SEPTEMBER 2022 KAPPAN ALPHA DELTA KAPPA 75 Years of Sisterhood Sharing the ABC's of Teaching
Alpha Delta KAPPAN VOLUME 51 NUMBER 3 SEPTEMBER 2022 Alpha Delta Kappa empowers women educators to advance inclusion, educational excellence, altruism and world understanding. Submitting Items for the next KAPPAN The deadline for submissions to the KAP PAN is two months before the issue publication date. The deadline for the December 2022 issue is October 1. Authors should include their name, state/province/nation and chapter, highest A∆K office held and when. The theme for December is Share the Spirit. We are looking for stories about the spirit of Alpha Delta Kappa and how you live it and keep that spirit alive in your life and in your chapter. To submit articles/photos, go to the A∆K web site>About>Publications>Submit to the KAP PAN. Follow submission guidelines on the sub mission form 4 17 20 The KAPPAN magazine is published quarterly by Alpha Delta Kappa, International Honorary Organization for Women Educators. Find the KAPPAN Publishing Guidelines online at www.alphadeltakappa.org. Alpha Delta Kappa International Headquarters: 1615 W. 92nd St., Kansas City, MO 64114-3210 (816) 363-5525, (800) 247-2311, Fax (816) 363-4010 email: headquarters@alphadeltakappa.org Internet: www.alphadeltakappa.org The opinions expressed herein are those of the indi vidual authors and are not necessarily in conformity with those of Alpha Delta Kappa or the editor. Correction: The KAPPAN apologizes for an omission in the June issue. Two additional chapters celebrated their 60th anniversaries. They are CT Gamma and CT Beta. Both chapters were initiated on May 13, 1962. Happy Anniversary, sisters. Features & Departments 1 International President’s Message 2 President's Regional Conference Speech 3 Membership: Where there is Family, there is Love 4 Headquarter Happenings 4 Bytes and Pieces 5 Honor A Sister 6 Programs for Teachers Mentoring Teachers 7 2023 Educational Symposium Call for Presenters 8 Classroom Grants Used in Innovative Ways 8 2022 Scholarships and Grants Recipients 8 You Can Become a Scholarship or Grant Recipient 10 Oh, the Places You’ve Gone and the Things You’ve Seen 12 Sisters Share What Attracted Them to the Classroom 14 Trying a Different Perspective 15 One Teacher’s Look at Bullying 16 Amazing Members 17 Sister Tales 18 Collegiate Clubs 20 The KAPPAN Congratulates 22 #A∆K 26 The Longest Day 29 Altruistic Projects 31 Omega Chapter 32 Homeroom Humor 32 How I Spent My Summer Vacation A∆K Style 33 A∆K Calendar KAPPAN EDITOR Joanne Grimm, CA Alpha Alpha KAPPAN STAFF Susan Pelchat, CT Mu Shannon Lorenzo-Rivero, TN Chi Betty Sherrod, VA Gamma Omicron Susan Whelan, NJ Kappa Erin Worthington, TN Chi Sara Armstrong, CA Alpha Alpha Julie Rehm, Digital Publications Specialist, Int'l HQ KAPPAN EDITORIAL BOARD Mollie Acosta, International President Ann Marie Brown, International President-Elect Judy Ganzert, Immediate Past International President Bev Card, International Executive Board Chairman Christi Smith, Executive Director
During the pandemic educators have not only had to be creative and resourceful, they have had to learn new ways of teaching and have had to help their students learn new ways of connecting and learning. We have all had to learn new ways of connecting with each other. How many of us had little or no idea what Zooming was two and half years ago? We did learn though because we truly are lifelong learners. Members have not only maintained connections, they have made new ones, including our collegiate club members. The Indiana State University A∆K Collegiate Club found that they could build their membership via Zoom. With all charter members graduating, they knew they had to recruit new members and they were successful. One of their meetings was a virtual conference which centered around teaching and learning with technology. The club has now gotten several new energetic members who attended the last two events of the semester, submitted their applications and are ready for initiation in the fall of 2022. Alpha Delta Kappa also saw two new chapters chartered during the pandemic. TX Zeta Theta was chartered April 25, 2021 and CO Alpha Tau was chartered October 16, 2021. In addition, we now have a fifth collegiate club. The Arizona State University A∆K Collegiate Club at the Mary Lou Fulton Teach ers College was chartered on May 11, 2022. There are two more collegiate clubs in the works which we expect will be chartered soon, one in New Jersey and one in Florida. I am so proud of educators who have persevered and continued to find ways to show they care for their students and I am proud of our leaders across the organization who took the leap and jumped into the world of virtual meetings so that our members would remain connected and our organization would continue to grow. This will allow us to learn about more members who have shared the ABC's of teaching, achieving, building and caring. Thank you all and best wishes to our active educators who are beginning this school year in the new normal.
Alpha Delta Kappa 2021-2023
International President’s Message Mollie Acosta KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022 1
Amelia Smith, FL Fidelis Rho, is remembered by former student Terry Moore, who even tually became a teacher himself and taught alongside his former teacher, Mrs. Smith. Terry feels such gratitude to Mrs. Smith that he contacted our Headquarters staff about making a con tribution to the A∆K Foundation in Amelia’s name.
A nother school year is upon us ~ and we are not ‘back to normal.’ We are in the ‘new normal’ - a world where educators must pivot on a dime. We have always had to be flexible, but this isn’t just flexible. This is outside the box thinking every day to meet the needs of our students.
Amelia not only cared about her students, she inspired one to become a teacher who cared about his students in the same way.
You will read in this issue about how music educator Christel Biasell, a member of my home chapter, CA Xi, was able to pivot from her original plan for using a regional mini-scholarship to attend a conference (canceled due to COVID-19) to purchasing recorders for her fourth grade students so they could practice at home and be better prepared to participate in band as fifth graders. Christel exem plifies the ABC's of teaching. She found a way for her students to Achieve, she Built their music skills and a future elementary band, and she Cared for her students by being creative and going that extra mile. Educators have always cared about their students and found ways to help them build better lives and achieve more than the students may have thought possible. Many of our members have been honored for their achievements as they have served students. You will read about Laura Lyster, MI Alpha, who has dedicated 60 years to serving young people in the Boy Scouts. You’ll read about teachers who have been honored by being remembered by former students. Elaine Poovey, NC Beta Upsi lon, recounts the heartwarming story of reconnecting with a former student almost 50 years later. Her student, Constance, writes, “Ms. Poovey, what I remember about you is that you loved your students. You also loved teaching. Because of you, I learned that I could travel anywhere I wanted to go without leaving the classroom just by reading a book.” What a gift for a teacher who cared for her students.
Greetings, dear sisters. I cannot tell you what a delight it has been to attend these regional conferences. At each one, we feel the Alpha Delta Kappa Spirit ~ the love of our sister hood. The opportunity to come together in person to celebrate each region’s good works is priceless after more than two years of Zooming. Thank you to all of the International Vice Presidents of the regions and to the conference chairmen and planning teams. Congratulations to all of the newly installed regional presidentselect. You are blazing trails and strengthening our organization. As we near the 75th anniversary of Alpha Delta Kappa we reflect upon the vision of our Founders. Agnes herself, in 1959, said, "We realize that during the coming years, many adjustments will be necessary to meet the growth of Alpha Delta Kappa and the changes in our profession, as Internationally there are changes. Chap ters also will have to make adjustments. We know that it is impossible to become permanently well-adjusted.”
After I was installed as International President, I asked Each One to Reach One and I know many of you have - we have ini tiated over 600 new members and reinstated 140 members since June 1st of 2021. We ARE initiating new members. We are also losing members - we cannot do anything about those who join the Omega chapter. But we CAN do something about those who are choosing to resign. We need to double down on retaining members. Each One Reach One includes reaching those members in our own chapters who are not as engaged as we’d like them to be. Many of us know there are times when we can do more to reach out to those sisters. Our organization is built on relationships and we must invest in building those relationships in order to survive. Communicate with those sisters you haven’t seen for a while. We know many youngers prefer texting or some form of social media. Find the members in your chapter that can help navigate the ever changing waters of technology today and enlist their help. Others love to hear your voice, so call them. We must do whatever it takes to build those relationships, because it is the sisterhood that keeps us connected and coming back. This is the gift we want to continue to give our fellow sisters. It is the gift outstanding women educators out there deserve as they face the chal lenges of being an educator today. Some say we have always faced challenges as educators and that is true, but I venture to say that out of the past 75 years, these past two and half years have been some of the most challenging of years ever for active educators. Outstanding women educators are out there and they need Alpha Delta Kappa, today more than ever. They will benefit from our support, our scholarships, our altruistic work, our love. It is up to each one of us to reach out and find them and Share the Love of Alpha Delta Kappa. For those of us who have been retired for more than a few years, it may be that we look to those who are educating our grandchildren, our nieces, our nephews and our neighbors. We belong to many different communities - our neighborhoods, houses of worship, those with whom we gather to enjoy common interests. Reach out. Build new relationships. Invest time in getting to know potential members. Invite them to activities - not so much the busi ness meetings, but the altruistic activities we all love where we bond because we have a common desire to do good. Allow time for both your chapter members and the potential members to determine if this is a good fit. It is important because I would bet that most of us have learned the hard way that if we don’t invest time in getting to know potential members, it is more likely we will lose the member in the long run, which brings me to reinstatement. Reach out to our Headquarters staff and ask for a list of sisters that have resigned in the last 10 years - we have that information. Ask the sisters in your chapter who have had a relationship with them to contact these pre vious members. Circumstances change. Many are hungry for per sonal connections now. Welcome them back with open arms.
Each One Reach One. Reach MORE than One. We will be stronger if we strengthen our relationships with each other. We will be stronger if we reach out and build new relationships. We CAN do it. We just need to Share the Love of Alpha Delta Kappa.
Thank you. And Many Bags of Peanuts
From Fresno, California to Honolulu, Hawaii, back to Cali fornia for the flight to Wichita, KS to Jacksonville, FL, to Frankenmuth, MI, to Atlantic City, NJ to Wilmington, NC and finally home, International President Mollie Acosta logged over 17,000 miles this summer attending the regional con ferences. She was on the road and in the skies for the entire month of July. She checked two bags, one weighing almost 50 pounds, packed with clothes and accessories for every climate and to fit every theme, including boots and a cow boy hat, and carried on a small bag and her backpack. “Sis ters,” Mollie said, “were so welcoming all along the way. I was greeted at airports, driven to sisters’ homes and given untold welcome gifts. It was an incredible journey.”
President's Regional Conference Speech 2 KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022
How wise Agnes was. I don’t think anyone could have imagined the world in which we live today. Change is hard, but it IS inevitable. The reality is - if we, as an organization do not change to meet the needs of early career educators, we will not survive. We MUST adapt as we move forward, so this is my message. We CAN do this. The this, of course, is GROW Alpha Delta Kappa. It will not happen overnight and it will not happen with out ALL of us. You are here I believe because you love Alpha Delta Kappa. You believe in the good we do and you want it to continue. So do I. So does Executive Director Christi and every member of the International Chapter. We are all working for the same purpose - to recognize and support outstanding women educators and to give of ourselves to make our world a better place.
• Retired member: an educator who no longer works in the field of education but who is still interested in educa tion. She has the same responsibilities as an active member including being responsible for all financial obligations.
• Honorary member (chapter and S/P/N): shall not be under contract with a school district nor engaged in the educa tional profession. This title is conferred upon a person who has made outstanding contributions to the field of educa tion, the sciences, the humanities, or the arts on the local or S/P/N level. The chapter pays her annual dues.
Finally, we couldn’t operate as effectively without the sup port from our Alpha Delta Kappa Association (A ∆ KA) mem bers. These are men who help on all levels of our organiza tion: chapter, S/P/N, region, and International. They are an organized group who meet during conferences and conven tions for business and social events and support our altruistic projects.Thebond that links our Circle of Love is not one of blood, but of respect and the joy of coming together for common purposes, common goals and for friendship. This bond is strong and lasts forever. As Agnes Shipman Robertson often reminded us, “Once an Alpha Delta Kappa, always an Alpha Delta Kappa.”
Where There is Family, There is Love.
• Sustaining member: an active member who has moved from the chapter location and is not affiliated with another chapter. She can hold elected office and meets the financial obligations as an active member.
• Active on Leave: a special status granted by the chapter to a member who for some unusual circumstance(s) can no longer participate in chapter meetings or activities. It is granted for a year and is renewable. Active on Leave mem bers are responsible for all financial obligations.
• ITE Honorary member: shall have received the A∆K ITE Scholarship; makes a contribution to the chapter and her sponsors; helps publicize A∆K in other parts of the world; has no financial obligations.
MEMBERSHIP MESSAGE
Television personality Joanna Gaines tells us, “Time together as a family is a gift.” Welcome to our Alpha Delta Kappa “family” as we “Share the Love.”
Membership Categories Meet the Needs of Sisters
Membership in Alpha Delta Kappa is somewhat like being adopted by a family who has so much love to give that they want to share it by increasing their fam ily. Joining Alpha Delta Kappa’s community and the “Circle of Love” is an honor extended to educators committed to excellence in education, diversity and inclusion, altruism and world understanding. Our “family” consists of eleven catego ries of membership to meet the specific needs of all our members. These categories make up our A ∆ K family to form the Circle of Love that binds us together as an organization dedicated to the teach ing profession.
KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022 3
• Life member: complies with all responsibilities as an active member, except she pays no annual International dues.
By Betty Jo Evers, International Vice President for Membership
• Service member: a member of Head quarters’ staff for at least three years. Approved and invited by the Interna tional Executive Board to receive this status. She has no voting privileges and pays no dues. In addition to these nine categories of membership, there are five Collegiate Clubs KCC) on university campuses: Ball State University, Colorado State University, Univer sity of Arizona, Indiana State University, and Arizona State University. These clubs are for students studying in the college of education. They learn about A∆K, leadership skills, community involvement, altruistic endeavors, as well as information regarding their chosen field of education. They are mentored by members and an A∆K chapter.
• Active member: abides by the protocol of her chapter, attends meetings, pays finan cial obligations, supports chapter activi ties, accepts leadership responsibilities, wears the A∆K badge, and maintains high moral and professional standards.
• Limited member: a member who has become per manently incapable of fulfilling her obligations and responsibilities as an active member. She is exempted from all financial obligations.
Headquarters approves this change in membership status.
hen I was a young child, fall was one of my favorite seasons. It meant going back-to-school shopping with my mom, picking out a new lunch box, school shoes and a backpack. Going back to school meant the excitement of seeing friends and sharing all the summer adventures. One year, back-to-school time was especially memorable at Point Elemen tary in St. Louis, Missouri. I was chosen to be in Mrs. Gray’s fifth grade class. All the fifth grad ers wanted to be in her class. She made learning fun and exciting. She wasn’t the easy teacher, but she brought the class to life with cool activities. More importantly, she cared about her students. I received a welcome postcard from Mrs. Gray, and she shared that her classroom would be mov ing upstairs. Double cool factor: Mrs. Gray’s new classroom would be in the sixth grade hall (later known as the fifth and sixth grade hall). Shortly after I received the postcard, Mrs. Gray called my mom to ask if I could help her move into her new classroom. Several of my classmates and I spent a few days assisting. Our reward was McDonald’s Happy Meals with ice cream cones and getting to pick our seats in the classroom. We had so much fun, and it was a chance to meet my new friends in the classroom while helping Mrs. Gray tackle this huge project.
