PRINCE FREDERICK — Calvert County Board of County Commissioners President Earl “Buddy” Hance joined the Calvert County Branch of the NAACP in presenting citations to institutions and individuals for their contributions to education, civil rights, and community advancement during a recent event.
The recognitions highlighted historic W.S. Brooks High School, Sinetra Bowdry as Calvert County Citizen of the Year, Rhonda Thomas for youth leadership in STEM fields, Joyce Freeland for decades of civil rights advocacy, and Bowie State University on its 160th anniversary.
W.S. Brooks High School received acknowledgment for its role as the county’s only public high school for African American students during segregation. Built in 1938 on Dares Beach Road northeast of Prince Frederick and dedicated in 1939, the school was named for Rev. William Sampson Brooks, a Calvert native born in 1865 who became the 44th Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and an education advocate. It operated until desegregation in 1966, when its students merged into other county schools. The building now serves administrative purposes for Calvert County Public Schools, and alumni maintain an active association preserving its heritage.
Rhonda Thomas earned recognition for founding LEAP Forward Inc. in 2001, a nonprofit providing mentoring, cultural enrichment, and scholarships focused on science, technology, engineering, and math careers for underrepresented youth. The organization has awarded more than 500 scholarships and supports the Calvert County chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers Jr., which received national Chapter of the Year honors in 2017 and 2018. Thomas co-founded the local NSBE Jr. program, drawing from her own engineering background and inspiration from late Calvert High School guidance counselor Wallace Lorenzo Leeper.
Joyce Freeland was honored for her leadership as president of the Calvert County NAACP Branch from 1988 to 2015, advancing voting rights, equal opportunity, and social justice. Her career also included service in the U.S. House of Representatives staff. Freeland’s involvement stemmed from experiences growing up in segregated Calvert County, where facilities including hospitals and schools remained divided until the 1960s.
Sinetra Bowdry received the Calvert County Citizen of the Year designation from the Board of County Commissioners and the Xi Nu Nu Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. As founder and CEO of Sint Communications Inc., Bowdry combines more than 25 years as a speech-language pathologist with over a decade in public relations to promote communication, advocacy, and community initiatives.
Bowie State University marked its 160th anniversary in 2025, founded in 1865 as the Baltimore Normal School for Colored Teachers. It stands as Maryland’s oldest historically Black college or university and one of the 10 oldest nationally. The institution has grown to offer over 65 programs, emphasizing academic excellence, research, and social responsibility, with recent milestones including a Carnegie Research classification upgrade.
The citations reflect ongoing efforts in Calvert County to recognize progress in education and equity. The county’s public schools integrated fully in the 1966-1967 school year following the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision and local implementation. Community organizations like the NAACP Calvert Branch continue advocacy through events such as the annual Freedom Fund Luncheon, which in recent years has celebrated similar themes of preserving educational history.
Hance’s participation underscores county government support for these acknowledgments.
These honors align with broader Maryland initiatives honoring African American contributions, including Bowie State’s statewide events throughout 2025 featuring galas, commemorative signs, and commencements.
The presentations encourage continued commitment to mentorship and inclusion across Calvert communities from Lusby to Chesapeake Beach.