Debutante

Welcome

The Shiloh Debutante Program (hereafter known as “SDP”) is an outreach ministry of the historic Shiloh Baptist Church of Washington, DC. Faith-based in its operation and administration, the SDP is an enrichment program for teen girls wishing to prepare for college and careers and enter contemporary society. At the core of our program are rites of passage workshops designed to provide opportunities for girls to discuss, learn and practice essential life skills with grace and poise. Workshop facilitators create experiences and activities that help girls develop or refine character, self-esteem and interpersonal skills.

Workshops are capped with biblical lessons and take-home messages on morality, integrity, obedience, prayer, grace, mercy and forgiveness, virtues we feel will empower our girls to cope with the challenges of today’s society. An additional program benefit is the opportunity for our participants to earn scholarships through family-directed fundraising activities. This nine-month program of antiquity culminates in a grand ball, where debutantes showcase skills learned and are celebrated for their academic accomplishments.

We have selected for our theme an adage that we feel captures the essence of our program: It’s not where you start, but where you finish. We have embraced butterfly as our mascot. Its life cycle symbolizes the steady and wonderfully transforming experience girls receive as participants in this rites of passage program.

Our Purpose

VISION

The SDP committee envisions a world of equality and opportunity for all girls. We strive to help develop teen girls who will hold themselves in high regard by building character and self-esteem, improving academic performance, increasing commitment to community service and developing interpersonal relationships.

MISSION

Using real-world experience and accomplished adult mentors, the mission of the SDP is to inspire teen girls to graduate from high school, pursue higher education and become productive, caring and educated adults. In addition, the program will promote abstinence from sex, drugs, smoking and violence through the teachings of God’s Word.

GOALS

The SDP will strive to
  • Help teen girls identify career interests and develop personal skills
  • Encourage teen girls to volunteer and make their communities better places to live
  • Promote life-long success through increased personal responsibility, academic excellence, healthy lifestyles, spiritual and moral fortitude and leadership
The ultimate goal of this faith-based program is to elevate and motivate our debutantes to live God’s purpose and plan for their lives, to walk by the Word and to enjoy the journey!

OBJECTIVES

The SDP will aim to have 100% of debutantes:
  • Graduate from high school
  • Pursue post-secondary education
  • Avoid unplanned pregnancy through abstinence
  • Develop healthy lifestyle behaviors

NON-DISCRIMINATION CLAUSE

The SDP does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, disability or religious affiliation in the administration of it program and events.

SHILOH DEBUTANTES

There are three classes of SDP debutantes:
  • Senior debutante: A senior in high school or a college freshman, no more than 18-years-old at the time of enrollment. College freshmen must be attending a local college or university.
  • Junior debutante: A sophomore or a junior in high school
  • Pre-debutante: A freshman in high school who will turn 14 during the program-year

Workshops

RITES OF PASSAGE WORKSHOPS

The rites of passage workshops begin with a 45-min Bible study taught by ministers or laypersons from the historic Shiloh Baptist Church of Washington, DC. Bible lessons are followed by lessons in American Sign Language (ASL). ASL has been an integral part of the Shiloh community for over 100 years. Participants learn to sign “The Doxology”, a short hymn of praises to God. It is the committee’s aim to raise awareness, to help debutantes develop an appreciation for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community and to potentially inspire interests in learning the art of sign language.
Community service is also a major component of the SDP. Through community service, we aim to promote and cultivate our participants’ awareness of and inspire an appreciation for giving of one’s self in service to others.
Following lessons in ASL, rites of passage workshops are facilitated by persons with expertise in the following areas:
  • College and Careers Preparedness
  • Basic Rules of Etiquette (The Value of Manners, Ethics and Integrity)
  • Netiquette (Social Networking Etiquette and Security)
  • Basic Financial Literacy
  • Teen Yoga and Mindfulness
  • Civic Engagement and Responsibility
  • Environmental Stewardship

Scholarships

FUNDRAISING AND SCHOLARSHIPS

The SDP committee expects its debutantes to pursue a post-secondary education. To help meet this expectation, the program includes a fundraising component that requires all debutantes to raise funds to earn a debutante scholarship. The committee expects debutantes to participate in fundraising activities according to the program’s policy. 

The fundraising season convenes in August and culminates in April of the following year. Realistic and attainable fundraising targets have been set for our participants; however, the SDP committee encourages families to raise funds beyond the minimum targets so debutantes may receive a sizeable scholarship. 

  • Senior debs must commit to raising a minimum of $2,000; 
  • Junior debs, a minimum of $1,500; and 
  • Pre-debs, a minimum of $1,000. 

The size of a debutante’s scholarship depends on her family’s fundraising efforts.

Debutante Ball

After nine weeks of studying God’s Word, attending rites of passage workshops, participating in community service projects and creative fundraising activities, the SDP season culminates in an elegant ball. Although the purpose of the debutante ball has changed over the years, this faith-based program upholds the traditions, grace and splendor of the debutante ball of yesterday. Elegant gowns, gloves, receiving lines, escorts and the famous curtsy remain beloved customs of the cotillion. 

Debutantes are presented to society and their workshops and fundraising successes are celebrated. Clad in elegant princess gowns, the debutantes will ballroom dance with their fathers and teen escorts. The evening concludes in the crowing of the queen.

Calendar of Events

2024-2025 WORKSHOPS AND ACTIVITIES CALENDAR

SDP Application

Minimum Requirements

At the start of the program (September), a prospective senior debutante must be a senior in high school or a college freshman (attending a local university), no more than 18 years of age; a junior debutante must be a high school junior or a sophomore; and a pre-debutante must be a freshman in high school, and at least age 14 by October.

All applicants must:
  • Provide a completed application
  • Record of required GPA of 2.5
  • Provide two letters of recommendation
  • The $75 application fee with application

Applications for the 2025-2026 program will be available March 1, 2025.

Send requests for application to: shilohdebutantes@shilohbaptist.org.
Executive Committee
  • Sharon Parker, PhD, Director
  • Elizabeth J. Carroll, M.A., Assistant Director
  • Eppie O. Hankins, MBA, Director of Finance

SHILOH BAPTIST CHURCH
1500 Ninth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001-3318

Rev. Wallace Charles Smith, DMin, Senior Minister
www.shilohbaptist.org, 202-232-4288