Bytes
Executive Director Christi Smith, (right) with Southwest Regional President-Elect Mary Ann Englehart (left) and International President Mollie Acosta show off their Hollywood attire at California’s Culture Faire booth at the NorthwestSouthwest conference in Hawaii. A∆K Foundation
& pieces 4 KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022
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This same level of excitement returned as I attended my first Alpha Delta Kappa Regional Conference this summer. What an opportunity to meet members and attend learning sessions and business sessions. I was able to put context to the terms I hear frequently. But the best part of the experience was meeting members face to face for the first time. That was magical. To be immersed in Alpha Delta Kappa culture and surrounded by amazing women was beyond what I envisioned. It was a great opportunity to learn how International Headquarters can support members, chapters and S/P/N officers. My goal was to discover how we can make pro cesses easier for chapters and S/P/Ns. The only way to improve the processes is to interact with the members to listen to the challenges and discover what is working well. Some imme diate changes implemented from the feed back I received include updating the financial handbook and officers’ toolkit, enhancing the directory and report functions, simplifying the scholarships and grants process and creating a section in the website Resource Library for tutorials. These changes would not be possible without your ideas and suggestions. If you have an idea, a suggestion or just want to say hi, we would love to hear from you.
Headquarters Happenings
The A∆K Foundation has a new logo, bright with color and symbolism. The delta’s cheerful green is a con temporary color, while the antique gold key represents the four Founders and Alpha Delta Kappa’s heritage. This key unlocks a treasury of gifts, including regional and International scholarships, grants, awards and educational programs. It also symbolizes the unlock ing of sisters’ generous and caring hearts.
A∆K Makes Children’s Home with Education and Agriculture a Reality Sisters are making Project C.H.E.A.R. a reality, according to Grete Lima, International World Understanding chairman. As of July 1, A∆K sisters had raised over $35,000 for the project. With the money, ground was broken and foundation stones laid by the Harambee Foundation for the construction of a children’s home in Babati, Tanzania.
Email headquarters@alphadeltakappa.org.
By Christi Smith, Executive Director
A∆K sisters continue to work toward the $50,000 goal for C.H.E.A.R. and hope to achieve it by July 31, 2023. Dona tions may be submitted online at alphadeltakappa.org under Foundation>Donate>World Understanding, or with a check to Alpha Delta Kappa Foundation, 1615 West 92nd Street, Kansas City, MO 64114. Write C.H.E.A.R. in the memo line.
In honor of Nancy Martinez, AZ Alpha Alpha In honor of Sara Cooper, CA Beta Iota
In memory of Marlene Rebb, PA Iota
A∆K Honor A Sister The following members contributed
Kim Matthias, International Executive Board Member
In honor of Gayle Lum, HI Beta
In honor of Sandra Colvin, VA Beta Epsilon
Judy W. Ganzert, Immediate Past International President
Alpha Delta
In honor of Jeanne Chang, HI Zeta
In honor of Melodee Burreson, MT Eta
Gifts received after June 15, 2022 will be published in the December 2022 KAPPAN. KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022 5
In honor of Kathryn Babcock, MT Theta
Deborah A. Price, OH Lambda In honor of Shirley DeLucia, OH Lambda In honor of Sandra Anthony, OH Lambda Theresa Drapczuk, NJ Alpha Iota
Myrna Nishihara, HI Eta
In honor of Kitty Nutting, CO Alpha Lambda Melissa Elrod, LA Delta
In honor of Margaret Whelan, LA Delta VA Alpha Rho
In honor of Mollie Acosta, International President In honor of Jenni Tomas, WA Alpha Upsilon In honor of Susan Rae Long, WY Delta In honor of Melodee Burreson, MT Eta In honor of Kathryn Babcock, MT Theta
In honor of Naomi Yap, HI Lambda
In honor of Sylvia Massie, VA Beta Lambda Marjorie D. Isgitt, TX Epsilon Sigma In honor of Glenda Laney, TX Epsilon Sigma Catherine H. Durvin, VA Mu
In honor of Sandy Viga, NM Beta
Elizabeth A. Scott, NV Gamma
In honor of Joyce Brown, CO Alpha Alpha In honor Toni Light, NM Gamma
In Honor of VA Gamma Eta Chapter Kathleen E. O’Malley, CA Gamma Eta In honor of Marsha Claybrook, CA Gamma Eta In honor of Ellen Sabie, CA Gamma Eta
In memory of Marianne Nolan, PA Gamma, from the Kappettes
Fanny N. Yee, HI Zeta
In honor of Jeanne Chang, HI Zeta
In honor of Almina Barksdale, UT Eta
Nancy L. Tall, PA Iota
In honor of Janet Jackson Ellis, TX Gamma Eta
In honor of Diane Best, SWR IVP In honor of Janet Johnson, NWR IVP In honor of Mary Ann Englehart, CA Xi
In honor of Norma Szymanski, PA Iota
In honor of Gayle Lum, HI Beta
Deborah A. Thurman-Hunt, AK Gamma In honor of Barbara Nore, AK Gamma In honor of Lesa Meath, AK Gamma In honor of Misha Gelvin, AK Gamma In honor of Marilyn Nigro, AK Gamma Georgiana K. Keller, SC Alpha Epsilon In honor of Brenda Kidd, SC Alpha Epsilon Nancy A. Thompson, KS Alpha Alpha In honor of Cheryl Sigel, KS Iota In honor of Susie Zils, KS Alpha Alpha Gayle Y. Lum, HI Beta In memory of Mary Hendrickson, HI Beta Karen Cartwright, FL Omicron
In honor of Daisy Ishihara, HI Eta
In honor of Gloria Suarez, AZ Psi
In honor of Susan Raffo, CA Beta Rho
In honor of Becky Hawkins, NV Alpha
In honor of Naomi Yap, HI Lambda
In honor of Jill Christofferson, UT Gamma
In honor of Betty Yoshida, HI Eta
In honor of Laura Beaton, VA IPSP MS Iota Chapter In honor of Teresa Walker, MS Iota Betty A. Clemmons, AL Gamma Gamma In honor of Willodean Weldon, MD Eta Linda Lee Thweatt, FL Fidelis Nu In honor of FL Fidelis Nu and FL Nu sisters AL Gamma In honor of Anne Hanby Douglas, AL Gamma VA Gamma Omicron In honor of Libby Nicholson, VA Gamma Omicron Sybil Kelly, LA Tau In honor of Diana Gwinn, LA Tau In honor of Ernestine Johnson, LA Tau In honor of Karen Evans, LA Tau Ellen M. Roderick, MD Beta In honor of Kitty Nutting, CO Alpha Lambda In honor of Naomi Yap, HI Lambda In honor of Gayle Lum, HI Beta In honor of Cherylyn Inouye, HI Mu In honor of Carol Emerson, HI Xi In honor of Karen Victor, HI Pi In honor of Ethel Murakami, HI Theta In honor of Joy Koyanagi, HI Alpha In honor of Lakecia King, HI Beta In honor of Stella Shido, HI Eta In honor of Gail Watanabe, HI Eta In honor of Anne Hedani, HI Eta In honor of Myrna Nishihara, HI Eta In honor of Clara Goto, HI Eta In honor of Maryanne Lee, HI Lambda In honor of Kay Yogi, HI Zeta In honor of Linda Matsumoto, HI Beta In honor of Jeanne Chang, HI Zeta In honor of Susan Okano, HI Nu In honor of Betty Yoshida, HI Eta In honor of Daisy Ishihara, HI Eta
Jennifer R. Robitaille, ME Alpha In honor of Joyce McAloon, IVP NE Region Melissa J. Jacobsen, TX Gamma Eta
Minetta Caldwell Smith, TX Beta
Barbara Stanfield, NM Gamma
In honor of Delaine Furst, FL Omicron Diane T. Carter, VA Beta Lambda
In honor of Gayle Lum, HI Beta
In honor of Karen Johnson, CO Psi
In memory of Ruth Anne Troxell, VA Alpha Rho to the Kappa Foundation to recognize fellow members.
Catherine H. Durvin, VA Mu
In honor of Esther Coneff, TX Beta Daisy Ishihara, HI Eta
6 KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022
In a professional setting, a mentor is often someone that the mentee has some prior knowledge or awareness of, and the rela tionship grows from a foundation of shared values, goals and qualities that the mentee admires and is motivated and inspired by. The success of the partnership is based on taking the time to listen to one another and building a respectful, trusting and hon est relationship. When you are being matched from a distance and don't know one another, this step is imperative. Here are the four steps for enrolling in Mentoring Match.
Programs for Teachers Mentoring Teachers
During the past two years, Alpha Delta Kappa members have asked how they can best provide support to active educators who are experiencing stress from the COVID pandemic. Our active teachers are overwhelmed with increased workload due to hybrid teaching, lack of substitutes and addi tional paperwork. They do not even have time to identify what they need or how their A∆K sisters can assist them. But they do need to have someone to just listen and provide advice, encour agement and moral sup port.A∆K has created a new resource for mem bers to support each other during this challeng ing time. A∆K CON NECT, an online community platform, offers a tool called “Mentoring Match.” Members may enroll as a mentor or mentee by completing the online application form. This unique online tool helps members find, connect and share experiences with others. What is a mentor? A mentor is an experienced and trusted adviser who shares information and provides guidance, motivation and emotional support. She is a person who encourages you to step out of your comfort zone. She is someone who guides you to use resources to solve your own problems. A mentor is a person who helps you set goals and develop both professionally and Newpersonally.Jersey sister Judy Gilberti describes mentoring by stating, “The ability to share personal experiences of a professional teach ing career can offer subject knowledge, guidance, leadership, emo tional support, motivation and role modeling. The relationships are built on trust and respect. With a positive mentoring experience, everyone wins…students, educators and parents.”
In 2021, the first A∆K Leadership Academy was established. Active educators were paired with mentors who wished to share their professional experiences and expertise. Elaine Williams, KY Kappa, shares her reflections on her role as a mentor by stat ing, “I participated in the first Leadership Academy as a mentor, and it was an exciting experience. It allowed me to work with an active teacher through Zoom and in the privacy of my computer room. I had access to many resources at the touch of a mouse. Supporting our active teachers in this time of crisis in the edu cational system is very important. We need to share our exper tise, give guidance and stay in touch with our active educators as much as Anotherpossible.”Leader ship Academy men tor, Southeast Region Membership Consul tant Kathy Beatty, says, “The Leadership Acad emy afforded me the opportunity to mentor a sister who lives in a different state and who is also a current edu cator. We connected immediately due to both working in schools and having to navigate the changes and difficulties of these last two years. Our mentor-mentee relation ship was strengthened because we could share current stories, successes and challenges from school while discussing how to manage work, family and being in a leadership role in A∆K.”
1. START – Complete your A∆K CONNECT profile. Make sure your contact information is up to date, add a recent profes sional photo, expand on your bio and update your education and
By Mary A. Ey, Four-year Member International Executive Board
3. SEARCH – Use the Mentor Program Directory to input your search criteria. Start by selecting the topic(s) of interest which include S/P/N, age or grade level and content/specialized area of expertise.
• Have an agenda for each meeting, but be adaptable.
he 2023 Educational Symposium Committee proudly announces the call for presenters for the International Convention in Kansas City. In honor of Alpha Delta Kappa’s 75th anniversary, the 2023 Edu cational Symposium will continue to expand its reach by using a hybrid format. The symposium sessions are sched uled for three-and-a-half days of learning on July 6, 7, 13, and In14.2021, the Educational Symposium made history with the first all-virtual symposium. This symposium was held over five days and had a record setting 78 presenta tions with more than 107 presenters involved. The Sympo sium attendance reached over 1800 International sisters. What is in store for 2023? With the hybrid format, convention attendees have virtual, live and live stream options. Applications for presenters are open. Presenters who can’t make it to Kansas City will be virtual, those who prefer to present in person will present in Kansas City, and those who are willing to have a mix of a live audience along with a live streaming presentation will have the opportunity to use that format. The technology of streaming live will be managed by the Symposium committee so that presenters can focus on the delivery of their presentations.
job history information. Having a complete and accurate profile is crucial to the success of selection and matching.
KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022 7
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And on behalf of the Educational Symposium Commit tee 2023, thank you for your attention and excitement to comeMembershome.” of the International Convention Sympo sium Committee are Jennifer Robitaille, ME Alpha, Dawn Hudson, GA Beta Epsilon, Chloe Austin, IN Tau, and Chairman Phyllis Robinette, CO Eta.
• Commit to meeting 1-2 times a month for 30-60 minutes.
See back cover for scannable barcode link to application page!
2023 Educational Symposium Call for Presenters
Sharing the love of your talents is the committee’s request of the presenters. The themes for the sessions are Foundations – sharing what built us, Innovations – pil lars of education, Inclusivity – windows to our future and Leadership – crowning your talents.
The Mentor Pro gram Directory will do the work for you and populate the results. Next, click on the member's name with whom you're interested in establishing a mentor-mentee connection. The link will bring you to her profile page. If you think it's a desired match, look under her profile photo for the Mentor Match badge and click on it to request a connection. If it's not a desired match, you can simply select the back button to return to your previous search results.Welcome to a unique relationship. Consider the following guidelines as you begin your journey:
4. CONNECT – Congratulations. You're all set. Do one search or multiple searches. If you're unsure of the search criteria, select "Search for ALL of the selected values."
2. ENROLL – Click on the “Engage in Mentoring” tab and enroll as a Mentor or Mentee. Make selections for each of the program demographics to set your preferences. Please note that some fields are required for enrollment. The more information you provide, the easier it will be to make the best match. To request a mentor or mentee, you must be enrolled in the pro gram.
• Share your background, interests and experiences.
• Be responsive, flexible and a good listener.
• Respond promptly to emails and phone calls. Support our active educators. Enroll as a Mentor today.
Symposium Chairman Phyllis Robinette says, “If you are just this kind of leader, please share your talent. If you attended a great presentation from one of your A∆K sisters, invite that sister to apply and present for the Symposium. If you know of a potential presenter, invite her to apply, too. This would be a great recruiting tool. We need you. Come join us to make history yet again.
“This grant allowed me to buy fidget toys, which serve to productively distract and occupy a child's attention. In addition to boosting focus and productivity, it gave my children's minds a fun mental break. I was able to buy many different things, such as squishy balls, cubes, stretchy ropes and Pop Its. I use a container filled with the objects during the day. I also have a Calming Cor ner in the back of my room where the children can go for a short break. The grant money allowed me to provide my students with materials to help them be successful in the classroom. I really appreciate Alpha Delta Kappa's kindness and support."
