Sister Tales

Sharing the Gift of Sisters

By Kimberly Dailey, IL Iota

In 1969, my mom brought home my baby sister, Laura. She was my only sibling for 45 years. Then, in 2014 all that changed.

I’ve been a member of IL Iota since 1991. I was invited to join by my mom, Joyce Ann, who had joined at the invitation of her college friend, Mary. In an instant, I was surrounded by many sisters in education who were determined to make a difference. Over the years, we raised money, gave scholarships, supported local charities and assisted with needs that would arise in our community and beyond.

Then, in 2014, our chapter was approached with an opportunity to host an A∆K International Teacher Education (ITE) scholar, a Fulbright award winner who was registered to attend SIU-Carbondale. It was a two year commitment to provide connection for this student while she completed her master’s degree. My mom stepped up and encouraged our chapter to take this opportunity, but it would evolve into something much more than just another project.

Ha (pronounced like the “ha” in “happy”) arrived in St. Louis from Vietnam in July, 2014. My parents, who offered to take the lead on hosting, picked her up from the airport. Later that day, I drove over to their home to meet our new guest. Ha was very excited about this new learning opportunity and we seized the chance to learn from her. Did you know that owning

an oven in her culture is a rarity? Usually, only the town baker has an oven. Ha was thrilled that my mom actually had an oven in her kitchen and she couldn’t wait to learn to bake bread, pies and other treats. SIU was only a two hour drive from our hometown so we were able to pick up Ha to join us for holidays and celebrations. She came home as often as she could and soon became more than a guest; she was part of our family. Those two years flew by and about the time we braced ourselves for goodbyes, she was offered the opportunity to work on her PhD in North Carolina. This would extend her stay for five more years and, though it was more than a two hour car drive away, she was able to fly “home” Kimberly Dailey, IL Iota Joyce, Ha, Kim and for the holidays and breaks. In the seven Laura share the joy of sisterhood years that we’ve known Ha, Laura and I count her as our sister and my parents have gained another daughter. Her Iota chapter aunts look forward to hearing updates and enjoying a visit now and again. When other exchange students ask how she was able to connect with our family, she proudly tells them all about Alpha Delta Kappa. Ha recently graduated with her PhD and a heart for education. I expect wherever she takes her expertise, she will succeed. I’m not worried about saying goodbye anymore. She is my sister and no matter where she ends up, she will always be home in time to help bake pies for the holidays.

A∆K Purpose

To honor outstanding women educators. To strengthen the education profession through commitment to diversity and inclusion practices that respect and value each person for their unique qualities. To nurture relationships and networking opportunities. To enrich personal and professional development. To support altruistic projects, grants and scholarships with time and resources. To embrace cultural differences and make an impact through world understanding.

Sister Tales

Gifts of Fun and Friendship

by Rachel Huft-Johnson, President FL Epsilon Delta

The gifts of fun and friendship are two of my and my FL Epsilon Delta sisters’ favorite gifts. We were able to share them recently when we hosted the District 1 Spring meeting in Panama City Beach, FL. We used my president’s biennium theme “Strong Women Impact Many - SWIM” as the theme of the meeting. The fellowship hall of Cornerstone Baptist Church was decorated with colorful nets, beach sayings on bottles and shells and rocks. Some of the bottle sayings were Beach Life is Best, Mermaids Welcome, and When All Else Fails, Be a Mermaid. Our napkins had a saying on them too. They read, “Friends are like seashells; no two are exactly alike, but each is a precious treasure!”

Everyone was asked to wear their favorite beach attire. My chapter members wore flowered button-down shirts with sunglasses on our heads.

My favorite part of the meeting was rekindling friendships and making new ones as we mingled and took pictures with one another. Pictures were taken at an area set up as a photobooth complete with beach themed props. Many chapters joined in the fun. The memories made with my chapter sisters and other chapters bring me joy. What treasured memories we made while sharing our gifts of fun and friendship with our sisters.

Back row of Epsilon Delta picture from Left to Right: Sheila Scofield-Roland, AJ Bezenyei, Adrian Baxley, Linda Landen, Linda Prater, Billie Borgquist, Rebecca Brown; Middle Row: Rachel Huft-Johnson; Front Row: Carolyn Dehner, Linda Mills, Ruth Martin, Leslie Lee, Carolyn Morgan, Patty Turbeville By Karen Kirby, CA Gamma Mu

The definition of a docent is a person who leads guided tours through a museum or art gallery, usually as a volunteer. My journey as a docent began soon after I retired. I became a docent at Mission San Juan Capistrano, the seventh of the twenty-one missions established in California in the 1700’s in what would become Orange County, California.

In 1988, I developed an Orange County study unit for third graders which I shared with other teachers through the Orange County Department of Education. The opportunity to interpret our county’s history at such a beautiful landmark was a natural choice for this retired educator.

For ten years, once or twice a week, I led tours through the mission’s grounds, telling its stories along the way. A storyteller by nature, I reveled in my docent role. I told the story of Father Serra, the Franciscan priest charged by King Carlos of Spain with the task of establishing the missions. I described the life of the local indigenous, pre-Spanish Acagchemem. I told of the terrible earthquake in 1806 that destroyed the Great Stone Church and took the lives of forty people. Every building, artifact and former resident had a story to tell and it was my duty and honor to do so.

