(l to r):  Sydney Pullen (Miss Scholarship), Lauren Winston (2ndRunner-Up Miss Scholarship), Myuah Hamilton (1stRunner-Up Miss Debutante, Miss Congeniality), Payton Williams (Miss Debutante 2018), Kendall Rogers (1stRunner-Up Miss Scholarship, Miss Fundraiser)

Debutante Ball

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated is an international organization of over 125,000 college women with a common goal to improve human life through service to others. There are more than 800 chapters in the United States, West Africa, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, Germany, Bermuda and Korea.

The sorority's purpose is:
• to encourage high school scholastic and ethical standards,
• to promote unity and friendship among college women,
• to study and alleviate problems affecting girls and women,
• to promote higher education, and
• to be of service to all mankind.

Beta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated presents the Debutante Ball biennially as a means of encouraging high scholastic achievement among young ladies.

The Debutante Ball is an avenue used to introduce deserving and outstanding young ladies as Debutantes to Kansas City society in a formal setting. A Debutante is a young lady who has been prepared in the social graces, trained to dance formally, and who is community service oriented. She is then presented to her community in a formal presentation, which is her first public appearance into society. All Debutante participants must be sponsored by a financially active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

To be considered for presentation, a young lady must:

• Be a high school senior or a college freshman during the 2024-2025 school year.

• Have a cumulative grade average of C+ (2.75) or higher on a 4.0 point system

• Not be pregnant before/during the Debutante Ball season, never have had a child and never been married or engaged.

• Have not been presented in other Divine 9 pageants (i.e. Cotillion, Jabberwock, Rhomania).  (Activities sponsored by a church or secondary school are not included.)

OUR CELEBRATED HISTORY OF THE DEBUTANTE BALL

In 1951 two members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated suggested sponsoring a Debutante Ball as a fund raiser to help support the sorority’s Delta House in Lawrence, Kansas. Delta House was purchased and financed by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated in order to ensure that black students attending the University of Kansas had adequate, desirable housing. The sorority maintained Delta House until open housing laws were passed. The two sorority sisters who suggested having a Debutante Ball were the late Lillian Orme of Mu Omega Chapter in Kansas City, Kansas and Mildred Althouse of Kansas City, Missouri’s Beta Omega Chapter. The two women served as co-chairpersons for the first Ball in 1951.

The first Debutante Ball in 1951 was given at the American Legion Hall located at Linwood and The Paseo in Kansas City, Missouri. The practice of giving the ball was discontinued after the 1952 Ball due to America’s involvement in the Korean War and the low number of Debutantes participating in it. Following the Korean War years when more and more young women and their parents requested the resumption of the Debutante Ball both the Beta Omega and Mu Omega chapters felt the need to classify the event as one of their community service projects. At that time they instituted the practice of awarding scholarships to the Debutantes. When the awarding of scholarships first began in 1971, a total of only $350.00 was presented. To date, Beta Omega and Mu Omega Chapters of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated have awarded $1,501,600.00 in scholarships and book awards.

Since the first Debutante Ball, the two chapters have recognized 1,941 outstanding young women who have attained high scholastic achievement; were active in student organizations and in the local community; and who were talented and well rounded. All Debutantes, at the time of their presentation, are either high school seniors or first semester freshmen in college.

The original vision of the Ball has grown into an entire Debutante Ball season of social, cultural, educational and community service activities. We thank you for your continued support throughout the years. As always, we endeavor to carry out the mandate of our great sorority “. . . to be of service to all mankind.”

We are proud to celebrate over 50 years of service to young women in the Kansas City area.