April Lockard, Washington Beta Beta, was able to purchase four deep pressure vests for Grantham Elemen tary school. The vests are used by preschool students during large group instruction in a self-contained Special Education Develop mental Preschool setting, in a kindergarten class and in general education settings. Using this vest helps lessen impulsivity and helps to regulate overall behavior. A first-grader seeing another child use a vest asked to wear one and was instantly calmer in his seat. These vests impact students and their learning.
Classroom Grants Used in Innovative Ways
Shelly Couch, Texas Epsilon Omicron, also received a 2021 Classroom Grant. She used the materials in Hands-on Equations with her fifth grade Gifted and Talented class of 13 students and a Talent Pool class, which included 12 higher-level math stu dents. This supplemental program provides students with a con crete foundation for algebra. The hands-on, intuitive approach enhances student self-esteem and interest in mathematics. The kit came with a variety of materials. Shelly said that it was amazing how quickly students caught on and were able to solve complicated problems. After a few lessons, some of the more advanced math students had the problem solved before they had the manipulative set up. Shelly said, "I was able to pro mote Hands-on Equations at our district STEM night in Feb ruary and took five students to the event. The students' parents were the first to see how amazing their children were in solv ing complicated algebra problems. Thank you to the Alpha Delta Kappa Grant Award Committee for selecting this project. The students of Eagle Mountain, Saginaw, TX, will benefit from this grant in the years to come. Their advancement in math and alge braic foundations may produce a valedictorian or a future math ematician.”Grantrecipient
Dr. Karen L. McGinnis, PA Upsilon, is excited that she applied for and received a 2021 Classroom Grant. Her grant focus was using fidgets in the classroom to assist with social-emo tional learning. She shared, "My students were in a virtual setting for nine months due to COVID-19. They had in-person, halfday kindergarten from February to June 2021. These children came to me in first grade lacking a lot of skills and the ability to focus during instructional time. I had children who couldn't even sit in a seat at their desks for more than five minutes.
By Robin Miller, Texas Gamma Nu,
2021-2023 International Classroom Grant Committee Chairman 8 KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022
There are many innovative teachers among us. The money is there for you to enrich your classroom. Add to the wonders of your classroom with a grant.
Classroom grants are available to “assist members to enhance classroom lessons.” Each region can award up to seven grants for “innovative teaching practices.” Several of the 2021 recipients told how they used their grants.
Southwest: HI Nu; honorable mention AZ Alpha Alpha and CA Beta Iota
Scoring Criteria: Pay close attention to the scoring criteria and address each of those criteria to the best of your ability.
Southwest: Shaundell Smith, UT Gamma; Julia Cencioso, AZ Pi; Geor gina Georgelos, AZ Sigma Regional Professional Development
Recipients
Southeast: Kelsey Shue, NC Alpha Nu; Leah Tolbert, TN Alpha Rho
Northeast: OH Alpha Rho; honor able mention OH Alpha, OH Alpha Lambda and NY Alpha Zeta
North Central: MI Alpha Upsilon; hon orable mention SD Zeta
Project Timeline: If a timeline is requested, discuss how the project will be managed or used. If there is a follow-up to your scholarship or grant, pay close attention to the criteria and make sure you comply by the date requested.
Deadlines: Pay attention to deadlines. These are usually inflexible. If you submit your application past the deadline date, it will not be considered.
North Central: Sheila Stark, MB Zeta; Claire Smith, NE Upsilon
You Can Become a Scholarship or Grant Recipient
By Robin Miller, Texas Gamma Nu, 2021-2023 International Classroom Grant Committee Chairman
Spring Mini Scholarships
2022 Scholarships and Grants Recipients
Answer all parts of all questions: Some questions are multipronged, so make sure that you answer all elements. Be direct with your answer, give the evaluator a full picture of how you will exe cute your program and avoid including extraneous details.
Linda Hume, VA Beta Fine Arts Grants Heather Cockrell, VA Gamma Alpha Sharon Wisinger, VA Alpha Zeta Future Educators
Northeast: Sarah Hudler, OH Lambda South Central: Hannah Meyer, TX Epsi lon Theta; Candace Weber, TX Nu
Budget: The budget is one of the most important compo nents of a scholarship or grant. Costs and project elements must be well-defined. The project budget should provide enough detail so the reviewer can understand what the project entails.
KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022 9
Southeast: VA Gamma Kappa; honorable mention VA Eta, VA Nu, MD Beta
Gulf: Deborah Lepper, FL Beta Psi; Gwen LeBouef, GA Alpha Tau
Southwest: Joell Kerr, HI Delta; Stacie Wirth, NV Gamma 2021 Distinguished Program Award
Northwest: AK Gamma; honorable men tion AK Zeta, WA Alpha Nu, WY Epsilon and WY Delta
Northwest: Helen Foster, AK Alpha; Paula Furick, WA Beta Iota
Grammar and Spelling: Proofread for grammatical and spelling errors. Double check your work or have an A∆K sister read your draft. The result is worth the effort. The satisfaction and sense of accomplishment from receiving a scholarship or grant will not only fund your project, it will also motivate you, your team and yourCouldstudents.you be a future scholarship or grant recipient? You’ll never know until you try. Go for it.
Agnes Robertson Global Outreach
North Central: Kayleigh Parker, IL Mu
South Central: Erica Ponthieux, AR Beta Alpha; Paula Jester, AR Beta Alpha; Ronda Hughes, AR Alpha Epsilon
Clear and Concise: When writing your proposal, be clear and concise, establish your major points and avoid unnecessary complexity. Your application should be written simply and in a straightforward manner. Answer the question asked. Make it clear why this funding is important for you. Do not use the same adjec tives multiple times on the application. The proposal should dem onstrate that you have a clear understanding of your needs. After reading the proposal, the reviewer should feel confident that you would be a responsible steward of their funds. Put your heart into it. Can the reader feel your passion? How would the scholarship or grant make a difference in your life or your students’ lives?
“Congratulations to the recipients of the 2022 scholarships and grants. We are proud to support our members as they grow professionally and personally.” ~International President Mollie Acosta
A∆KCC members Isabella Watts and Kylie Rapp, both of Ball State University Regional Professional Development
Gulf: Teresa Woodlief, FL Beta Psi; Katie Parker, FL Beta Psi
Scholarships
Alpha Delta Kappa has many wonderful scholarships and grants for members. Filling out an application can seem daunting, but it doesn’t need to be if you break down the process into steps. Read the guidelines and eligibility requirements carefully. Read the complete grant application. The guidelines are designed to help you through the process. Read thoroughly before filling out the application. Make sure you are applying for the schol arship or grant to fit your funding needs. Ask yourself, “What are they looking for,” and focus your writing on addressing the requirements.
75 Years of Sisterhood Home is where our stories start. Members are invited to come home July 2023, to Kansas City, MO, where the Alpha Delta Kappa story began 75 years ago. In this issue, Gold, Diamond and Platinum sisters share the beginnings of their AΔK stories.
Barbara Shirley, TX Alpha Psi, 1962 I have almost every yearbook of my chapter since my very first one 61 years ago. In the first year, we were invited to an informal tea and were told the purposes and eligibility for becoming a member.
Our Golden Sisters of 50 plus years, Diamond Sisters with 60 plus years, and Platinum sisters with 70 or more years longevity in A∆K form the bedrock of our organization. Some of those treasured sis ters recalled earlier days in Alpha Delta Kappa.
Alice O’Brien, WA Pi, 1959 When I pledged at 24, I was probably the youngest member. Some members were former teachers of mine. It was a nice group to belong to, and those are friendships I have maintained through many years.
Ann Ward, TN Beta, 1970 I was initiated when prospective members had to have taught for three years. During secret paper balloting, members had to defend negative votes. The guidance counselor invited me to become a member. I was told that if I didn’t become a member now I would never be asked again. I had never heard of Alpha Delta Kappa, and at first I was leery about joining this unknown organization with its sorority pin, secret password and handshake required to enter meet ings. I attended my first International Convention in Nashville in the early 1990’s and had a great time. Betty Miller, VA Eta, 1959 We always wore hats and gloves to meetings. It was the fashion back then, and you dressed appropriately. There was a time when your chapter grew to a certain size, and they (HQ) split you. We got to that point, and we had to split. That’s when VA Alpha Pi was formed. Coralease (Toppy) Jennings was state chairperson back in the early days. It was my understanding that she was equivalent to a state president. “I’d like you to make a list of people you think would be good members of Alpha Delta Kappa,” she told me. She sent invita tions to those on our lists. She invited them and explained membership in A∆K. I was the first chapter president and felt like a fish out of water. We were flailing, but the four of us who had helped get the prospects worked together to make the chapter work flow smoothly. Evidently something good happened because we’re still there.
Evelyn Bourland, 1955 We used to have things like teas and formal dinners, and there was always a formal dinner at the end of the year for our chapter. I always thought it made our time together special. the Places You’ve Gone and the Things You’ve Seen
10 KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022
Oh,
Seventeen teachers were interested in forming a local chapter. I was a charter member. Everyone had a job. I know that every body felt like they were a part of it and that we had a responsibility to do our job. Membership was a privilege we did not take lightly. We had several “Getting to Know You” programs because we didn’t know each other. Local dues were $5.00. No one thought of missing a meet ing unless they were ill. We put on our Sunday best for Thursday meetings at 7:30 PM and met in sisters’ homes. We dressed up for our meetings for many years. It’s hard to get used to shorts and shirts, but they came. The Sgt-at-Arms would meet us at the door and we’d give her the secret handshake and the secret password. At the end of the meeting, we would stand and sing the Lamp of A∆K; we still do that today. When a sister asked you to do something you would never say no. I love A∆K and am the only charter member remaining. Membership in Alpha Delta Kappa is an important privilege and we need to be there to support it and each other. Every member needs to know that.
Linda Fannin, TX Gamma Theta, 1968 When I joined, I was in my twenties, about the same age as others in my chapter. We had no idea what we were doing, and I’m sure we did a lot of things wrong. But we had a lot of laughs and a lot of fun. We still have two of our charter members. I’ve met a lot of wonderful women through the years. You realize when you are sick or lose a loved one, the sisterhood comes through. It’s also given me a way to help other people through our projects. We spread kindness and love throughout the world. A∆K gives you a chance to help the world in little ways when you can’t help in big ways. We may not make big changes individually, but as a group we can.
Interviews conducted by KAPPAN Staff members: Sue Pelchat, CT Mu, Sue Whelan, NJ Kappa, and Shannon Lorenzo-Rivero, TN Chi.
It was an honor and a privilege to be invited to become a mem ber of A∆K. Chapters were so large that there was hardly room for any more. We were very formal. I remember going to state conven tion in Knoxville. Ladies wore hats and gloves. They were in fashion, so we thought nothing of wearing more formal clothing.
Frances Zawacki, AK Zeta, 1962 In 1957, I came to Alaska from Connecticut. A woman was talk ing about A∆K in Fairbanks and asked if I’d like to form a chapter. I got as many teachers as I could. Agnes even came up to give some support. We started with 45 members, meeting at people’s homes. Eventually, we broke up into two chapters. We’d go to one school every week to help kids with homework. We also took in students from around the world for Christmas. A student from Poland is still in touch with me.
Patricia Shelton, AL Sustaining, 1961 I never knew who recommended me for membership, but I met the most wonderful people, the most qualified teachers who shared so much. It’s been one of the highlights of my life.
KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022 11
Sharon Jefferis, AK Alpha, 1970
Pauline Clive, WV Pi, 1962
Janet Glasner, WY Delta, 1968
Gail Gillmore, WI Zeta, 1957
I was a charter member of Zeta chapter. We became quite involved at the state and district-level workings of A∆K. Many of our members served in district and state offices. Several members left Zeta and formed a Fidelis Chapter meeting during the day but still kept close ties with our parent chapter. I became State President and attended the 1972 Convention in New York. Everyone wore her pin (badge) to meetings. I don’t remember how I became State Membership Chair. I do recall being contacted by Headquarters to start a new chapter in Racine. It took almost a year to gather enough interested prospects, but by the time of the 1975 state convention, we had enough interested educators to form a chapter. “It was hard work but very rewarding."
Anna Bellamy, TN Rho, 1955
I always knew about A∆K because my mother was a member. One of the things I love about Alpha Delta Kappa is that the people who belong love what they do. They love children and want to help them be the best people they can be.
Gwenelle Anstis, WA Epsilon, 1967 I chose to join Alpha Delta Kappa over another organization; I’m pleased I made that choice. Everyone took turns taking leader ship roles, it was expected of each person, but you were never pres sured. In retirement I was a solo traveler. If I went to a regional con ference outside my area, I got to travel with people who had my back. I was independent, but I was not alone.
Carol Phillips, AZ Gamma, 1972 We still have some charter members. Back in the day, we did fashion shows and luncheons. My first International convention was in San Antonio. I remember taking so many special dresses. Peggy Woodruff, CA Iota, 1972 As they gave me my pin at my initiation, they asked me to be the president. It was the greatest bunch of gals in my original chapter.
Author Louis L’Amour counseled, “The trail is the thing, not the end of the trail.” Imagine the trails our sisters have traveled over the past 75 years. When it comes to professional excellence, altruism and world understanding, they have put A∆K on the map.
Everyone dressed up in their best clothes, with hats and gloves, looking really spiffy. That really impressed me. The refreshment table always had a centerpiece; it was all set up beautifully. The sisters were all such wonderful people, very friendly, and introduced us to every body so all felt comfortable. I always look forward to our meetings. It’s been my top priority.
Arlene Northam, AL Psi, 1971 When I went to my first Alabama Convention in the late 70’s, I met Agnes Robertson. That was the highlight of all my Alpha Delta Kappa years. I’ve totally enjoyed my years in Alpha Delta Kappa and have made numerous lasting friendships with my sisters. Thelma Braswell, AL Omicron, 1966 It was quite an honor. A fellow faculty member was state presi dent at the time. We formed a new chapter, the fourth in Montgom ery at the time.
I was introduced to A∆K by Catherine Gauchay, a master teacher. I am grateful to her for my membership in A∆K. Alpha Delta Kappa has enriched my teaching career. I have met so many wonderful educators that have encouraged and guided me. Dorothy Vaio, CA Beta, 1962
I attended the first national convention in 1955 at the Conrad Hilton in Chicago. It was an eye opener for me. Teachers came from all over the United States. Some were very difficult to understand, but they were my sisters. Agnes was quite an act as she orchestrated the first session of the convention; she stood center stage, footlights blinding her and gave directions to all. What a cherished memory this is - Agnes produced an academy award success. National officers were elected for the first time. Alta Harris, charter member of my chapter was elected first vice-president - WOW! I am so proud to have attended all national and International conventions until 2018.
Diana Vasicek, MN Alpha Rho, had a mother and an aunt who were teachers, which is what ultimately drew her to the profession. Teacher, secretary, nurse... those were the options for women in those days. Diana found she enjoyed the small-group instruction in the special education set ting. Her students made significant gains each year, which she found to be gratifying. Why did she go back year after year? Quite simply, as she stated, “I was good at what I did.”
Janet McDonald, VA Omicron, told her mother that she wanted to be a teacher because they got to drink tea instead of milk for lunch. But truly, it was her own love of learning that led her to become an educator. “I couldn’t afford to be a lifetime student
Sisters Share What Attracted Them to the Classroom
“I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be a teacher,” explained Judy Ganzert, Immediate Past International President.
