Riverhead-area Butterfly Effect Project seniors prepare for college next steps

The Butterfly Effect Project’s seniors are flying off to the next life chapter. 

With their college choices locked in, the four graduating members — affectionately known within the organization as butterflies and dragonflies — will reveal where they are heading at the organization’s annual Wo/Men Empower Wo/Men event on Saturday, May 9. 

Tijuana Fulford founded The Butterfly Effect Project in 2014. In its infancy, the group held meetings in the basement of Riverhead Free Library with just eight girls from the Riverhead and Flanders area. Today, the organization has grown to more than 20 chapters serving over 600 girls and boys throughout Suffolk County.

Although mum’s the word on where these seniors are off to next, the Riverhead News-Review caught up with the soon-to-be graduates to talk about their proudest moments at BEP, and how the nonprofit has prepared them for this transition to college life. 

Gianna Miller 

A career in medicine is calling Gianna Miller’s name, but for a while she wasn’t sure which direction to go in this field.

Last summer, the Riverhead High School senior attended the National Student Leadership Conference pre-college medicine and healthcare program at Duke University.

After this experience and several other medical internships, she solidified her decision to pursue nursing, and may potentially explore a role in labor and delivery. Although she can’t reveal where until Saturday’s event, she hinted her school is somewhere in Connecticut. 

When she first joined the Butterfly Effect Project eight years ago, Ms. Miller recalled struggling with low self-esteem. She said she always felt she had a voice inside, but could “not get it out.”

Over time, she inched out of her shell by participating in the many chapter meetings, programs, community initiatives and other empowerment events BEP offers. She eventually rose through the ranks and became a “Head JV,” or head junior volunteer, a significant leadership role within BEP.

Being part of the Butterfly Action Group, which is the organization’s social justice chapter, allowed Ms. Miller to better understand her own Black history, learn the value of dialogue and the importance of being open-minded to different perspectives.

“I think that was super eye-opening for me, especially because I want to go into healthcare and help minorities,” she said. “I feel there’s definitely a huge gap in the healthcare field for minorities, they’re often not listened to or misrepresented.”

Today, she feels she has blossomed into a person who knows how to advocate for herself. 

“I can walk into a room with my head held high, and be like: This is who I am, this is what I come with, accept it or not,” Ms. Miller said. “I could walk into college knowing if I walk in by myself, I have me. That’s what this program has really built within me, is that understanding of I got me.” 

Prinse Ruffin

After graduation, dragonfly Prinse Ruffin is eyeing a career in school psychology, specifically in elementary education.

His interest in joining the Butterfly Effect Project began two years ago, when he couldn’t help but be intrigued by all the BEP T-shirts worn by his fellow classmates. Today, he said, BEP touches nearly every corner of his life and has transformed him into a more confident individual.

Over the last couple of years, he has fueled in his passion for education by participating in the Future Teachers of Tomorrow — a school-based, after-school program for butterflies and dragonflies to explore careers within their own school districts.

He launched his own chapter called Heritage Hive, which started out as a “weird obsession” with genealogy and family trees. What started with researching Miss Tia’s family tree snowballed into him helping others form a deeper connection with their ancestry.

Like other butterflies and dragonflies, public speaking was not a strong suit for Mr. Ruffin when he first got involved with BEP. Today, he proudly says he has been able to stand on a stage, read a monologue, be a keynote speaker and lead other public engagements with ease thanks to the support of the Butterfly Effect Project.

“The fact I was able to do that, it gives me hope for my future,” the dragonfly said.

His advice for future butterflies and dragonflies who walk through the BEP doors is to not be afraid to try new things and forge your own path.

“Take advantage of every resource that’s offered to you, and most importantly, don’t let anybody take control of your narrative — only you can,” Mr. Ruffin said. “Only you can dictate what happens to you in your life.”

Lettecia Williams 

From the first meeting Lettecia Williams ever attended, the Butterfly Effect Project members immediately felt like family.

The inclusive environment made the Longwood High School student feel right at home. Since then, her fellow butterflies and dragonflies have formed a strong sibling bond.

Ms. Williams plans to attend a historically black college or university, where she intends to study nursing and minor in Spanish. She hopes to first work in labor and delivery before eventually returning to school to become an OB/GYN.

Thanks to BEP’s job readiness programs, she feels prepared for this next chapter. The College Access Program also helped her tour schools all over. She spoke about how many BEP students committed to schools on the spot during these college tours.

“I probably would have never been able to tour a college outside of the state of New York; if it wasn’t for this program, I probably would have never left Long Island,” Ms. Williams said. “It definitely helped to open that glass ceiling. We’re not stuck, and we just keep going … we broke the top and now we’re on the next floor.”

Reflecting on her personal growth, Ms. Williams said she learned to open up more. She does not shy away from asking for help when she needs it.  Coming from a predominantly white school, she said she became more accepting of her Black culture by being part of the Butterfly Effect Project.

As co-captain of the Elite Squad drill team, she knows BEP will remain a place she’ll always come back to.

She encouraged those outside the Butterfly Effect Project to look into the group’s mission and to not “judge a book by its cover.”

“Instead of letting the hatred of others cloud your judgment, look into these programs where you see Black and brown faces, and see what they do,” Ms. Williams said. “We don’t only have Black and brown faces in our program. There is a person from every walk of life … whether it be an ambassador, down to the kids, everyone’s here.”

Genesis Fulford

To encompass her final year with the Butterfly Effect Project into a single word is just not possible for Genesis Fulford. Overall, she feels it has been transformative, memorable, emotional and rewarding. 

Above all, she said, it is bittersweet to know a major chapter of her life is coming to an end. 

“Looking back from when I first started with BEP to now, I think I’ve evolved a lot,” Ms. Fulford wrote. “I came in more unsure of myself, and now I’m leaving more confident, independent, and willing to take initiative. I’ve learned how to trust myself more and handle challenges with a different mindset.” 

The William Floyd High School student is currently enrolled in a two-year medical assisting career and technical education program. She plans to take the NOCTI exam after she graduates to be a certified medical assistant. Alongside Ms. Miller, she also attended Duke University’s pre-college program last year.

She previously told the Riverhead News-Review she is interested in eventually becoming a pediatric oncology physician assistant. As for what’s next, she said she wants to continue on this path of growth. This includes exploring new opportunities, meeting new people and challenging herself more. She knows all she has learned at BEP will aid her on this journey. 

“I’m most proud of being part of a community that pushes people to grow and lead,” she continued. “Whether it was collaborating with others, helping out where I could, or just building connections, being involved with BEP made me feel like I was part of something meaningful.”