chairman or Reverend Richard C. Flippin, 3653-F Flakes Mill Road PMB 203 Decatur, Georgia 30034
email: raisingleaders@aol.com or
revrcflip@aol.com phone: 770.655.0217
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Pearl Scholarship
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As
a native of Nashville, Tennessee, student body president
the class of 1970 and graduate with honors from Pearl
High School, I am thankful for the influence that this
great institution and its staff has made on my life.
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I
have furthered my education with a Bachelor of Arts
degree in Mathematics and Business Administration from
Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee graduating in
1974; I hold a Master of Divinity degree (Cum Laude)
from Candler School of Theology at Emory University in
Atlanta, Georgia; and a Doctorate of Ministry from
McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois.
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I
am the Senior Pastor of The Greater Piney Grove Baptist
Church in Atlanta, Georgia with over 5,000 members and
have previously been a pastor with distinction for two
other historic churches in Georgia: Springfield Baptist
Church, Greensboro, from 1980 - 1986; and Shoal Creek
Baptist Church, Locust Grove, from 1986 - 1990.
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Some
of my many accomplishments include writing several
books; being named a Benjamin E. Mays Scholar for three
years at Emory University; an inductee of the Morehouse
College Board of Distinguished Preachers; and on the
Board of Trustees for the Morehouse School of Religion;
Board Chairman for Higher Plain Community Development,
Incorporated; delegate to the National Democratic Party;
instructor for the National Baptist Congress of
Christian Education; member of the Dekalb Chapter 100
Black Men; an Associate in the Department of Black
Church Relations for the Georgia Baptist Convention and
administers the Durward V. Cason Scholarship, which has
a corpus of over $200,000.
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My
wife of almost thirty years, Sylvia Taylor, who is also
a Pearl High School graduate, and I desire to
financially assist Pearl High students, who are aspiring
to become ministers, in their educational preparation.
Our three sons are all graduates of Morehouse College
and have become ordained ministers. We also have one
daughter, a rising high school senior.
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For more information about or to make a contribution to the Virginia Brooks Flippin Memorial Scholarship, please contact Dr. William E. Flippin, Sr., Chairman or Reverend Richard C. Flippin, President at the Pearl Initiative, 3653-F Flakes Mill Road PMB 203 Decatur, Georgia 30034 email: raisingleaders@aol.com or revrcflip@aol.com phone: 770.655.0217
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Present Programs and Strategies
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MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE PEARL INITIATIVE REGARDING SPECIAL PROGRAMS AND STRATEGIES
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Rev. W E
Flippin, Sr.-“My goal is to help young men in the community, I see too many going astray whether they be in high school or even in college and I just want to see them get a solid foundation from the
start.”
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Mrs. Harmel Mason-‘We need to educate our kids when it comes to health issues.” A motion was then placed and seconded to incorporate health issues into our goals for our
company.
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Dr. Jamie Wilson-spoke on the need for us to not only look at high school and college students, but to start with students in grades 3-6,” high school and college may be too late.
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Rev. Alene Denson-“We need to get programs set up at the level of students in
mid-grades."
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Rev. Frederick Zak –“My background consists of me working with fathers at elementary schools”
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Rev. Antonio Grissom-“ The department of justice has a program that works to keep students out of the justice
system”
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Rev. Maggie Womack-“Let us try to stick with one group of people and follow them for 3-4 years
(ie.grades 3,5,8)”
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Dr. Jamie Wilson-discussed that “our main component be etiquette and our secondary component be
education.”
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Rev.W E
Flippin, Sr.-“I want the child in The Pearl Initiative program to be pulled out of the classroom and school atmosphere and be mentored away from school. I want to follow them through their school life.”
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Dr. Flippin concluded the discussion with a key phrase for the company, “Healthy Relationships lead to Healthy Lives” and rewording of our goals continued, dealing with character education, exposure and the word healthy from the phrase above meaning complete and balanced. Dr. Jamie Wilson came up with a few schools in the area to possibly look at working with
(ie.Peachcrest Elementary School, Bethune Middle School, Towers High School, Toney Elementary School, McNair Middle School, McNair High School.
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It was discussed openly about incorporating a way for the child to develop a craft or trade. That idea was tabled until later on in the life of the program, possibly 6 months after the program has been actively up and running. The general principles of the program were openly discussed and an application process was looked at for start up of the mentorship program in terms of the near
future.
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Dr.
Alene Denson-discussed the board looking at 3-5 students
at the various schools we select and follow them through
their school matriculation.
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