By Sue Pelchat, CT Mu, KAPPAN
What makes education an interesting and inviting pro fession? We asked members to look beyond the obvi ous, glamorous aspects of teaching – correcting papers, using a smartboard, controlling the light switch – to reveal the reasons they went into teaching in the first place. What were their influences, and what made them remain in the profession once theyTwylaentered?Preising, AZ Alpha Nu, recalls a favorite teacher. “Dr. Charlton Moseley was my US History professor at Georgia South ern College, and he could tell the history of our country as a true storyteller. He made me yearn to share these stories. I did so with more than 5,000 students.”
Sheila Stark, MB Zeta, devel oped leadership, public speak ing, team management skills and other practical and creative talents through 4-H and home eco nomics. Her experiences drew her into teaching. Sheila says her life combines her own love for learn ing with her creativity and allows her to bring that energy to her stu dents. “Every day, I simply love what I do and do what I love.”
Twyla taught for 36 years because she said she loved working with young adults and inspiring them to remember the stories of what made this nation great. True friendship with wonderful peo ple and treasured memories of times with her students made her continue along her chosen path. “I have always wanted to be a teacher,” admitted Phyllis Robi nette, CO Eta. “Mine is the classic story of being the oldest and constantly making my brother and sister play school.” She credits a beautiful teacher with recognizing her strength and desire to teach. The teacher arranged for Phyllis to help out with kindergartners, and Phyllis was hooked. She helped everywhere - with Girl Scout troops, church Bible school, camps and many other organizations. “It is who I am and what I do. I want every student to have the most tal ented, best prepared, highly qualified professional in front of them.”
Like many youngsters, she lined up her dolls and played teacher. In first grade, her teacher became very sick, and her classmates’ moth ers took turns teaching the class one week at a time. Judy observed and was convinced she could be a teacher. Her junior high US His tory teacher modeled the kind of educator she would ultimately become. She loved working for 15 years in the classroom and for 20 years as an instructor of teachers. “I believe what I did each day made a difference for the future.”
Kathy Holley, SC Sigma, was convinced to go to college by her gifted middle school son in whose classroom she was an aide. At first, she told him, “No way!” She sought reasons why she shouldn’t go to college, but failed to find enough convincing arguments, so she began her studies at SC-Beaufort. For her, par ticularly as she engaged in the student leadership program, it was the students and watching them grow that kept her coming back. Even now, in her retirement, she still returns as a volunteer.
Staff 12 KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022
Elaine Johnson, GA Fidelis Lambda, loved her sixth-grade teacher. “She read to us every day after lunch. We could not wait to find out if Tom and friends got out of the cave!” In high school, Elaine worked in a summer Head Start program, which cemented her dream to work with young children. Now retired, she misses “the priceless joy of watching a child’s face when he catches on to a new concept.” Elaine taught for 33 years, loved the last as much as the first and maintains friendships with former teachers, parents and students. She volunteers in her grandchildren’s classrooms and in her daughters’ classrooms as they have become teachers them selves. Elaine always felt blessed to be able to connect with other teachers through Alpha Delta Kappa.
It is said that the average person will hold seven jobs in their lifetime. Here are the stories of some people who made the move into teaching from another profession.
NC Gamma Eta’s Carolyn Broome Sosebee says that her sec ond-grade teacher inspired her to go into education. “She was ahead of her time... Innovative and dedicated,” Carolyn stated. Carolyn also felt that God had called her to the profession in which she spent 31 wonderful years. Rachel Shankles, IVP SCR, wanted to be a nurse growing up, but fainted at the sight of blood, so nixed that notion. When it came time to transfer to pursue pharmacology, she wouldn’t leave her boyfriend. What could she do with the credits she had? Her advisor told her that with a few more courses, she could become a teacher. Her dad told her to graduate just in case she’d ever have to work. Rachel vividly remembers her first day of teaching, from the smell of the building to the clothes she wore. “I’ve loved every minute of it for over 50 years. I think it’s in my blood. I continue to be very involved in anything related to education, especially Alpha DeltaVAKappa.”Omicron’s Kimberly Nurse once believed that she would grow up to become either a choreographer or the first Black female Supreme Court Justice. She eventually set her eyes on an “even greater prize” after her nephew was diagnosed with a learning dis order at the age of six. Wanting to assist her mother who had cus tody of her niece and nephew, Kimberly sought a career as a special education teacher. In her classroom, Kimberly lives by a quote by John Warren, “The teacher’s task is to initiate the learning process and then get out of the way.” She feels that “the responsibility of ensuring that education continues to transcend the classroom is a top priority.”Infourth grade, Clarissa Hastings, NM Beta, announced to her classmates that she wanted to become a teacher, a counselor, an author and an opera singer. The other students said she could never be a teacher because she spent too much time in the principal’s office. She admits she was one of those students who got herself in trouble. Today, Clarissa still spends a lot of time in the principal’s office, but it’s because she’s working with the principal to help stu dents. Clarissa was a classroom teacher for 16 years and has been a counselor for over seven years. She credits others for believing in her and feels she is “living her dream.”
Cindy Stricklin, TN Alpha Rho, worked in retail visual merchandising for 21 years. Her light bulb went on while volunteering at her children’s school, helping students understand their assignments. She had other teachers in her family, so she was aware of expectations. She firmly believes that God has a plan and placed her where He wanted her to be.
There seems to be a common denominator among these respondents – satisfaction. Working with students, recognizing when a student “gets it,” making a difference in others’ lives, doing what one does best, and loving what they do. Teachers arrive to the profession and remain in the profession because of the gratification that comes from high performance and seeing others succeed. In our vision of a world that values diversity, all people and quality education, Alpha Delta Kappa celebrates outstanding women edu cators, no matter what drew them to the profession.
When Betty Sherrod, VA Gamma Omicron, went to col lege, she had planned to go into education, but her father felt she should pursue something in healthcare as so many women were becoming teachers. Betty changed her major to pre-med sciences and finished her degree in Clinical Lab oratory Sciences at The Medical College of Virginia. She worked in the field for 23 years. At that point, the University of Richmond offered a program for career switchers. She applied and was accepted. It took three years and lots of effort, working full time and attending school at night. But becoming a first grade teacher exceeded her expectations and she loved every minute in the classroom. The children brought laughter, joy, love and a few tears to the room every day.
From One Profession to Another
Article by Sue Pelchat, CT Mu and KAPPAN staff myself, but I could continue to learn along with my students. And boy, did I ever continue to learn. My students taught me some thing every single day,” Janet reflected. She continues to volunteer at school and says that her interaction with the students is what keeps her coming back.
Amy Healy, NY Alpha Beta, was in the human services field for ten years as a probation officer and case worker. She felt she was making a difference. But she wanted to help chil dren, to make a difference in their lives, and felt the best way to do that was showing them the importance of education and the opportunities it can lead to. Since that time, every day for over 30 years she has enjoyed teaching children and seeing the difference she was making in their lives.
KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022 13
Betty feels lucky to have had two wonderful careers.
Marcia Edmundson, Virginia Gamma Pi, worked in cus tomer service and collections for credit card companies for 11 years before beginning her teaching career. She can tell you what’s not in her wallet. She got her degree in French and, during those 11 years, kept up her language skills by translating for hockey players in Richmond. When she started training workers, she realized she was good at it. When the stability of her work environment changed, she decided to pursue teaching. Her first year was rough. She hadn’t had any student teaching, but she had had a part-time teaching job (one class) while working full-time at the credit card com pany. She realized then that her teaching instincts and the foundation given to her by her high school French teachers were spot on. She still says a bad day at school is better than a good day at the place she used to work. Now that she’s been teaching for 17 years, she admits that this is what she was meant to do.
What’s wrong with them?” Most of us have asked our selves that question when we are faced with a bully. Many of us have experienced bullying in our classes both when we were children and as adults. Handling the situa tion can be distracting and time consuming for everyone. But handling it must be done. What if we looked at bullying-type behaviors from a dif ferent perspective? What if we had a new framework to view behaviors in general that may create some positive changes? Not another program, but a way to look at things through the lens of the five needs we share in life. No magic cures or quick fixes promised. No excuses, but possible explanations and hope. We know children who are known as bullies are just children trying to be heard, using bullying type behaviors to get what they need. What could they need and what can we do about it?
Trying a Different Perspective
14 KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022
I have had to ask myself, and you can join me, “How am I doing meeting each of these needs?” Take some time and explore your own life. This is ongoing work. Enjoy the journey.
We can change the questions from “What is wrong with them?” or “Why do they keep doing this?” to “What do they need, and how can I help them learn to identify and meet those needs differently?”
Wendy is the Immediate Past President of VA Beta Omicron. She is a retired School Social Worker
“Be More Than a Bystander”
“Bullying is when you keep picking on someone because you think you’re cooler, smarter, stronger or better.” Definition from BRIM software website.
There is no magic bullet, no magic wand to fix our problems with bully type behaviors around us, but we can stay curi ous and open and explore options.
By Wendy Swenson
Trying this different perspective of connecting the needs we have to the behaviors we see can help us address the prob lem behaviors in a different way. We still enact consequences for unwanted behaviors, but we also have an opportunity to teach lessons that can last a lifetime. The Needs remain with us throughout life; however, the ways we meet them change
When teaching about the Needs, we teach about diversity, compassion and empathy, along with many life skills. We get to share what the differences are between needs and wants. This can be a game changer for some students as they learn about appreciation and respect for what they do have and lose an enti tlement
Thereattitudearea variety of ways to teach about the Needs. Some ideas are introducing one Need a month at Morning Meetings, small group discussion and Project Based Learning sessions. Be creative in what will work in your classroom and your school.
We can become aware of some needs that psychiatrist Dr. William Glasser outlines in his Choice Theory. The needs are similar to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs We can recognize that these needs do impact our daily life, ability to focus and emo tional state – which can impact our ability to learn and socialize. Our behaviors are often a reflection of how we can and cannot identify and meet our needs. Looking at these needs in depth takes time. The Five Needs identified by Dr. Glasser are survival, love and belonging, power, freedom and fun. Survival or staying alive covers food, shelter and safety. The need for relationships is part of love and belonging while a sense of achievement and self-worth are power needs. The need for freedom is also the need to choose for ourselves.The need for fun is imperative. While having fun, there are opportunities for growth, learning respect, new experi ences and acceptance of diversity.
Imagine one or more of those needs going unmet and the impact that can have on a child? How we meet our needs is based on many things including our abilities, interest, culture, family beliefs, our personal values, wishes and what we have experienced in life As teachers, we may be unaware of what is happening in a child’s world. Learning to identify and meet the needs in the classroom can open doors for the students to come to you with things that may otherwise go unspoken.
In 2006, the Pacer National Bullying Prevention Cen ter in partnership with the National Education Asso ciation, PTA, and the American Federation of Teach ers, among other organizations, designated October as World Bullying Prevention Month. Pacer is a non-profit organization assisting children with disabilities. The themes this year are #Be Kind and #Blue Up Together. There are two colors of the month. Wearing blue represents support and peace. Orange, the color for Unity Day on October 12, stands for the goals of kindness, acceptance and inclusion.
The teacher is the center – the heart – of every classroom. As the teacher, you set the tone and create the environment. You make sure your behavior expectations are clear and welldefined. You create a “fair” and equitable space where everyone is respected. Every day is an opportunity to make a new con nection through the “little” things: a smile, a compliment, lis tening to a concern, a word of encouragement or a bit of extra help. When you see problems, you correct them and demon strate the types of behavior that are appropriate for your class room. You make yourself avail able and approachable. Students who have made connections with their teachers are more likely to respect others and stand up for their peers. I have seen this time and time again. I was the alternative education teacher for my middle school for the last four years of my full-time teaching career. I taught all the academic subjects in grades 6-8 and worked with very small groups of students who were failing mul tiple subjects. Most of them had a “chip” on their shoulders when they came to me and had put up walls to keep their real emotions protected. They had difficult lives at home. I realized that if I was going to get through to these kids, they had to know on a base level that I was there for them. Plain and simple. With out relationships, none of us had any hope. It did not happen overnight. I worked on the “little” things while making sure that bigger needs and problems got the attention they needed. I held them to a high standard, and I provided the framework for their success. Trust was established. We rarely had behav ioral issues after the first few weeks, and when we did, they were addressed fairly. The connections are what made it work. It was a very gratifying experience, and most of these students have now gone on and graduated from high school. We need effective programs, school counselors, supportive and effective administrators, parents, and whole communities working on the problem of bullying – now more than ever. It takes a village, as they say, but never underestimate the pow erful effect you can have as the heart of your classroom. Carl Jung said, “One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touch our human feelings. The curriculum has so much necessary raw material, but warmth is a vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of a Focuschild.”onthat, and you will make an enormous difference.
One Teacher’s Look at Bullying
KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022 15
increased.There
By Carol Valentine, Past President VA Belta Delta, President VA Commonwealth District
B ullying is a major problem in our schools, and it can have serious consequences. The National Center for Educational Statistics reports that 20.2%, or 1 out of 5, students report being bullied in some way – physically, emo tionally or by exclusion. Even worse, 41% of students who reported being bullied at school thought that they were likely to be bullied again, according to the 2017 School Crime Report. As sobering as these statistics are, students and teachers who have experienced the pandemic and all its challenges over the last two-and-a-half years would likely confirm that these numbers have are excellent anti-bullying programs that are designed to educate about bullying, encour age students and adults to stand up against it, offer resources to schools and offer support to students who are bullied. During my career as a teacher in elementary and middle schools, I have seen several of these programs implemented with varying degrees of success. There are so many variables involved in bul lying that it is hard to cover everything, even when everyone is committed to addressing it. Why aren’t these programs more effective? I don’t think there is an easy answer to this, nor is it any specific group’s failure. I recently asked my sixteen-year-old granddaughter what she thought about this idea. She began to tell me about teach ers that did nothing about bullying, teachers who were “mean” and finally, about teachers who had made her feel welcome and safe. At the heart of it, those teachers who had formed relation ships with their students and created a safe environment were the ones she felt had been better at stopping bullying. The more I have thought about this, the more I come back to the individual teacher – the center of every classroom. I am not saying that this is one more thing for which teachers bear full responsibil ity – it is a shared responsibility and commitment by everyone in the schools to prevent bullying.
Marilyn celebrated the fifty-second anniversary of her thirtyninth birthday on Christmas Day. She says when she knits, she thinks of the children she has seen in her travels and tries to make their lives a little better.
Victoria’s teaching career started at a Catholic school where she shared, “I was in heaven teaching second grade for four years.” She moved to Boise, ID, where she taught for four years, but kept her California persona. While in Boise, she received her Master’s in Reading Education at Boise State University. Later, she taught fifth and sixth grades and kindergarten in Caldwell, ID. “We had 25 morning kindergarten students and 25 afternoon students and my classroom was bilingual and held in the library,” she said. Luck ily, her aide spoke Spanish. She moved from kindergarten to third grade, and finally moved back to Hayward, CA, where she worked for 21 years. She said she felt so fortunate to keep the same class room for those many years.