The best reward was the opportunity to work with children again. Being a docent gave me my “kid fix” for an hour at a time, and then I returned the children to their teacher. It is said, “Once a teacher, always a teacher.” As a docent, I was able to combine my love for teaching, my joy in working with children and my knowledge of local history.

Karen Kirby is a California Past President. She has shared her work as a docent in learning sessions at conferences and conventions. She taught for 33 years in GATE Magnet Schools in California. She is a Violet Sister.

On Mission San Juan Capistrano grounds: Karen Kirby, left, with fellow docent Tammy Chandler, wearing their traditional docent colors of red, black and white along with their iconic Spanish hats.

By Jamie Hawkins, NV Eta, NV State President 2022-24

The only reason I joined Alpha Delta Kappa in 2015 was to have an excuse to spend more time with my mother, or Mom Hawkins as we lovingly call her, who joined in 1999. I had grown up sitting in school libraries while my mom had her meetings and the women of NV Alpha chapter became a family to me. When I went to college, I knew I wanted to be a teacher just like my Jamie Hawkins (left, NV Eta) and mom. Well, not just like her. Becky Hawkins (right, NV Alpha) at a 2019 state conference Mom Hawkins was an elementary teacher and I cannot fathom working with the littles. I moved 500 miles away from Las Vegas to Reno for college and stayed.

I got a job as a middle school English teacher at my dream school straight out of college. Because I was so far from my family, but thankfully in the same state, joining Alpha Delta Kappa felt like a great idea. I would be able to see Mom Hawkins multiple times throughout the year at sorority events. I joined Eta chapter in Reno.

I went to chapter meetings, celebrated Founders’ Day alongside my mom and participated in a few other events in order to see her, but I felt no great affinity toward the organization that was bringing us closer together. That changed in the summer of 2017 when I went to New Orleans to my first International Convention. I had grown up knowing how wonderful the women of NV Alpha were and I immediately loved my NV Eta sisters. Finally seeing so many amazing women from all across globe immediately turned me on my head. At that convention, I met so many kind, creative and caring women educators. I was no longer a member of Alpha Delta Kappa just for Mom Hawkins. I had come to realize the part I played in a greater whole. At that convention then International President Ruth Ann Griggs told me, “Once you’ve gone to an International or Regional, you get it.” Boy, did I get it.

After returning home, I jumped into our organization with both feet. I took on the chapter president-elect role, volunteered to be a state officer, received the Nevada Excellence in Education award and, in April, became my state’s president. The kicker is, though there are a few mother-daughter dynamic duos in our wonderful organization, Mom Hawkins and I are the first pair to serve as back-to-back state presidents. She has just finished her biennium and handed me the reins. I am certainly the luckiest new state president as I am following such an amazing woman. I could not ask for a better mentor. We’ve had such clear communications during the transition.

It is so wonderful to be able to spend time with my mom in a world-changing venue, and I will forever be indebted to Alpha Delta Kappa for bringing my mom closer to me.

By Teresa Heitmiller Olea, CA Beta Eta President-elect 2020-2022

Recently, I read the new book “Emotional Agility” by Dr. Susan David, PhD. She explores core values and how they guide us in life. Those reflections brought to mind why I joined Alpha Delta Kappa’s CA Beta Eta chapter in 2015. A lifetime value for me has been connection with, and service to, my community. My A∆K involvement complements those values while with sisters who understand my lifetime passion for education.

During the COVID shutdown, feeling connected to our Beta Eta sisters and serving our community was possible, but not as easy, so our California chapter had to “think outside the box” to make it happen.

One way we promoted connection was with periodic emails encouraging our sisters to call and text each other as well as to send cards. As a result of one of those calls, President Kathleen Waffle discovered a sister was anxious about changing grade levels, so Kathleen invited her over and via “social distancing” shared a cup of tea and helpful tips for the new assignment. Others met in small groups for lunch when outdoor dining opened. Another fun activity was “Sizzling Summer Secret Sisters” where we sent boxes of treats and cards to a special sister whose name we (virtually) picked out of a hat and, using all our will-power, kept our identities secret until we revealed ourselves at the end of the summer.

Our chapter’s retired sisters, aka our “SWAT Team ‘’ (Sisters Willing, Able To…help) were particularly concerned about our working sisters and their intense feelings of frustration, overwhelmed and isolated as they navigated the new world of teaching online full-time. When they returned to their schools, the changing COVID restrictions/guidelines were difficult. We tackled this particular concern by creating Boxes of Love, Boxes of Encouragement and Valentine Love Boxes. In December, a small group got together in my garage, which provided a safe environment and put together Holiday Boxes filled with individually wrapped gifts and personal notes of empathy and encouragement. Each of our members had already filled out “My Interests and Likes” pages so we knew what items they might appreciate receiving. These were fun, small-group activities, and our working sisters felt valued and appreciated by their retired sisters.

CA Beta Eta sisters continue to look for enriching and creative ways to remind each other that we are a SISTERhood of women educators committed to supporting and serving each other and our community. As proud Alpha Delta Kappa members, we value each other and the strength our sisterhood provides to each of us.