For Eriq Shipp, weekends simply don’t get any better than this:
On July 19, the president of Overland High School’s incoming senior class received an acceptance letter from Harvard University; on July 20, he joined 31 other high achievers for a reception to introduce those who, on Dec. 21, will be presented at the 25th anniversary Beautillion.
June and Dr. Johnny Johnson opened their home for the gathering attended by Beaus, their parents, and members of the sponsoring Denver chapter of Jack and Jill of America. June Johnson will conclude a 28-year involvement with Jack and Jill by chairing this year’s Beautillion with Faye Wilson Tate and Vanessa Jamison.
She’s the one who helped persuade the Denver chapter to initiate a Beautillion here. Back then, Johnson reminded those assembled in the garden of her home in Denver’s Hilltop neighborhood, it seemed that the only publicity given to African-American teens, especially boys, was negative.
When she was a teenager in Texas, Johnson had been the escort for a Beautillion honoree. “I remembered what a wonderful experience it was, and all those years later I thought it would be a good thing for us to have in Denver.”
It wasn’t easy getting started, she recalled. “We had to fight tooth and nail to get the attention of the counselors who could put us in contact with boys who met the (academic and activity) requirements. They’d tell us none of their African-American students met that criteria, even though we knew that wasn’t true.”
The ladies of Jack and Jill didn’t give up, though, and to illustrate how far they’ve come, Johnson said there were 120 nominees for the Beautillion class of 2008. “I wish we could present all of them, because even though 120 is a big number, it’s but a small sampling of what our community has to offer.”
The Johnsons’ son, Taylor, who on Aug. 19 starts his senior year at Bishop Machebeuf High School, is one of the 2008 Beaus, along with Kevin Patterson II, son of Denver School Board member Kevin and Sarie Patterson, and Kendall Early, whose parents are former Denver District Attorney Norm Early and Adrianna Early.
Also, Terrance Walker, Brandon Miller, Ethan Rice, Nathan Brown, Marcus Flowers, Philip Jones, Michael Marshall, Kendall Robertson, Gamachu Said, Aaron Giron, Valerian Riddle, James Bryant, Joshua Martin, Michael Davis II, David Jones, Bradley Steward, Micha Green, Deion Hardy, Kahler Billinghurst, Adrian Lockett, Aris Molock, Jervae Roquemore, Greyland Howell, Travis Smith, Benjamin Madry, Kendall Gregory-McGhee, Edward Harlan Jr. and Marray Napue. Read more about them by visiting .
Society editor Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com
