There are many clubs here at APK, and we always hear about the popular ones such as BETA and the National Honor Society. However, there is another club that’s taking the stage on campus. That is the Minority Leadership Scholars (MLS). MLS has been around at Apopka for 5 years now and it opens opportunities to many students here at APK. President of the club Joshua Washington, a Junior here at APK, shared some of the opportunities MLS provides, “The club participates in community service activities—which include working at our community garden, college trips, and community service projects.” The club works hard to prepare students for college, sort of exposing them to college life. In fact, one of the main goals of the club is “community involvement and college readiness,” shares Joshua. 

There are many different roles inside the club, just like any other club. Joshua shared some of his responsibilities as president, “As current president-elect and vice President I help run the meetings, keep the leadership team in order, and do my best to uphold what we stand for. This means being a pillar in the community and maintaining academic excellence.” The club also meets “once a month, but if there’s a field trip we may call an additional meeting,” says Michaela Moss, a Senior here at APK. Michaela also shared the schedule in which they complete activities, “Bi-monthly we tend to our community garden, annually we hold a ‘Black Excellence’ spirit week every year, we go on college trips, and hold a community service project twice a month.”

MLS is a “service-based organization that promotes academic achievement and excellence for the minorities on campus, although primarily African American. There are no strict requirements to get in the club, ask a leader or one of our sponsors for more info,” says Joshua. As the Minority Leadership Scholars focuses on “community involvement and college readiness,” says Michaela. So those interested in joining or getting more information about the club, try reaching out to Ms. Owens at [email protected].