Conceived in 1922 by Leon W. Stewart, and suggested at the twelfth Grand Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, Guide Right became the fraternity’s national service program. Leon Steward is the founder of the National Guide Right movement of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. and Past Western Province Polemarch. Soon after the St. Louis Alumni Chapter’s beginning in 1921, Leon W. Steward and J. Jerome Peters were assigned to research possible programs that would assist in developing the youth of the Black community and to devise a “meaningful and practical approach” to the problem of Black youth underachievement.

Ultimately, Brother Steward, proposed a program of guidance to be designated as Guide Right, with the purpose of assisting high school seniors to choose and pursue useful careers. The focus of Guide Right, from its inception, was to provide scholarships to needy and talented students, and to inform young people of the professions and other career options. The founding objectives of Guide Right may be summarized as follows:

• To help youth in selection of courses leading to vocations compatible with their aptitudes and personalities.
• To assist students while they are in training, to get started in employment, and to progress successfully in their chosen fields.
• To assist parents in the handling of their children by giving them opportunities to talk over their problems with those who know and are successful in their chosen vocations.
• To afford the less fortunate youths a respite from the drudgery of the streets, through sponsored entertainment and cultural enrichment.
• To inform youth of the values of higher education, of assistance available for continued educational pursuits.

Guide Right encompasses many of our youth oriented programs such as mentoring, college preparatory programs, and tutoring. However, the Flagship Initiative of the Guide Right Service Program is the Kappa Leadership Development League (Kappa League).