My Journey to A∆K

My Journey to Alpha Delta Kappa

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By Elaine Williams, KY Kappa

My journey to Alpha Delta Kappa began when I was a GED student preparing for my exit exam. One night as I left, my instructor asked me if I had ever thought of going to college? Well, I almost laughed because I had not finished the ninth grade. Yes, I had constantly read novels from the public library during the seven years that I had been out of school, but I did not think that my increased vocabulary would get me into college. She insisted that she saw potential in me that I did not seem to see in myself. Mrs. Omer began to mentor me from that night on.

I was a ninth grade drop-out who married early and had three children when I was the twenty-one-year-old Mrs. Omer met. My parents were deceased by the time I was thirteen, and my grandparents tried to raise my four sisters and me.

Mrs. Omer encouraged me to take the ACT college entrance test to see what kind of scores I could make and if I would be college material. After taking the test and waiting anxiously for its return, the results arrived. Mrs. Omer sat down with me and we went over the results together. They showed that I could make average grades in college.

She asked if I had ever wanted to become a teacher myself. My answer was surprising even to me. I told her how I had this huge blackboard that I used to “play school” with my children. I taught them their alphabet and beginning Dolch words. I had never imagined that I would ever be a real teacher.

Because of Mrs. Omer’s attention, things were now changing for me rather rapidly. I now had an appointment with the registrar of a local college, and I was eager to learn more about the college experience even though I was twenty-three years old, married, and the mother of three.

When I met with the registrar and we looked over my paperwork, she said something that stuck with me for almost fifty years. She looked me in the eye and proceeded with this comment, “What makes you think that you can come to college with only an eighth grade education?” Well, after that statement, I felt about two inches tall!

But, I replied, “My GED teacher has confidence in me, and I think that I can do this too, according to the scores on the GED.”

I could not wait to exit that person’s room. I decided right then that I would be cautious in what I said to my students.

She decided to let me try three classes. I made an A in all but the math class, and in that, I made a high C. I thought that I was flying! It was a tough six years, but I had Mrs. Omer always by my side. She would call frequently and make sure things were going well. This reassurance helped sustain me through those difficult times.

I continued to make A’s and occasionally B’s. One time, I did get a poor grade in Physical Science. I could not understand things that were not concrete. Luckily, I did not have to repeat this class.

Raising three girls and a husband was a tremendous task. During the 1970s, women were still supposed to stay at home, raise their children, and have dinner on the table when their husbands walked in the door. This attitude was how my husband was raised. It took quite a few years of my education making its way over to him before he changed. The next thing that I knew he was asking questions, questions, questions, about everything that I was learning. He was learning it too. Times were changing.

I graduated in 1977 and started teaching special needs students in a middle school. I stayed in that position for about fourteen years, and then I changed to Language Arts for seventh and eighth grade students until I retired thirteen years later.

About 1981, Mrs. Omer invited me to join this sorority that she belonged to called Alpha Delta Kappa. It was a secret until you joined. There was a secret handshake; you were voted on before you were admitted, and there was this song that you had to learn, plus there was information about the Founders. Mrs. Omer then told me about the altruistic projects Kappa Chapter had, the informative programs, and all of the fun they had when they met! I was hooked.

Now, thirty-five plus years later, through many held offices and committee positions, I am so proud that I met this fantastic woman educator who changed my life and that of my children and grandchildren as well. Without meeting Mrs. Omer, my family would not have placed such an emphasis on education. I now have a granddaughter who not only got to meet Mrs. Omer but got to become a sister with her in this wonderful organization.

Another young teacher I spoke with while preparing “Sisterhood Connections and You”, my International Convention symposium presentation, shared the many trials that she faced during the pandemic. She is a chapter president and she was struggling with meeting all the demands of her office. She helped me understand that I needed to find other ways to help our members meet their goals. Taking a look at the whole person and their needs is one way to help.

I love A∆K as much as my mentor, who now has joined the Omega chapter and looks down upon me, hopefully smiling at what I have become.

Elaine, a sapphire sister, is a member of KY Kappa. She has served as KY State Corresponding Secretary, KY Sisterhood Connection Team Chairman, member of the International ARGO (Agnes Shipman Robertson Outreach) Scholarship committee and serves as a mentor for the 2021 International Leadership Academy.

2021-2023

Alpha Delta Kappa