“The Magic Never Ends” was the theme for the 27th Beautillion presented by Denver chapter of Jack and Jill of America, and Sunday night’s ceremony was brimming with heartwarming examples.
The 32 high school seniors presented at the black-tie dinner could revel in the magic of the here and now as 800 family members and community leaders rewarded them with a standing ovation for achievements in and out of their respective high school classrooms.
Others, like Jevard Hitch, stood as shining examples of what the future can hold. A member of the Beautillion Class of 1992, Hitch owns Ascend Landscaping & Irrigation, one of the most successful African American-owned landscaping firms in Colorado, and emceed the presentation with Will Jones, a former TV newsman now serving as public relations manager for Denver Botanic Gardens.
Jack and Jill members encourage honorees to adopt the “Once a Beau, always a Beau” mantra, and 2009 honoree Marqui Gill did just that by stepping in to help 2010 Beau David Brown finesse his presentation.
Brown, a track and football standout from Machebeuf High School, arrived at the Sheraton Denver Downtown suffering from a torn ACL.
He was able to make it through the introduction and kente cloth investiture, but participating in the intricately choreographed dance that is a Beautillion tradition would have been too much. Not wanting Brown’s escort, Spenser Sherman, to feel left out, Gill stepped in to be her partner, a gesture that enabled Brown to rest his leg long enough to take part in the less strenuous mother-son waltz that followed.
Toshia Foley and Jan Dunn chaired the Beautillion and welcomed such special guests as Jack and Jill’s national president, Denverite Tara Labrie, and Terrance Carroll, speaker of the state House of Representatives.
In addition to Brown, the 2010 Beaus were Jimmie Austin Jr., Allen Bolden Jr., Avery Boyd, Bryant Brown Jr., Vincent Brown Jr., Michael Carlo, Alex Carter II, Kristopher Colley II, John Conway IV, Paul Deaderick, Gregory Fairweather II, DeVaughn Gamlin, Dakota Gonring, Clayton Greene, Kori Hazel, Torre Hill, Corbin Jones, Sergio King, Danial Leaver, Brenden Matthews, Kyle Patterson, Kaylan Penn, Brandon Pollard, Trey Richardson, Jeffrey Smith II, David Spicely, Nate Sturges, Erik Wetmore, Spencer Whittington, Thomas Williams and Trae Williams.
To learn more about them — a group chapter president Faye Wilson Tate describes as “32 really outstanding young men who’ve contributed so positively to their communities” — log on to my Seen First blog: .
More online See additional pictures from the Beautillion
