Christopher Collins, 17, wants to improve the environment.

Collins, who will major in mechanical engineering at North Carolina A&T State University, said he wants to eventually design nonpolluting vehicles.

Nehemiah Key also is interested in pursuing a science-related career. Key, who will major in aerospace engineering at Ohio State University, said he wants to be involved in researching space.

The two recent Homewood-Flossmoor High School graduates are among four Southland residents receiving scholarships from the Chicago Heights Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.

Since 2008, the chapter has awarded more than $200,000 in scholarships, said Jeffrey Thomas, president of the chapter.

“(The chapter) has given out (thousands of dollars) in scholarships to at least four recipients a year,” said Thomas, of Flossmoor. “They receive up to $3,000 per person given in installments based on their meeting academic requirements.”

This year’s other scholarship winners are Thornton-Fractional South High School graduate Korey Harris, who plans to attend Northern Illinois University and major in mechanical engineering; and Jalen Duffin, also a Homewood-Flossmoor graduate, who plans to major in mass communications at North Carolina A&T State.

Aside from grades and extracurricular activities, students receive scholarships based on community service.

For example, Collins said he volunteered at south suburban food pantries and participated in a breast cancer walk. He also was involved in service projects as a member of Top Teens of America.

Collins said he is learning from the fraternity that “it’s important to give back and reach back.”

Kappa Alpha Psi has a long history in helping others. It is the second oldest black college fraternity in the country, according to its national website.

The fraternity has more than 125,000 members and 700 undergraduate and alumni chapters throughout the United States and international chapters in Nigeria, South Africa, the West Indies, the United Kingdom, Germany, Korea and Japan, the website said.

“The Chicago Heights Alumni Chapter was chartered as an alumni chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. in 1965, and since that time, the men of the CHAC have been committed to achievement in the south suburban community,” said Forrest Harris, chairman of the scholarship committee.

The fraternity’s Chicago Heights chapter, which has 47 members, has a mentoring program at Jefferson School in Chicago Heights.

“We have been at Jefferson the last four years,” said Thomas, a 52-year-old entrepreneur who operates urban farming, real estate and luxury travel businesses. “We officially adopted the school last year. During lunch twice a month, we have an hour. Sometimes we bring in different speakers. We have different brothers from our fraternity come in to speak who are in different professional areas. We teach values. We try to give them guidance for the future of things to do, what not to do. We teach decision making, goal setting, time management. We try to instill that at a young age.”

Kameron Floyd, a 17-year-old student at Marion Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, was a participant in the mentoring program when he attended Jefferson. He said the program positively impacted him.

“(The mentoring program) is an inspiring and passionate group of men who really want to see young kids develop and become leaders and role models,” Floyd said. “(The program) has helped move me in the right direction that I need to go.”

During the holidays, the chapter donates turkeys at Jefferson to families in need.

“Last year, we gave away over 70 turkeys and gift baskets,” Thomas said. “We do game nights. We do all sorts of activities. When school is out during the summer, we have a reading program that we use to make sure we keep them engaged.”