Meet Dr. Janelle Davison and Dr. Joya Lyons of S.C.O.R.E. in Cobb/Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Janelle Davison and Dr. Joya Lyons.

It all started with a pact. Two sisters, Dr. Janelle Davison, OD and Dr. Joya Lyons, DDS, took an unofficial oath at an early age to pursue medicine when they grew up. “The Plan”, which they referred to said pact, was rooted in speaking positively, writing their goals down on a piece paper, and sticking it on their bedroom wall to make it plain; and their willingness to succeed at all cost.

Having been born to two college-educated parents, education was paramount in their household, so going off to college was a no-brainer for these two. Yet, finding the resources and mentorships that spoke directly to little black boys and girls, was a huge feat. Hailing from a middle class, predominantly white community, outside of Detroit Michigan, both sisters felt the impact of systemic racism and discrimination. However, “The Plan” outranked any smidgen of resistance, whether overt or subtle.

College proved to be a whole new experience for the sisters who are five years apart. They both attended HBCUs (Historically Black College and Universities) and learned in depth about The Black Experience in America, their history and how to wholly embrace their blackness.

Both sisters came together with the same mission in their hearts, wanting to make a positive difference in their communities. They realized the great disparity of women representation in STEM. The lack of minority women represented was even more disturbing. They wanted to create a non-profit to help with the lack of women represented in STEM. The creation of S.C.O.R.C.E, INC, which stands for Successful, Confident, Optimistic, Regal and Engaging, comes from a place of Christian ministry and an inherent calling on their lives for fellowship and mentorship. S.C.O.R.E launched in January 2017 as another layer of “The Plan.”

Since launching in 2017 we have made it our mission to empower, expose and encourage a greater number of young girls each year!

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it has not been a smooth road. With starting any business, there will be struggles. No one likes asking for money, but we realized that from the beginning, being a non-profit, we would have to rely heavily on funding from the community to keep afloat. It has been a struggle to achieve our organization’s goals and have consistent funding to do so. We have to get creative each year to let people know that we need their help and resources to make a difference.

Please tell us about S.C.O.R.E.
We aim to Expose, Encourage and Empower, minority girls in STEM! S.C.O.R.E., Inc is a 501 c3 organization that strives to provide the tools, skills, and guidance required in education, careers, and life for young girls who aspire to enter the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

We seek to improve access to quality STEM education for high school girls from groups that have historically been underserved in the STEM fields; including low to middle-income communities, girls of color, and girls living in urban communities. To accomplish this, S.C.O.R.E. will be hosting a series of events throughout the year as well as provide paid summer internships to girls in Metro-Charlotte and Metro-Atlanta area.

We are most proud of all we have accomplished since launching in 2017:

1. $6,900 in stipend scholarships and growing, since 2017.
3. 10 students graduated from summer internships.
4. Successfully mentor pairings among STEM professional and student.
5. Preparation for success Partnership with JCPenney donated 44 Business Suits to the graduating class of Coretta Scott King Academy, Class of 2018.
6. Partnership with Microsoft Stores

What sets us apart from others is the fact that we literally represent the power of sisterhood and the power of speaking your dreams to existence. We made a pact years ago to become doctors and it happened. Now we are making a pact to make a difference in the STEM community and it will happen.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Well, this is not necessarily a favorite memory but my sister and I shared a room all the way until my sister Janelle went to college. There were plenty of sisterly fights we shared in our room, but I will always remember the handwritten sign we put on our bedroom door. It simply read “The Plan.” We kept it there as a daily reminder of the promise we made to each other. To become doctors one day.

Contact Info:

• Website: wescore.org
• Phone: 404-884-8264
• Email: wescoreorg@gmail.com
• Instagram: @score_inc
• Facebook: facebook.com/wescoreorg

Image Credit:
Cat Harper Photography

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