Victoria’s passion was working with children who did not enjoy writing or could not write but could talk. She encouraged her stu dents by starting a story and asking the children to add to it, a little
Sharon writes a monthly column for the Lewiston Tribune’s “Golden Times,” a magazine for senior citizens. bit at a time. Victoria, who is a Violet Sister, has been Chapter Chaplain for the last four years. “I’m the cheerleader. I encourage and share jokes with my sisters,” she said. One of her favorite chap ter altruistic projects is a fundraiser luncheon fashion show where the chapter members model clothes from a local resale shop. The clothes are available for purchase at the show. “It’s quite elegant, and all of the proceeds are given to the chapter’s altruistic projects,” Victoria explained.
Sharon Chase Hoseley’s book “Crossing the Bridge” was cho sen as the 2022 Gold Winner in the category of Personal Rela tionships Memoir by the Human Relations Indie Book Awards judges. This is the second Gold Winner for Sharon, a member of WA Beta Beta. In 2017, she received the award in the category of Life Challenges for “A Bridge Named Susan.”
WA Beta Beta Hoseley Wins Indie Award
⚡AMAZING MEMBERS 16 KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022
Thirty years ago, Victoria Smith, CA Alpha, wrote a children’s book about a penguin and submitted it to several publishers. She received rejection letters and admitted, “You take it personally. But, life took over and I tucked the book away.” When she retired, she pulled the book out, and “Tuxedo Baby” was reborn. This story was different from the first one. She had stored that one on a floppy disc and she could only retrieve pieces of the original. She knew she needed some experts to help her and she also knew she wanted control over her story. So, she contacted Chandler Bolt, CEO of Self-Publishing Schools (SPS) and the author of six books including his most recent, “Published”. Initially, Victoria was concerned about the school’s tuition cost of $5,000 to take her from the rough draft to the published book, but she did her research and decided to go ahead. “I gained confidence in the process when I received a lot of guidance from SPS and my own editor and illustrator.” Since she was not computer literate, her three adult children helped her, and the school offered instructional videos that she could watch in her spare time. “Tuxedo Baby” was published in late May.
Sharon’s books tell the stories of everyday family life and the bridges between generations. Her historical narrative approach is described as “easy to read short stories that make you laugh, cry and say ‘yes, I remember that.’” Her stories, she says, remind the reader that the influence we have on those who walk beside us is strong.
Thirty-Two Years of Love
Because Victoria as a teacher is in the habit of going by a schedule, she created a writing schedule. She wrote for four days a week and took Wednesdays off to volunteer at FAAS, an ani mal shelter for cats, kittens, rabbits and guinea pigs. Her love for animals is evident as two characters in her book include adoptive parents who are conures, a kind of parrot, most likely based upon her own cherry-head conure named Windsor whom she had for 35 years. Her current pets include a dog named Daisy, a threelegged cat named Smokey and a box turtle named Swimmy. “Tux edo Baby” is a fictional story but includes some non-fiction pieces, about oil spills and facts about penguins.
A Thirty-Year Birth
Sharon has been a member of Beta Beta for 33 years. She retired in 2007 after 33 years of teaching kindergarten. During her teach ing years, she wrote, directed and produced fifteen plays. That number included three all school productions and 12 short plays for the school drama club. Even in retirement, she continued to direct school plays until the pandemic brought an end to the productions.
The New Generation Awards, also called the Indie Awards, were first given in 2007 to recognize books that are independently published. Judges for the award, often referred to as the Sundance of publishing, are publishers, literary agents and authors.
Marilyn Sickle of MI Beta Mu is the mas ter of knit one, purl two. This Golden Sister has knitted over 5,300 hats for Native Amer ican children living on reservations in the United States. In 1990, her dentist told her about mission work he was involved in with Native Americans. She asked if he would take some hats for them when he went again. Marilyn has donated hats to children on res ervations in South Dakota and Montana. And many of her hats have found their way to children in the Detroit area.
KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022 17
Love From a First Grader Fifty Years Later
SisterTales
This beautiful painting hangs in my kitchen where I am reminded of the love of a special child kindled almost fifty years ago.
By Elaine Poovey, NC Beta Upsilon
In September 2021 I received a telephone call from a former student from whom I had not heard in almost fifty years. I met five year-old Constance Wright in 1973 when she was assigned to my class of first graders in Asheville, NC. She was a happy child with a bright smile and eager to learn. She was coming to school for the first time. Constance is now Dr. Constance Wright, Dean of the College of Education at North Greenville University in Greenville, SC. She called to tell me that she and her team were planning a “First Annual Torch Passing Ceremony” for Novem ber. The plan was to have the current class of stu dent teachers invite an inspirational teacher to this event and honor them. Constance, as the leader of this initiative, was including me as her honoree. There were 35 student teachers who presented their special teachers on that day. We continued to communicate, and because of the pandemic, the event was moved to February 27, 2022. The chapel was filled with family and friends, and of course, special teachers. Constance introduced me and presented me with a lovely piece of artwork designed by a mem ber of the university art department. She shared these remarks.
“This composition was created to be a representation of the students, faculty, colleagues and community members I have been able to serve throughout the years because you inspired me. This painting depicts an educational journey. The rolling hills gradually transition into mountains that bring one high enough to see the beautiful, starry expanse beyond. The number of stars are innumerable, just like the number of lives I have been able to touch because when I was five years old, you inspired me to love “Thanklearning.you, Ms. Poovey, for blessing my life with your love, I am forever grateful for you.”
AΔK To The Rescue –Problem Solving AΔK Style
“I remember one day in class we were writing our high frequency words and letters, and you were so excited about my writ ing that you grabbed my paper and my hand and led me through the entire first grade hall to brag about it.
“Ms. Poovey, what I remember about you is that you loved your students. You also loved teaching. Because of you, I learned that I could travel anywhere I wanted to go without leaving the classroom just by reading a book. You encouraged creativity and gave us the opportunity to use our imaginations. Everything about your classroom was magical.
“To honor you, I want to give you something that expresses my appreciation for you and demonstrates the magnitude of your impact on my career.
By Christel Biasell, CA Xi
Dr. Constance Wright (left) with Elaine Poovey
Elaine Poovey is Beta Upsilon Recording Secretary and has been a member for 49 years.
Like countless school districts across our nation, Fresno Unified School District began the 2020-21 school year with live, online school days for all students, and this included the music education classes. However, the fourth grade music classes would not be able to include the usual recorder flute les sons because the recorder flutes needed to remain at the schools.
As a twenty-five-year elementary music instructor, I had been teaching recorder flutes to 4th graders every year. Then during the first semester of the 2020-21 year, I was so surprised, elated, and impressed by my Slater Elementary School’s high atten dance numbers and high motivation level from my fourth grad ers for our live-online music classes, that I became increasingly motivated to find a way to send home recorders to those stu dents. A∆K came to the rescue. I was able to use my $500 A∆K Regional Mini-scholarship plus $200 from my Fresno Teach ers Association budget to purchase recorder flutes for every 4th grade student at Slater Elementary School. For the second semester of the school year, we used the online and interactive recorder method book, "Be A Recorder Star" by Macie Publishing Company during our weekly live-online classes and in addition, the students were able to login to the method book for extra practice on their own time. The following year as fifth graders, these students were well prepared and ready to learn concert band instruments. Thank you, A∆K.
“Because of your continued encouragement, I learned to love writing and creating so much that I wrote a play in third grade that the fifth-grade classes performed for the entire school and community. I still love to write today.
Club President Julia Grazian, and Vice President Adriana Hernandez attended the state convention in Prescott. Club activ ities for 2021-22 included attending the homecoming College of Education’s booth to hand out fliers, Founders’ Day in the Southern District, giving holiday cards for first responders and taking part in the community food bank walk-a-thon.
News of the Collegiate Clubs in this issue was reported by Shan non Lorenzo-Rivero, Kappan staff.
The club members have brainstormed various possibilities for altruistic projects, including obtaining large plastic barrels and placing them on campus near the education buildings and adding signage for donations to collect items, such as children’s clothing – all sizes – nonperishable food, school uniforms, solid-colored shirts, underwear and socks. The students also discussed donating time and talents such as sharing read alouds and activities with kids, playing ball at school recess, volunteer ing for Field Day or Water Day and just providing their help ing hands.
18 KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022
CollegIATE Clubs Celebrating Successes
Ball State Collegiate Club Keeps Busy
New Collegiate Club at Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, Arizona State University Alpha Delta Kappa chartered its fifth collegiate club in May. The latest addition is at the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College (MLFTC) at Arizona State University in Tempe. International Chapter members, AZ state leadership and the SW Regional His torian, along with chapter members from AZ Delta, AZ Alpha Nu, AZ Theta, AZ Mu and AZ Iota attended the ceremony. Assisting in the ceremony were Mollie Acosta, International President; Ann Marie Brown, International President-Elect; Betty Jo Evers, International Vice President for Membership; and Mary Ann Englehart, Southwest Regional President-Elect. Helen Valliere, Immediate Past President of AZ Theta, the sponsoring chapter, Betty Ehret, club sponsor, and Cindy Coffman, faculty advisor, also took part in the installation of the club. Cindy said that after she listened to the members explain the purpose of the collegiate club at a spring club fair at MLFTC, she volunteered on the spot to be the faculty advisor because she loved the ideas of altruism, scholarship and leadership possibili ties and the mentorship program.
Club and A∆K members not able to attend in person joined via Zoom. Assistance in planning the event was provided by AZ A∆KCC committee members Mary Henderson, Kitty Nutting, Judy Ingham, Barb Sundust, Ann Marie Brown, Helen Valliere, Nancy Martinez, Betty Jo Evers, Jeanie Hinck, Kristi Koziol, Diane Best, Suzanne Maly, consultant and sponsor of UofA's A∆KCC, Pat Trias and Betty Ehret. One of the major points for the club’s formation is the men torship aspect. Volunteering to serve as mentors are Barbara Sun dust, Nancy Harrison, Chris Sanzo, Nancy Martinez, Kitty Nutting, Betty Jo Evers, Peggy McKitrick, Mary Henderson, Twyla Preising, Cindy Coffman, Betty Ehret, Sylvia Crook and Delta Chapter. The mentors plan to reach out and connect with the club members and assist as needed through college and beyond, even the first years of teaching.
Graduating club members were given lavender and purple cords to wear with their graduation gowns.
Collegiate Club Honors Graduates
The members of the Ball State University Collegiate Club will be very busy if they plan to make this year as crowded with activities as last year. The members donated to the on-campus food pantry, gave towels and washcloths to the YWCA shelter in Muncie, IN, and, along with Beta Epsilon sisters, sorted avoca dos at a local food bank. Two club officers presented at the Indi ana State Convention. The members took part in a Zoom meet ing with student teachers from around the country and heard tips and tricks for successful student teaching at another meeting. They created and delivered care packages to cheer third graders through the state testing season at a local elementary school. In many activities they partnered with their Beta Epsilon sponsors.
The University of Arizona, Tucson, honored five members graduating from the College of Education. Graduates are Tay lor Marlowe Hall, Cynthia Dillman, Adriana Hernandez, Dela nie David and Marissa Romero. The club celebrated with sisters from Zeta, Omicron, Psi and Sigma chapters. The graduates were given books, scholarship money and gift cards. AZ State President Krisit Koziol came from Phoenix for the celebration.
The challenge facing Indiana State University A∆K Collegiate Club in 2020 was that all the charter members graduated. The pan demic posed a recruiting problem in getting new members. The club has now gotten several new energetic members who attended the last two events of the semester, submitted their applications and are ready for initiation in the fall of 2022. Plans are under way for recruiting events, activities, meetings and altruistic projects. February was the first 2022 meeting. Members discussed with prospective members how to apply for Alpha Delta Kappa Collegiate Club (A∆KCC) and learned about Universal Design for Education. Origami valentines were made. The Senior Celebration occurred in March. Golden Sister Barbara Lehman, IN Omicron, was recognized for 55 years of service to A∆K. Mem bers Melissa Nail and Nicholas Castelluccio were recognized for attending their first A∆K Indiana Convention. The club hosted a Paint Night for prospective members in April to learn more about the A∆KCC and to make new friends. The meetings in 2021 were on Zoom. The Edu Tech in April was a virtual conference centered around teaching and learning with technology. Two guest speakers discussed continuing in A∆K after college and shared tips and tricks for applying for their first teaching job. The first in-person meeting of 2021 was in October. Possible future members were introduced. In Decem ber the club members visited the Pioneer Village, toured the facility and learned about education in the 1840s. The club plans to volunteer there in the near future. An event called Dine and Donate focused on the mission of excellence in education. All meetings since then have been about recruiting new members.
Amelia died on October 14, 2011, at the age of 95. “She had spoken often of Alpha Delta Kappa and what a wonderful orga nization it is,” Terry said. “I have no immediate family, and I’m at the age where I need to write a will, so I inquired about leaving money to the A∆K Foundation in memory of Amelia.” Head quarters shared with him the options for honoring his mentor. “She loved your organization and this would make her so happy.”
KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022 19
By Judy Barnhill, TN Beta Zeta and 2023 International Convention Chaplain I suppose that from the time I started my career as an educator, my main goal was simply to “make a differ ence.” I know that many of you have that same goal. I once had a sixth-grade class member who was an aspir ing thespian. Hollie auditioned and got the lead role of Imogene in the local theater production of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!” She was so excited and invited me to attend the play. I went and cheered along with the crowd, as Hollie “brought the house down” in the star ring role. I didn’t think much about that until years later. Hollie is now a teacher, not an actress. She sent me a message not long ago and shared how much it meant to see her teacher in the audience. When she became a teacher, she vowed that she would make it a point to attend the extracurricular activities of her students because she knew personally how important it made her feel to have her teacher there to cheer her on. That simple act of support made a difference for Hollie, and now she makes a difference with her students as she goes the extra mile to attend plays, ballgames and all sorts of events that are important to her students. Think about it… you make a difference in so many ways, and many times your support is played (sic) for ward through the good works of your former students.
The Gifts of a Teacher Continues Interview by Betty Sherrod, KAPPAN staff “I was a low average student and had no real interest in school. I guess I did enough to get by,” Terry Moore starts the story of how one teacher changed his life. When Terry was a freshman in high school, his math teacher, Amelia Smith, gave him the boost that he desperately needed and made sure that he set a goal of going to col lege. “I had never received the top grade in any class.” Mrs. Smith knew how to reach Terry and inspire him. Terry got the highest grade in her class. “I figured if I could get the top grade in one class, I could get the top grade in my other classes.”
Play It Forward
Luckily, Mrs. Smith taught geometry too, and Terry was in her class the next year. “She lit a spark in me, and I joined the Future Teachers of America during my junior year.” Mrs. Smith shared with him the availability of scholarships. He applied for the Association of High School Women’s Scholarship and was awarded tuition and the cost of books at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. After graduation in 1971 with a degree in math and teaching, he came back to his alma mater where Mrs. Smith was the math department chairman to teach. “As a new teacher, I taught the lowest students and had no classroom of my own. I identified with these students as I had been there years ago.” Mrs. Smith helped with teaching tips and with getting sup plies. He taught at his former high school for 28 years. Over the years, they stayed in touch by phone and mail. She was living in Lakeland, FL, and was a member of FL Fidelis Rho.
