Featured photo: Ms. TSESII 2024 Jazmine Webb
Written by Tanya Terry, with photos by Tanya Terry
Twenty-two young ladies from Flint and Genesee County between the ages of 13-19 were recognized on Friday, June 7, for completing eight months of etiquette training. A beautiful ceremony was held at the Mott Community College (MCC) Event Center in which the ladies showed event attendees their poise and grace and were crowned while wearing elegant evening dresses.
Judge Tabitha Marsh spoke to event attendees. The theme was “A Night to Shine.”
Pamela Pugh, DrPH, MS, State Board of Education president was the keynote speaker.
Tanisha Jones, founder and program coordinator of TSESII (The Scholars Etiquette and Self Image Institute), talked to the Courier about the purpose of the program and the work the ladies did to achieve graduate status.
“Every scholar that goes through our program completes a 33-week program,” explained Jones. “During that time, we focus on areas of self-awareness, community, career and education and etiquette. In the area of etiquette, we focus on the art of being a woman, or womanhood. In addition to that, we are exploring and talking to them about social etiquette- social media, how we interact with each other and why. At each session, we have classes. We have guest speakers that come in. What we’re doing is we are developing these young women to understand just how influential and how powerful we are as women.”
At the beginning of the program, there is a master test, which gives Jones and the “Diamond Mentors” an idea of what the ladies already understood about topics like integrity, etiquette, walking in heels, setting the table and how to address a server at a restaurant.
“We work with them on ACT and SAT, and the importance of being part of social clubs at school. All of these things play a part in helping that young lady be more rounded.”
At the end of every session there is a test in order to allow the program coordinator and mentors to see what the ladies have learned.
Although Jones made it clear that TSESII was not a competition, Jazmine Webb received the title Ms. TSESII 2024.
“I believe it’s truly inspiring to be rewarded for something you have worked really hard for, as always with me,” said Webb. “It’s really shocking for me because I kept telling myself inside my brain: ‘You can do it.’ But when I got here I was like, this isn’t me!”
Webb told the Courier she “admires” the TSESII program and feels it’s a great asset to the community.
“It’s really making a positive change for young girls such as myself and the ones yet to come all around our community,” said Webb.” I’m hoping it will make a great impact inside our young scholars minds and change the world by all the creative moments they come up with.”
Webb had a message for other young ladies.
She said: “Keep being you. Always stay positive. Walk around with a smile on your face no matter what you’re going through. Pray. Keep your head up for God. He is truly the one who inspired me to be here and has been with me through my journey throughout my entire life. I adore Him, my mom, my sister, the rest of my family, my friends. The support I’ve had has been amazing.”
LaShonda Jack had two daughters who recently graduated from the program. Her daughters, Timora Toliver and Timple Toliver are 16-year-old twins.
“Them being twins and having each other, it was like they didn’t really have a need to have outside friends,” explained Jack. “So, they just kind of developed this stronger bond between the two of them. But then when it came time for them to start meeting friends, meeting new people, they would always shy away. So, they would always revert back to being close to each other and having a lot of things in common.”
According to Jack, her daughters started breaking out of social anxiety when they went into middle school, which continued when they went into high school. What helped them was joining different groups.
Timple joined the choir at Grand Blanc High School, which helped her with presenting herself to the public, confidence and teamwork with other people outside of her sister.
Timora joined an afterschool art program called KCAD, which also helped her see herself as an individual and to learn to connect with other people.
“As far as TSESII, we went to Bountiful Love Church one Sunday,” said Jack. “I saw the advertisement that they were looking for girls their age and it seemed like a good program for them.”
Jack told the Courier Timora immediately told Timple she thought the program would be great for her, but she felt she didn’t need to learn anything the program would teach.
“I just dropped them both off. At the initial intake, Timora was still very apprehensive. I liked how the Diamond Mentors, as well as Tanisha Jones, immediately came over to them, and were very welcoming and very inviting and just really encouraged them. It was a great reinforcement to me as a mother.”
Jack said her daughters have both learned self defense, skin care and fashion. They have met a lot of professional women who talked about their careers and challenges throughout young adulthood leading up to becoming successful women.
Both daughters, along with the other 20 young ladies, found TESII to be empowering.
