BALTIMORE ( JULY 1, 2011) – The Maryland Commission for Women (MCW) hosted its fourteenth annual Women of Tomorrow recognition ceremony on June 30, 2011 at the Maryland Yacht Club Clubhouse in Anne Arundel county. The award, established in 1997, identifies young women in middle school and high school who have set sail into their future by demonstrating an extraordinary commitment to community service and academic excellence.
The honorees were selected through a process that begins with an annual statewide call for nominations. An independent, all-volunteer selection committee reviews the applications and normally selects six young women, two per grade grouping from sixth through twelfth grades. However, this year eight young women will be honored.
“This annual event highlights young women who are making significant and remarkable contributions to their communities,” said Theodore Dallas, secretary of the Maryland Department of Human Resources. “These young ladies are truly our future leaders.”
The Maryland Commission for Women, established by the Maryland Legislature in 1971, promotes the social, political, and economic equality of Maryland women. It advises government, advances solutions, and serves as a statewide resource to expand social, political, and economic opportunities for all women.
The Baltimore City 2011 Women of Tomorrow Award honoree is:
Honorable Mention – Tyra Hooper, Bryn Mawr School for Girls,
Tyra Hooper
Tyra Hooper resides in Baltimore City and is in her sophomore year at The Bryn Mawr School for Girls in Baltimore, Maryland. Starting in elementary school, Tyra’s instructors noticed her passion for learning and persistence to excel in academics and she has always attempted to live up to the expectation of being a leader and a strong enforcer of her own beliefs, but has always been mindful to consider the opinions of others. While in middle school at Booker T. Washington, she participated in an after school program sponsored by the Family and Children Services of Central Maryland and Rho Xi Omega Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority also known as the AKAdemy. This program guided and shaped her path toward community service and mentor-ship. In 2008, the Frederick Douglas and Isaac Myers Museum recognized young leaders of Baltimore and Tyra was honored based on her talents and skills in one or more of the following areas: academic excellence, leadership abilities, and or citizenship.
Although The Bryn Mawr School does not rank its students in the traditional manner in terms of a grade point average (GPA), Tyra is a top student engaged in a vigorous college preparatory curriculum. Tyra is an English and Spanish mentor as well as one of the school’s Ambassadors providing informational tours to potential new students. In addition to her studies, it has always been essential for her to participate in extracurricular activities and service projects. Her involvement has varied from organizations such as Justice Circles whose ultimate goal is to provide justice for local inner city communities. One of its projects was to petition for safer and cleaner playgrounds in the heart of Baltimore City’s most heavily drug infested and high crime areas. Another volunteer community commitment project was at Our Daily Bread, Maryland’s hot meals program, serving more than a quarter million meals to the hungry of Baltimore City each year. After high school, Tyra plans to further her education at a four-year university in either law or business and marketing.
As Tyra pursues her dreams, she lives her life by this philosophy, “it is not your environment, it is you, the quality of your mind, the integrity of your soul, and the determination of your will that will decide your future and shape your life.”