SisterTales
Indiana State University Collegiate Club Continues to Grow
NEA Global Fellow Travels to Peru Belvey Russ, MD Beta, has been chosen as a 2022 National Education Association (NEA) Global Fellow. Fellows are chosen from educators around the country and engage in a year of profes sional development, learning to incorporate global competency into their classrooms.
The KAPPAN Congratulates
The year culminates in an international field study. The 2020 and 2022 fellows traveled to Peru this summer, visiting var ious parts of the country includ ing Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu. In Ollantaytambo, they participated in a service project for the Sacred Valley Project Dor mitory. The SVPD provides housing for indigenous girls who live in rural areas hours away from the nearest high school. Students live in the dorm and attend public schools in Ollantayt ambo. An additional dorm for high school graduates who want to continue with a college education is under construction.
Elizabeth grew up in Miami, AZ, and received her BS degree from Arizona State University and her MS from Northern Ari zona University. She was a science teacher for 15 years in Yuma School District 1. She was married to the late Robert Moody and is the mother of five sons and a daughter. She was very active in the 4-H organization and in her garden clubs. She loves gardening, native plants, and especially her roses. Over the years, she received numerous awards for her gardening and volunteerism.
Silver Sister Receives Award
Belvey, who is her chapter secretary, encourages all educators to apply for the NEA Global Fellow program. She says it is a life changing experience.
Belvey said her favorite part of the field study was meeting students at the Colegios de Alto Rendimiento, an International Baccalaureate high school that educates students from all over Peru. The students, faculty and staff welcomed the Fellows and gave them an overview of their education system.
Kristen Britt of TN Beta Theta received three awards at this year’s Metro Nashville Public Schools Teacher of the Year banquet. She received Teacher of the Year for her school, Cane Ridge Elementary, Antioch, TN. She was also awarded Teacher of the Year for the Elementary Tier, as well as the overall Teacher of the Year for Metro Nashville Public Schools. At the TN State convention this year, Krissi received the Mary Frances Scholarship. She is a Violet sis ter and secretary of her chapter.
Fidelis Zeta members say that they are blessed to have her as their sister and that she is an inspiration to all who know her.
20 KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022
Nancy Harrison and Dr. Jo Etta District,ElementaryCasaSuperintendentGonzalez,GrandeSchool
Happy Birthday, Elizabeth Elizabeth Moody celebrated turning 104 in May with her AZ Fidelis Zeta sisters. She has been a member of Alpha Delta Kappa for 47 years and was a charter member of AZ Alpha Kappa.
Teacher of the Year
Nancy taught 27 years in the Cur riculum Enrichment Program for Gifted and Talented. Before the school day started, she taught an advanced math class for fifth and sixth graders. Nancy has been a presenter of professional development workshops and worked for the Pinal County Edu cational Services Agency. She is a judge for math, science and oratorical contests and 4-H fairs. She continues to volunteer reg ularly in the schools and teaches students the “24” math game. She is also a member of the Mayor’s Reading Club. Nancy received the first Arizona Excellence in Education and Honoris Causa Awards. She is an active chapter member who has served as chapter president. She has held four offices on the state executive board, served twice on the International Educational Symposium Committee, was Southwest Region Historian and is presently serving as the International Archives Chairman. Con gratulations to Nancy.
Silver Sister Nancy Harrison, AZ Iota, has received the Casa Grande Elementary District Lifetime Achieve ment Award. Only one of these awards is given out each year. Every elementary school teacher in the district is a candi date for the award.
Ann began teaching in 1979 and retired in 2012. She says it’s great to have taught over five decades, having taught at North Middle School in Portage for 13 years and then moving to Por tage Northern High School where she taught English and served as yearbook advisor for the next 20 years. She required her graduat ing seniors to write letters to two people who influenced their lives. She said that when the students received letters thanking them for their kind words, they could see and understand the power of the written word. Keeping in touch with her students, she says that “the students and staff at the Portage Public Schools have shaped my future. I thank each one of them for touching my life.”
Deb VanAntwerp, 2022-2021 Alpha president, was chosen by a Portage Northern High School graduating senior as his most significant educator. She was also honored as the significant educator of graduating seniors in the International Baccalaureate Diploma class.
Stephanie Wallace, NC Gamma Kappa, has received rec ognition for her management of a program to recruit and train future teachers at East Forsyth High School in Winston-Salem, NC. In this statewide program, the cadets learn about the ins and outs and ups and downs teachers encounter everyday.
Laura Lyster received the Silver Beaver Award from the Michi gan Crossroads Council Boy Scouts. The award is presented by the National Court of Honor and given to Scouts of exceptional char acter who have contributed distin guished service within a council and have made an impact on the lives of youth through their service.
Cadets Learn the Ins and Outs of Teaching
KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022 21
Teacher Cadet Program has drawn attention at both the national and local levels. NEA president Becky Pringle and Forsyth School Superintendent Tricia McManus recently attended a series of round table discussions at East Forsyth to hear directly from Stephanie and additional staff about the pro gram. Others in attendance included current and former cadets who related how the program works and how it has benefited them. The program is now being used in three of the district high schools and will spread to more next year. Superintendent McManus praised the program and said she hopes to see it in all North Carolina high schools by the 2023-24 school year.
Stephanie is a Violet Sister. Stephanie says she is “passionate about growing our own teachers.” Proof that she has done so is reflected in the 266 cadets who have successfully completed the program in the past 20 years at East Forsyth. Of that number, 180 are now teach ing in North Carolina. Stephanie also gives of her time to train other teachers in the state who are initiating the program where theyTheteach.NC
Well Deserved Recognition for MI Alpha Sisters
Ann Lamble was awarded the 2022 Spotlight Award for “excel lence in teaching and in enhanc ing education for students, staff and community” by the Portage Education Foundation.
Sister Honored Linda Hammond, a 38-year member of NE Sigma, was inducted into the Norfolk Catholic Hall of Fame recently. Pic tured are Linda, her husband Mike and their children, Pat and Christine. Linda taught for 35 years at Norfolk Catholic and continues to be a substitute teacher there.
Three MI Alpha Sisters have been recognized for their work with students and their contributions to their communities.
Laura began her love of scouting in 1962 as a Brownie in Kalamazoo, MI. She took leadership positions in the Cub Scout program in 1985 and shared the journey with her four sons, as each achieved the rank of Eagle. Laura was a Cub Den Leader and Webelos Leader, Pathfinder District Roundtable Commissioner and District Training Chair. She was a Camp Director and Pro gram Director for Day Camps in MI, Cleveland, OH and Camp Buffalo Bill in Cody, WY. Currently, Laura serves as District Com missioner in Pathfinder District and Den Leader in Cub Scout Pack 3024 in Lakeshore District. She is the Pathfinder District Day Camp Director and currently is sharing the Scout journey with her grandson, who is starting his Webelos year.
Women who Inspire - giving encouragement and support to both students and colleagues; offering the gift of membership to outstanding women educators; sharing their knowledge and exper tise through programs and workshops; offering so generously of their time and resources to communities both near and far.
You, my sister, are one of these women! I hope during this month set aside to remember our Founders, that you also remem ber and celebrate how you, your chapter, S/P/N and region con tinue to work to uphold and build on their vision! Happy Found ers’ Month!WithAlpha Delta Kappa love and appreciation, Barb Barbara is a member of NM Gamma. She has served Alpha Delta Kappa in a variety of positions and is currently a member of the AΔK Foundation Board.
October Is the Time to Honor Our Founders Words From the Past Still Speak Today
A∆K 22 KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022
t’s that time of year when chapters plan special activities and events to honor the Founders and to bring special recogni tion to members and to the education profession in general. October is Alpha Delta Kappa Month. In 1975, the second week in October was declared Alpha Delta Kappa week with the focus on sharing the purpose and goals of the organization with the community. In 1991, it was decided that one week was not enough and the entire month of October was then designated as A∆KChaptersmonth. celebrate in a variety of ways from parties to carrying out special altruistic projects. Betty Sherrod, KAPPAN staff mem ber, asked chapters how they marked the important month. MS Alpha Delta Chapter will meet with Chi Chapter. Chi will be the host chapter this year. There will be a speaker and a Found ers’ Day program. The altruistic project will be toys for LeBonheur Children’s Hospital again this year, according to Sarah Perkins, MS Alpha“MyDelta.chapter, AR Alpha Epsilon, rotates with other chapters in my district to be the host and make dinner and program plans for the three chapters in our district. This past year, I found out most AR chapters were not planning to do anything because of COVID19. I was planning a Zoom program for our chapter with the lead ers and thought why don’t we invite all Arkansas members? We used the S’more app and invited sisters from other states to help with the program. Pam Coyne, “Miss Violet,” made a video visit, and Charlene Lauria of the International Executive Board brought us a program about Alpha Delta Kappa history, highlighting Arkansas’s history with Alpha Delta Kappa. Almost sixty members attended. "It was great,” said Rachel Shankles, IVP South Central Region. Manitoba sisters often hold a joint Founders' Day, according to Sheila Stark, Manitoba Zeta. “We get the opportunity to cel ebrate together with our chapters Beta, Delta and Zeta. It is always memorable and packed full of fellowship, fun and food. Our other chapters do other things within their own areas to promote A∆K throughout the month. Many arrange special baskets of goodies with information about A∆K and put them in the school staff bathrooms or staff rooms. They also put small treats and personal invitations in school mailboxes and have conversations with potential members.”GAPhicelebrates
In 2015 when Barbara Stanfield was chairman of the Inter national Executive Board, she sent this letter to the membership at the beginning of Alpha Delta Kappa month. It is as true today as it was then.
Women who Embrace - the joys of developing true sisterhood at all levels; the mantle and responsibility of leadership at the chap ter, S/P/N and International levels as they are able; new challenges in education and moving Alpha Delta Kappa forward to meet the needs of today’s educators; opportunities to further the purposes of Alpha Delta Kappa and extend our impact in the world.
I
Dear Alpha Delta Kappa Sister, I am grateful and proud to be a member of this great organization which, from day one, has been an organization of:
Women who Achieve Through Excellence - learning from leadership, professional and personal enrichment workshops; pro viding, as well as taking advantage of, scholarships for continued education; planning, presenting and facilitating quality classroom instruction, school leadership, meetings, programs, conferences and conventions to enhance the lives of our members and their students, providing altruistic support for people we know and peo ple we will never meet.
A∆K Month by visiting elementary and sec ondary schools to provide teachers with snacks, pamphlets about A∆K and the chapter’s meeting schedule. Members also provide information so teachers can contact them. “We invite the Teacher of the Year from those schools to our meetings,” said Cassandra Watkins, GA Phi. Elaine Williams, KY Kappa in Owensboro, KY, shared that they will be celebrating A∆K Month by hosting an Ice Cream Bar for her chapter. “We haven’t worked out our Founder’s Day Program yet, but there are many to choose from on our International website,” stated Elaine.
(L to R) MS Iota President Teresa Walker presents a check at the chapter’s end-of-the-year dinner to Kaitlyn Fairley, recipient of their 2022 education scholarship as Scholarship Chairman Lisa Jenkins looks on. Kaitlyn, a student at the University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS is the daughter of Iota member, Brandy Fairley. Attendees at the dinner also contributed to the Longest Day.
Building Futures, a San Leandro, CA organization, started as an overnight refuge for women and children in 1986. Since then, it has expanded its services to create a safe house, Sister Me Home, for homeless women dealing with domestic violence, as well as a second shelter and an outreach and warming shelter, Welcome Home San Leandro, which offers permanent housing and supportive services for disabled, chronically homeless resi dents. Building Futures has grown over the years in both offer ing resources and collaborating with other organizations, includ ing cities, Alameda County, faith groups, individuals and service organizations. Alpha Delta Kappa’s long-term support of Build ing Futures is an example of such a collaboration.
IL Alpha IL Alpha sisters gathered outside the Woodlawn Farm Museum, an Underground Railroad (UGRR) site near Jackson ville, IL. The members toured the 1840-era home and learned from Mr. Wilson, a member of the Morgan County Historical Society UGRR Committee, about the history of Cattle Baron Michael Huffaker, his family who lived in the house and the Underground Railroad activities that took place there.
RI State Convention Two local agencies were the recipients of contributions by Rhode Island members at the state’s convention. Checks were presented to the Cumberland School Volunteers and the North ern RI Boys and Girls Club for their programs. The Volunteers distribute books to elementary students as part of the Reading Is Fundamental program. The state dinner was held at the Cumberland Diamond Hill Vineyard. Joyce McAloon, IVP Northeast Region, presented cre ative ideas for interesting potential members, and sisters shared ways to implement the ideas in their chapters.
A∆K
CA Alpha Building Futures staff member Meron Sherifaw (left), Alpha President Laura Courtney (center) and Altruistic Chair Allison Hall (right) are pictured during Alpha’s delivery of Move-In Kit items to Building Futures for a newly housed family. Sisters donated a generous amount of bedding, bathroom cleaning, and kitchen supplies to pro vide a good start. They are pre paring for a second donation. Annually, Alpha chap ter has donated $500. Mem bers have given checks, gift cards, Halloween costumes, holiday items, toiletries, clothing and BART tickets. The past two years, the chapter has participated in Building Futures’ “Dinner Dona tion” program. Sisters contributed dinner items to their altruistic chairman, who delivered a wholesome meal for 30 clients housed in a local Building Futures shelter. Most of these programs were funded by member donations.
KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022 23
Three charter members were honored earlier this year at the fifitieth anniversary celebration of CA Gamma Eta. State Pres ident Sara Cooper recognized Nancy Turner, Julie McKee and Mary Holmes for their half-century of membership. Copresidents Ellen Sabie and Marsha Clay brook presided over the celebrtion attended by several found ing members and chapter past presidents.
CA Gamma Eta
Dr. Karen Obsniuk, Dean of Students at Madonna, helped the members make their selections. In the past, the chapter focused on assisting high school students interested in majoring in educa tion.
L to R Front Row: Troy Rosemary and Hayley Trimmer with Kate Reader, Kim Eckart and Bill Reader; Middle Row: Jeanine Van Tassel, Anne Dame, Lynn Holmes, Sue Renhard, Kim Haff, Geralyn Shreve, Pearl Noreen, Donna Reynolds, Cathy Petersen, Nancy Parle, Mary Jo Heller; Back Row: Karen Mikolasy, Karen Novstrup, Krist Sharpe.
The Canadian travelers found that no matter where you travel and who you meet, A∆K connections are strong. It is won derful to meet people that you have heard of, or perhaps seen on Zoom, or maybe even do not know at all. A∆K sisters are always willing to “Share The Love” no matter where they live.
Beta Scholarship Awarded IL Beta sisters recently awarded a $500 scholarship to graduating senior, Reece Snowden. The schol arship was established to provide financial assistance to graduates of Havana High School who have been accepted at an accredited junior col lege, four-year college or a technical school for the year following gradu ation. IL Beta sisters raised funds for the scholarship by selling tickets for a “Family Fun” basket filled with snacks and games. Pictured are Beta Co-President Vicki Bonnett, Reece Snowden and Beta CoPresident Pam Snider.
