Omega Lamplighters bring home first Global Step Championship
Photo submitted
Special to the Outlook
Omega Lamplighters, Inc. a young men’s mentoring program founded in Tallahassee, is the 2023 StompWars World Champions. The win marks the first time that a team from Tallahassee won in any category since the event’s inception 16 years ago.
In addition to bringing home the large trophy, the team was awarded $6,750 in cash prizes and an academic scholarship to one of the team’s graduating seniors Josef Marlow.
The Omega Lamplighters, Mighty Light Team as it’s known, have competed in step competitions since 2013 and won the program’s first national championship earlier this year.
The Light Team was selected from over 100 submissions to compete and chosen as one of the 20 teams from across the country to compete.
Founded in 2008, the program focuses on leadership, academics, maturity, and perseverance.
Twenty youth members from the Light Team in addition to 10 staff members and parents made the trip to Dallas, Texas. The program regularly takes trips to expose participants to historical sites, colleges and universities and cultural experiences.
During this trip stops included a tour of Paul Quinn College, the Dallas African American Museum, John F. Kennedy Memorial, George Dealey Monument, and dinner at Auntie Irene’s Kitchen, a Black-owned Restaurant. Additionally, the young men had an opportunity to fellowship with the Theta Alpha Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. and it’s Omega Sparks to which Omega Lamplighters, Inc. Founder Royle King II was a youth participant. This was also the first time 10 of the youth had ever been on an airplane.
StompWars features the best youth middle and high school step teams from around the country competing in categories to be crowned world champions. The Light Team also had an opportunity to perform with music star Big Boss Vette.
The light Team also went to Charlotte, North Carolina, and brought home another national championship in the XFactor National Step Championships. They won first place in the high school male division and the Grand Champion, bringing home the trophy and award for the highest scoring team amongst all of the categories of over 30 teams.
Since 2008, the program has directly impacted more than 1,000 young people. The program will have 14 high school seniors graduate and go on to college, trade school, military or headed into a career workforce training program.
