Eighteen young men at Natchez High School have banded together to achieve excellence. This September, the group founded a chapter of the Kappa League, a subsidiary of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

Mentor for the group is Christopher Williams, a senior and elementary education major at the University of Southern Mississippi.

&uot;Kappa League is a mentor program for young men in grades 9 through 12,&uot; Williams said.

Kappa League promotes leadership, goal setting and academic excellence, he said.

Darryl Grennell, pole march for the alumni chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity for the last 10 years, invited the Kappa League to Monday’s meeting of the Adams County Board of Supervisors.

&uot;Today we have 18 young men observing us and studying leadership and protocol, including parliamentary procedure,&uot; Grennell said in introducing the group of young people in the audience. &uot;These young men are strong academically with no discipline problems.&uot;

&uot;I’m proud to say they are doing very well,&uot; he said.

Kappa League meets each Wednesday and Saturday at The Thompson School Gymnasium, Williams said. They participate in &uot;dress up&uot; days at school in which the young men wear dress shirts and ties.

Carlos Hartwell, president of the group, said their chapter has caught the attention of other students.

&uot;They’re interested,&uot; Hartwell said. &uot;They like our unity.&uot;

Williams said members of Kappa League recently presented a teacher of their choice with a present to show their respect and appreciation for the role teachers play in their lives.

Only one year into the fraternity, Williams originally pledged into Kappa Alpha Psi at Clark Atlanta University before transferring to USM.

Since taking over as mentor of the Natchez High group, Williams and the group have investigated adopting a section of highway in the Adopt-A-Highway program.

In addition to community service, the group has been active in fund raising to finance educational conferences and workshops.