THE glitterati of Washington, DC, were out in strength at the gala evening honouring members of the National Academy of Black School Educators (NABSE) when they wound up their powerful conference dealing with problems facing black males in the United States, Caribbean and Bermuda.

The event in the ballroom of the Capitol Hilton Hotel, just two blocks away from the White House, was attended by Members of Congress, major corporations, prominent educators from across the country and noted entertainers.

There was also a delegation from Bermuda, headed by Dr. Melvin Bassett, who is a member of the NABSE board of directors and principal of Sandys Secondary Middle School and Livingston Tuzo, president of the Bermuda School Principals Association and principal of West End Primary School.

NABSE was formed 30 years ago. The Washington gala was billed as its Second Annual Salute to Supreme Excellence. It was dedicated to the memory of the late former teacher and Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman elected to the US Congress. She died on New Year's Day 2005.

Master of Ceremonies was Dr. Orlando Taylor, Dean of the Graduate School and Professor of Communications at Howard University.

Guest speaker was Congressman Melvin L. Watt, who, among other things, is chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. The awardees included Ambassador Leonard Spearman, Special Assistant to the US Secretary of Education and former Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities; and former Congressman William H. Gray III, who was once Chairman of the Democratic Caucus and later Majority Whip, who has the distinction of being the highest-ranking African American ever to serve in Congress.

A prolonged standing ovation was given to teenager Raynece Leader-Thompson who was the Youth Honouree. She was only 13 when three years ago she created a Math-a-Mania game that makes learning math fun for children and adults.

The game was originally created as a science project for her school. While maintaining a 3.67 GPA at Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, she started her own company that manufactures and markets the game that is shipped to schools nation-wide. She also hires and trains student employees of the company.

Raynece said a visit to Bermuda, along with her mother, who is president of their company, is high on the list for them. The gala was replete with vocal and general music provided by the Northwestern High School Jazz Ensemble; the Suitland High School Chamber Singers; also there was a Colour Guard and renditions by internationally acclaimed baritone Wil Parker.