MOST holding free 'Show' for high school students

Patricia Satterwhite
Staff writer

For Black History Month, the Mississippi Outreach Of Scholastic Talent (Most) will host a free Greek Step Show tonight for visiting black high school students.

The predominantly black fraternities and sororities will step at 8 p.m. in the Education Auditorium. The presenting groups are in the National Panhellenic Council (NPHC) and include Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Kappa Alpha Psi, Phi Beta Sigma, Sigma Gamma Rho and Zeta Phi Beta.

"This (Greek Show) is a noncompetitive unselfish joint effect among the Greeks to help with the recruitment process," said Nicole House, coordinator of MOST and university regional counselor.

Last semester, NPHC Greeks had a "Meet the Greeks" step show. Many of the Greek organizations such as Phi Beta Sigma, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta and others dramatically introduced themselves differently with a 15 minute performance of stepping.

For some of you unfamiliar with stepping, some of the Greek members gave definitions.

"It is using the feet and hands to create a unique beat," said Marlon Bankhead, step master for Phi Beta Sigma.

Alpha Kappa Alpha President Arron Buchanan said that coming out of slavery and gaining prosperity in the early 1900s, blacks found a way to evoke this heritage through the art of stepping. Stepping became a African tribal celebration freely expressing their identity, Buchanan said. Today, many of the Greeks have modernized the same concept aided by many music beats Buchanan said.

"Most of the time we step in competitions," Bankhead said. "This time we're showing that all the Greek members and organizations can assembled together."

Today about 60 minority high school students from surrounding states, each accompanied by an Ole Miss host, will be attending classes and other campus locations. By allowing minority students to interact with the staff, this will hopefully increase the population among African American students, House said.

House said students can be productive outside of class as well in a majority of organizations and professional groups.

After class, the high school students will see one of many of these groups at the Greek Step Show.

"We want everyone to come and participate,"Buchanan said, "especially for those who have never seen a step show. It can help broaden and increase cultural awareness."