When Past Ontario President Elizabeth McQueen traveled to Rock Springs, WY, to visit her family, her Psi sister Margaret Tedder connected her with Susan Magnuson, WY Epsilon. Mar garet had met Susan on an ITE Committee. Susan was tour guide for Elizabeth, introducing her to many Rock Springs delights, such as The Coal Train Coffee Depot and Sidekicks Bookstore Wine Bar. Current WY President Joy Christain shared in the sis terlyWhenfun.
Two charter members of NC Beta Tau, Bebe Briggs and Kitty Kuzminski, were recognized and presented their Golden Sister cer tificates at the chapter’s Golden Anniversary celebration this spring. Bebe Briggs, left, and Kitty Kuzminski, right, received expres sions of gratitude for starting the chapter. Both Bebe and Kitty have given much of their talents and time serving in almost every chapter office and on various commit tees. Kitty was NC State President in 1986-1988 and was awarded membership in the North Carolina Hall of Fame in 2010. Four high school seniors were given scholarships at the event. The recipients who received funds to help with college expenses were Luke O’Donnell, Sarah Holder, Madison Bryant and Mor gan Britton. “Beta Tau takes great pride in multiple altruistic projects, but our greatest source of pride is the money that is raised from monthly auctions enabling us to award scholarships to local high school seniors,” said Laura Younts, chapter secretary.
The event was held at the Bethesda Prebysterian church in Aberdeen, NC with dinner catered by Reggie Long. The celebra tion ended with the installation of officers for 2022-2024.
current Ontario President Marg Nieradka spent six weeks in Australia visiting her daughter and meeting her grand son for the first time, she met up with A∆K Sustaining Sister Julie Ditton in Brisbane. Marg said it was good to see Julie in person after two years of Zooming.
Ontario Sisters Sharing International Love for AΔK Ontario Canada sisters have been on the move and finding lots of International connections.
MI Theta MI Theta recently awarded five scholarships from the chapter’s Edith Robb Foundation to students at Madonna University, Livonia, MI, who were in the process of completing their student teaching contracts.
Beta Tau Chapter was organized by Beta Zeta, the other Alpha Delta Kappa Chapter in Moore County, and was chartered on July 10, 1971 with 17 charter members. This chapter currently has 23 women educators with some retired and some still actively teaching.
24 KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022
Theta President Marylyn Cantrell said, “It gave our chapter a feeling of accomplishment in that we were able to support and encourage new teachers as they begin their chosen careers.”
NC Beta Tau Sisters Celebrate Golden Anniversary
A∆K
WA Alpha Delta Scholarship
Members of WA Alpha Delta pose with the chapter’s lat est scholarship winners and their parents. Kathryn Reader from Shorecrest High School and Hayey Trimmer of Shorewood High School each received $1,000.
A∆K
OH Psi Celebrates 60 Years of Sisterhood OH Psi chapter celebrated its 60th anniversary in May at Downtown ReEVENTed in Fostoria, OH. Nineteen members were present, as well as OH State Historian Deb Weagley, and Paula Wozniak, Northwest District Chairperson-elect. OH Psi was formed on May 6, 1962 when fifteen members were pledged and initiated by members of two Toledo, OH chap ters.For the celebration, the room was decorated in A∆K colors with centerpieces of purple violets in tea cups and table favors of area specialty chocolates encased in tulle and ribbon of appropriate colors. Program booklets recording the history of the group were placed at each setting and listed altruism, fundraising and projects from the past, including pictures and a biography of eachAmember.Founders’ Day candlelight ceremony and short speeches recounting the chapter’s founding followed the dinner and memorialized the special people who made the chapter possible. Each attendee told a short story about an experience during her teaching years that she will never forget and made a statement about A∆K in her life. The meeting ended with a raffle fundraiser for altruism.Psi’sprojects for the past year included six $1,000 scholar ships to high school seniors, goody bags of teaching supplies for new teachers, feeding a needy family monthly, giving hats and mittens to local students, contributing to the state scholarship program, providing Christmas gifts for children, presenting two classroom grants for teachers, donating to help the people of Ukraine and financial assistance for an ITE student. Fund raising to support these projects included selling Amish cheese, selling military banners to be hung on light poles around our town and recycling.
KS Sigma Celebrates 70 Years KS Sigma celebrated its 70th anniversary with a reception featuring a display of their original chapter banner along with displays honoring Omega sisters, altruistic projects, Sigma sisters honored in education and historian’s albums. A video history of the chapter was also available.
Jody expressed her appreciation for being chosen for honorary membership and applauded the worldwide altruistic efforts of A∆K. Honorary Member for Tennessee Alpha Delta Kappa
Rev. Tiger Pennington, First Baptist Church Pastor, welcomed current and former members, representatives from International, South Central Region and state officers and chairpersons, represen tatives from local and state organizations Sigma supports through altruistic projects, and other guests. Each was treated to handmade decorated cookies and special handmade favor boxes.
Jody Todd was initiated as an honorary member of TN Alpha Delta Kappa at the recent Tennessee Leadership Training event for chapter officers and members. Jody is a graphic designer and currently the Director of Marketing and Communication for a local church in Middle Tennessee. She was instrumental in helping to create the logos of the state presidents in the pic ture at right. Jody also assisted the 2017-19 International Mem bership Committee in preparing the digital presentation for the regional conferences when all conferences were online due to the pandemic.
KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022 25
Sigma President Therese Payne presented memento boxes and a 35-year charm to Sapphire Sisters Janet Radcliffe and Lila Reekie for their years of membership and service to the chapter. A Silver Sister memento box was given to Barbara Engel. Two recent retirees, Brenda Wigger and Gerry Coffman, were pre sented with bouquets for their years of service in education.
President Sigel cited Sigma specifically as being one of the sponsors of the Franklin County Literature Festival, which was started in the early 1990’s by the late Gerry Getty, a Sigma sis ter. Donations to Michelle Graf, Coordinator for Ottawa Hope House Food pantry, Denise Cunningham, Representative for Volunteer Services of Colmery-O’Neil VA Hospital in Topeka, KS, and to LifeCare Center, a parent and pregnancy resource center in Ottawa were also acknowledged.
Past KS A∆K State President, now SCR Treasurer, Cheryl Sigel addressed Sigma sisters and guests with words of thanks and apprecia tion for Sigma’s years of service to the commu nity and A∆K state and International programs through altruistic contributions and proj ects.
Having a sunset toast to mark the end of The Longest Day
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Participating on a team with intentional rowing for family/ friends affected by Alzheimer’s
Board 26 KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022
• St. Jude Walk/Run – The website has a list of in-person locations in September or plans for a virtual walk/run. Create an A∆K team and have fun raising funds.
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• Brighten the day for a St. Jude patient by making a free online card on the St. Jude web site using artwork inspired by St. Jude patients. School fundraisers and activities:
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Walking and running in neighborhoods, fitness trails and parks
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• Trike-A-Thon teaches trike and riding toy safety for preschool and daycare children.
Conducting Facebook fundraisers
Painting door decorations
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The combined donations of the A∆K 94 teams and the 385 member participants brought the grand total of this year’s fundraisers for the Alzheimer’s Association The Longest Day event to $196,069.96 as of June 30, according to A∆K Foun dation Chairman Sandy Wolfe. This is $91,000 over the goal set for the 2022 campaign.
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Making lacing cards as occupational therapy gifts for nursing home ALZ patients
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• St. Jude EPIC Challenge helps K-8 stu dents research, create, and present an inven tion or idea that would improve life for kids like those at St. Jude. A variety of fundraisers can be created for high school and college stu Sportsdents. and fitness fundraisers include:
Playing Bunco, Bingo, board games and card games with sisters, family, and friends
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Touring museums and gardens Going out for lunch or dinners with sisters
Enjoying cookouts, covered dish suppers, fire pits and s’mores
Creative ideas for activities and fundraising were shared on A∆K CONNECT and on the S/P/N and International Facebook pages. Fundraising events, ideas and donations included:
Virtual chair yoga for members across the state
Wearing a Longest Day shirt while working out at the gym, collecting donations and sharing information
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A∆K Foundation Chairman Florida
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Making and delivering cheer baskets to a nursing home
If you have other ways you raised money for The Longest Day, share them in the Alzheimer’s Community on A∆K CONNECT.
Longest Day Donations Go Over the Top
Helping St. Jude
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Since St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital was chosen as A∆K’s first International Altruistic Project in 1981, members have raised $2.1 million for the hospital whose mission is to advance cures and means of prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Here are a few ways members and chapters can get involved:
Be sure to check out the list of wonderful ideas before you begin planning for the 2023 Longest Day.
Selling members’ artwork and birdseed wreaths at a summer street fair
• St. Jude Math-A-Thon helps K-8 students refine academic skills while teaching they have the power to help others.
By Sandy Wolfe, State Executive
Creating unique gift baskets that were raffled at a local farm market
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Walking dogs Making cheery cards for a memory care facility Going to a movie as a chapter Longest Day activity Working in the garden in memory of a family member
• St Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend and Race as a St. Jude Hero are other events to consider. Special holiday campaigns include Thanks and Giving and Valen tine’s Day. How to contribute At the International Convention in 2013, delegates chose both the Alzheimer’s Association and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as International Altruistic projects. Donations can be made to both organizations on the International website at Foun dation/Donation.AlphaDeltaKappa’s focus on altruism makes us such a special organization. We reach out, lend a helping hand and make a differ ence in our local communities and around the world. Thank you for all that you do with love.
Hiking in S/P/N parks and wildlife pre Making spaghetti and serving lunch to 100 campers Selling baked goods and holding yard sales
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MI Alpha members (l to r) Judy Brandt, Deb VanAnt werp, Judy McGowan, Beverly Parsons, Doreen Thomas, Cynthia Addison, Maggie Hills and Sue Phillips met for coffee and shared their personal experiences with Alzheimer’s patients and their hopes for the research in early detection and quality of care as the chapter’s The Longest Day activity. Beverly Parsons, chap ter recording secretary, reported that the chapter was excited to register their team and to donate to the grand total raised by Alpha Delta Kappa.
TLD Ontario Walk for ALZ Ontario A∆K continued to Walk for Alzheimer’s virtually due to ongoing COVID-19 health concerns and the conflict of the walk date with their Ontario Convention. Chapter members were asked to track their steps throughout the month of May and to register as a fundraising team on the official website. Four chapters – Lambda, Upsilon, Xi and Psi – stepped up with some pretty serious steps logged during the month. They walked an impressive total of 6,746,180 steps. That’s about 28 steps for each of the 240,000 people in Ontario who are living with Alzheimer’s. Lambda, Psi and Upsilon actively raised funds on the IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s website. These three chapters, with support from members from other Ontario chapters, raised $5,433.00. This amount truly represented “Sis ters in Synergy” and the great work we do together.
KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022 27
Continued on pg. 28 CA Beta Xi members said their farewells to ITE student Trang Hoang at the chapter’s Longest Day event. Trang returned to Vietnam in August. Mem bers presented her with flowers and a gift card. (L to R ) Linda Guitron, Trang Hoang, Shirley Perkins, Clare Watsky and Kendra Langer.
Members of the Florida State Executive Board show the lan terns they painted as their Longest Day activity. FL State Presi dent Liz Lilly’s theme, “Shining the Light,” was the inspiration for the activity. The board held their biennium work week at the Alpha Delta Kappa Scholarship House on the Florida State Uni versity
KScampus.BetaEpsilon
members show the fidget aprons they designed and made as their Longest Day Activity. The aprons are used in care facilities for relieving anxiety in dementia resi dents. Beta Epsilon sisters also decorated aprons on the Martin Luther King Day of Service. The aprons were donated to a local care facility.
Rowing in the Sun’s Radiance
Joyce Arnold, Beth Witiw, Carolyn Fletcher, Sandy Perenchio, Wendy Henderson, Debbie Jones, Sheri Ogilvie, Shelley Harding, Lisa Stix and Susan Cherry (in the purple shirt in front).
Article by Jessica L. Willis, AK State Co-President, member AK Alpha
28 KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022
The Longest Day, continued.
Sole Sisters Shine Light on the Longest Day
Jessica Willis and Helen Foster, AK State CoPresidents, prepare to offer refreshments to rowers.
When the winds are calm and it is sunny and 73 degrees, it easily feels like 80+ degrees in Anchorage, Alaska. The sun sits lower in the sky. It hits most of your torso. Your body soaks up the direct, radiant heat. You feel the sun’s energy. You hear the great outdoors calling. This was our amazing weather on the bright night of June 21, 2022, the longest day of the year. This was the night to row with intent. The Anchorage Rowing Association (ARA) crew rowed two mixed eights to support the AK Alpha Delta Kappa Forget-Me-Not team for The LongestOnDay.the evening of this very day – the day with the most hours of daylight and fewest hours of darkness of any day in the year – 18 women and men (8 rowers and a coxswain in each of the two boats) supported by their coaches, called out names of lives lost, of those living with, and those who care for individuals living with Alzheimer’s and other demen tias. They rowed with mindfulness, with purpose, with intent to let the radiant heat wash away the darkness. The radiant heat felt that evening was not only from the sun, but also from within the hearts of those rowing. Rowers rowed intentional tens for every name shared aloud: ten strokes for a loved one, a family member or dear friend, a neighbor, a co-worker, a fellow rower, who has been faced with dealing with the impact of Alzheimer’s or dementia. Rowers shared moments of silence, some tears and the sound of oars making puddles in our beloved Sand Lake. Their radiant energy from within glowed as bright as the night was Afterwards,long.
The Sole Sisters team from the WA Alpha Rho chapter took a five-mile hike on the Longest Day, raising $800 for the Alzheimer’s Association. Pictures (L to R) are the team members who gathered at Newcastle Beach Park and walked the Eastside Rail Corridor Trail. They enjoyed lunch in the park after their walk.
Manitoba Alpha Delta Kappa sisters from three chapters gathered this spring to take part in the IG Wealth Walk for Alzheimer’s at St.Vital Park in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The weather was perfect for taking part in the annual event once again. One of the members was unable to join the walk, so the walkers pinned her picture on their t-shirts and carried on.
sisters from the AK Alpha chapter provided fruit, sweet treats and beverages to show their gratitude and to celebrate the ARA team’s row for The Longest Day. Stories were shared. Memories were made. Activities ended with the feeling of being one row closer to finding a cure.
Altruism
NV ETA Sisters of Nevada Eta assisted teacher Joan Ring and other Agnes Risley Elementary School teachers and students when they recently took part in the Missoula Children’s Theater Project. The project gives students the opportunity to appear in live theater. The chapter provided the students with nutritious snacks, adult super vision and small group enrichment activities while students waited for their cues to go on stage. At the end of a week of rehearsals, the young actors took part in three performances. The gift of Eta’s “helping hands on deck” was truly appreciated, according to the performers.
“Around the world, members combine their energies and talents to enrich their lives and the lives of others through thousands of heart-warming community based altruistic projects. Because of these projects, it is a brighter day…” ~Alpha Delta Kappa Handbook on 30
Xi chapter has co-sponsored several art classes, art camp scholarships and art kits with the Alliance over the past several years. Sherri DeLaHunt is Xi President. CA Zeta CA Zeta awarded five scholarships to pre-service teachers at the chapter’s Grow the Green Tea. Nearly 140 guests attended the return of the scholarship tea after its two-year pandemic hia tus. The $7,000 raised at the event will enable the chapter to con tinue its scholarship program. One scholarship was given to a student at Long Beach City College and four were given to students at California State Univer sity, Long Beach (CSULB). The university scholarships were given in honor of Zeta members Cynthia Clark, Golden Sister Nancy Brock, Silver Sister Sharon Lazo-Nakamoto and in memory of Mary Ann Turley. Donors included Nancy Brock’s former chapter, Beta Rho, and the friends and family of Mary Ann Turley.
KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022 29
Continued
MN XI Minnesota Xi recently added The Crossing Arts Alli ance, a non-profit art center in Brain erd, MN, to their list of co-sponsorships. The sisters contributed to the Alliance’s May Creative Kit Giveaway for kids of all ages. The Alliance began giving away bags containing all the necessary supplies and instructions to create several projects in 2020 to “engage young artists and spread the joy of art to the community.” Four hundred bags are distributed monthly to anyone who wants “a little bit of creative fun and to show the many ways of being creative.” The May bags contained supplies to create a dreamcatcher, a stitchery project and a coloring sheet, among other items. The kit project is supported by donations from businesses and individuals.
pg.
MN Pi MN Pi had a very active altruistic schedule this past year, as reported by Diane Grigal, chapter historian. The members started out the school year by giving $50 to the chapter’s active teaching members. In October, they donated funds to eight ele mentary schools to purchase books with themes of diversity, while in November they sponsored a baby shower for Bundles of Love and in December gave book bags to the chapter’s activeon-leave and retired sisters. The chapter’s February project was a donation of clothing for school nurses to distribute to students, and in April they collected items for Stepping Stones Emergency Housing.
The chapter donation helped defray the cost of clothing for the students, who were required to wear specific conservative attire: a red blazer, a white buttondown shirt, black dress pants and black flats.
CO Alpha Iota Alpha Iota members responded to Colorado State President Joy Shaw’s 2022-2024 biennium theme “Trek to Mt. MO’JOY” by putting on their boots in support of two summer altruistic projects. Members unanimously approved an altruistic request to assist three Pueblo East High School students whose Chapter Service Project Portfolio earned them the right to advance to the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America’s National Leadership Conference in San Diego, CA, in late June.
Altruism, continued.
WV Upsilon WV Upsilon Co-President and Weimer Elementary School Principal Pamela Snead says, “If our students can’t come to us, we go to them.” And go to them the school staff and Upsi lon members did. They promoted summer reading to the children of St. Albans, WV, through the “Weimer on Wheels” program. Staff and A∆K volunteers met at the school to load boxes of books, snacks and drinks and knocked on doors, inviting parents and students to come and read. Each student received a new book, a bookmark, snack and a drink.
“Alpha Iota Chapter welcomed this opportunity to be a force for positive change in the lives of Pueblo’s youth,” said Mary Ellen Lopez, CO Alpha Iota Chapter Membership Chairman.
The trio, Natalie Shouse, Yasmin Benzor and Maisyn Jubic, were accompanied by East High School FCCA’s sponsor Janae Passalaqua, CO Alpha Iota member.
Another altruistic project helped underwrite tuition for two students to attend The Boys & Girls Club “The Great Outdoors Summer Camp,” which focused on the social and emotional competence that enables youth to succeed in school, in their per sonal lives and at work. The summer camp provided a variety of outdoor activities: hiking, nature walks, biking, kayaking, fish ing, birdwatching, soccer, swimming and more, while offering fun activities that alleviate potential learning loss.
30 KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022
ON Psi Ontario Psi’s event coordinator Margy Wilett, Mary Johnson and Linda O’Grady present a cheque for $2,550 to Food4Kids Pro gram ShannonCoordinatorHughes, on left. The organization feeds needy students during the week ends and holidays. Psi raised the funds through a dining experi ence at Rankin’s Family Restaurant, personal donations and vin tage jewelry sales. RI Alpha After contributing to their usual altruistic causes such as homeless shelters, a literacy center, Alzheimer’s research and Save the Children, as they do each biennium, RI Alpha sisters decided to do something different that they felt was just as worthy. They con tributed to Cards for Cubs, a proj ect sponsored by Bearly Arts. The project asks for homemade cards to be sent to children in foster care. Sisters also collected and donated the front of greeting cards to St. Jude Ranch, which has several programs for teens such as Housing Sibling Preservation. The cards are used for projects that help fund the organization. Sisters report that even though the participation was simple, it was very meaningful. WI Zeta WI Zeta assembles “period bags” for the Kenosha Urban Out reach Center. The chapter filled more than 33 bags with feminine hygiene products to be distrib uted at the center.
KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022 31 Margaret Anzevino Minnesota Alpha Alpha Marjory Armstrong New Mexico Iota Joan G. Asprakis Pennsylvania Gamma Arlyce C. Ausdemore Michigan Beta Iota Wilma D. Ball West Virginia Pi Phyllis Bastian Minnesota Alpha Alpha Paula R. Benningfield Idaho Sigma Carolyn F. Blean Arizona Alpha Epsilon Peggy Bohm California Beta Alpha Kathleen G. Brooks Texas Beta Carrie B. Bryant Washington Nu Shirley Christenson Minnesota Alpha Alpha Carolee Coppel Nebraska Xi Rose A. Daniel Idaho Zeta Margaret Dunaway Illinois Beta Zeta Kathryn Dunham ........................................................... Washington Beta Nancy Ellington Louisiana Alpha Kappa Sandra J. Ellis ............................................................ Illinois Alpha Kappa Jean Fox Tennessee Upsilon Beverly Gierhan................................................................... Nebraska Phi Lavina E. Glotfelty Iowa Upsilon Reba Hadley .................................................................. Indiana Omicron Peggie S. Harris Alabama Kappa Jeanne Harvey ........................................................................... Iowa Tau Mildred A. Hilliard Washington Pi Joyce E. Hudson ................................................................. Iowa Upsilon Donna Jeanne Hughes Illinois Xi Lois E. James ................................................... North Carolina Fidelis Tau Jean Johnson Texas Fidelis Nu Margie J. Jones .................................................. North Carolina Fidelis Xi Shirley P. Jordan Mississippi Delta Mary A. Kaiser ................................................................ Indiana Alpha Pi Carol K. Kimmel Illinois Sustaining Patricia J. King Florida Theta Jenelle Kizziah Florida Fidelis Nu Joan R. Klass New Jersey Kappa Dolores Krasicky Michigan Beta Nu Mary F. Lail North Carolina Alpha Eta Mary M. Larson Minnesota Alpha Lambda Laurel Long Florida Omicron Cathy Inez Lucero New Mexico Delta Jayne A. McNeill Illinois Beta Zeta Donna H. Miller Illinois Sigma Harriet P. Miller Kansas Sustaining Rose M. Morgan Jamaica Delta Carolyn Morris Kansas Alpha Gamma Ruth B. Mundy North Carolina Alpha Eta Judith M. Neill Texas Gamma Sigma Carolyn J. Nicholson Illinois Sustaining Beverly A. Ochsner California Alpha Alpha Geraldine Osborne California Alpha Barbara L. Pond Virginia Alpha Lambda Joanne L. Rowley .......................................................... Pennsylvania Mu Harriet M. Schwartz New Jersey Mu Yvonne Segerlind ............................................... Florida Gamma Omicron Barbara A. Sherrill Kansas Sustaining Alma E. Shufflebarger......................................................... Indiana Sigma Barbara Slatton Alabama Alpha Chi Geraldine Trostel ..................................................... Texas Gamma Sigma Allison Turnage North Carolina Alpha Nu Norma T. Turner .......................................................... Kansas Sustaining Joan C. Van Note New Jersey Alpha Alpha Marilyn J. Willenbrink ........................................... Kentucky Alpha Kappa Ruth Wingard Dyer Alabama Sustaining Janice M. Wolfe ....................................................South Carolina Upsilon Omega Chapter MEMBERS ADDED SINCE LAST ISSUE Ω
Georgine Collette says, “Our sisters love to stay connected in the summer, and our variety of activities reaches different sisters at different times.” OH Lambda chapter holds happy hours, eats lunches in the park, walks in the Park of Roses, has a Bingo Day for The Longest Day, collects school supplies for St. Vincent’s and packs backpacks to continue their altruistic work.
MN Alpha Rho member Diana Vasicek said that before COVID-19, her chapter held social gatherings or took bus tours. She described most of their events as “wonderful.”
Ann McCarthy’s CA Alpha Lambda chapter holds an annual picnic in July. Sisters gather at a local park shaded by large oak trees and reconnect over sandwiches and cookies. They use it as a time to gather cash donations or school supplies for the Back to School backpack drive run through their local Community Ser vices Agency. They are proud to have helped many students over the years with necessary items as they head back to school.
Audra Burks, NC Alpha Zeta Chapter President I was working in a classroom for autistic teens. One of my students became upset when I entered the room. I’d been with him in that classroom for weeks, so I didn’t know why he was upset. When I approached him, he grabbed my “new red glasses” and suddenly calmed down. I guess he found me behind the glasses.
How I Spent
Ruth Shushan, ON Upsilon, recounted that in pre-pandemic years, they went on a memorable road trip/theater excursion to Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake. They met for an overnight at a member’s cottage or went out for a summer dinner on a restau rant patio. “It takes imagination, initiative and love of our sisters to organize summer get-togethers,” Ruth emphasized.
Judith Yankus, FL Alpha Alpha, said that many sisters travel, and it can be a challenge just knowing where sisters are during the summer. However, they do meet for lunch, phone each other, text, send cards, and hold board meetings in August.
DE Eta sisters meet for a happy hour and dinner at a local restaurant. The agenda for the evening is to finalize travel plans for either the regional conference or International convention. Later in the summer, they meet around one sister’s pool for a luncheon, where they plan their fall fundraiser. Sally Fraticelli says these gatherings keep sisters connected. And while schedules may challenge some members, leaders share whatever was discussed through emails to keep everyone well informed.
Sue Pelchat, KAPPAN Staff, CT Mu with thanks to our con tributors. My Summer Vacation A∆K Style Only in a math problem wouldsomeone buy 60 cantaloupeswithout someone “Why?”asking, I have curly hair. While writing notes on those old rolls of acetate on the overhead projector, a curl kept fall ing across my forehead. One of my ninth grade science students said, “There was a little girl, who had a little curl, right in the middle of her forehead.” Then, another said, “When she was good, she was very, very good.” And then the whole class said, “But when she was bad, she was horrid!” We all just laughed and laughed!
The Kindergarten teachers were excited when I told them I had bought them an Elmo. I was excited that they were happy. The Elmo I bought them was the document camera. They thought I had bought them a red stuffed animal for the students to play with.
MD Omicron sisters hold paint events in local parks and church social halls, reported Marjorie Scott. “It’s a challenge to involve all sisters, but we have fun while providing a creative com munity activity and raising funds for altruism.”
Homeroom Humor
The ubiquitous back-to-school essay topic will be no chal lenge for many of our Alpha Delta Kappa members. They will have plenty to write about come the fall. Sisters share chapter activities that make their summers special.
There’s no rule that says chapters may hold only nine meetings each year or that they must hold all meetings during the school year. So, why not consider organizing an altruistic event or a purely social activity for your sisters this summer?
Anne Auschwitz, OK Chi Chapter President, OK State Secretary
Sarah Perkins, MS Alpha Delta, and her chapter sisters spend a day out together each summer. They are fortunate that they all live within ten miles of each other. Most of the sisters go on an outing whose destination varies but appeals to all. Whether for a pleasant meal or to visit a special place, like a pottery factory, the outing cre ates a memorable summer A∆K experience.
32 KAPPAN • SEPTEMBER 2022
Barbara Burchard, AL Alpha Iota Chapter President
Alpha Delta Kappa extends this courtesy only to the Past Inter national Presidents and Past International Executive Board Chair men for their service to the organization. At present, Headquarters does not have complete records of all past S/P/N presidents.
The deadline for submitting applications for regional and International officers is October 1, 2022 at 11:59 P.M. CDT.
Results of Resolution Two Feasibility Study
The “Call for Candidates and Eligibility Requirements” and a sample application are in the Resource Library under the Inter national Officers tab/ International Documents and Forms. New officers will be installed at the International Conven tion in Kansas City in July of 2023.
At the June 29, 2022 Zoom meeting of the IEB, the com mittee’s recommendation was accepted and approved by the entire International Executive Board.
On the Resolution Two Committee were Mary Ann Gerdes, chairman, Charlene Lauria and Kim Matthias, IEB members and Annie Griffin, Executive Assistant and Events Coordinator.
Deadline for Officer Applications Nears
“Serving at the regional and International levels is most rewarding; being able to meet sisters from chapters across our organization, to listen and learn from them is one of the highlights of my life.”
~ President Mollie
The offices are: International President Elect, Four-Year Member of the International Executive Board, International Vice President for Membership, Two-Year Member of the Inter national Executive Board, Regional President of the North Cen tral Region, Regional President of the South Central Region, Regional President-Elect for each region, Regional Vice President for Membership for each region.
The forms are available on the Alpha Delta Kappa website, according to Candidate Qualifications Committee Chairman Sherry Sublett. Application must be made online.
The current presidents-elect of the North and South Central Regions were appointed Regional President-Elect and must be elected as Regional Presidents.
Delegates to the 2021 Virtual International Convention voted to have the International Executive Board (IEB) “study the feasi bility of adding Past State/Provincial/National (S/P/N) Presidents as voting delegates at International Conventions.” The resolution was put forth by the Tennessee Executive Board. A committee was established in August 2021, and over a ten-month period, this group of three current IEB members and a member of Interna tional Headquarters staff researched the practices and policies of various fraternal, professional and business organizations, as well as received input from past and present Alpha Delta Kappa leaders. The committee recommended that this practice not be extended to the past S/P/N presidents. The rationale for this was: Research from other organizations and leaders contacted does not support granting past S/P/N presidents the privilege of a perpetual vote, as no evidence of this practice was found.
SEPTEMBER ................. S/P/N and Chapter Treasurer HispanicemailedinformationfromHQHeritageMonth September 5 .............................................................................Labor Day September 6 .................................................................. Read a Book Day September 15 Classroom Grant application deadline Educational Symposium proposals deadline September 16 ............................................... Mexican Independence Day September 20 ............. S/P/N Membership Consultant CNA checklist to RMC deadline September 22 ................................................................ Autumn Equinox September 23 Native American Day September 25 ...................................................................Rosh Hashanah OCTOBER .............................................. Alpha Delta Kappa Month October 1 ................... KAPPAN submissions deadline (December issue) Applications for Regional and International Office deadline Chapter Yearbook to S/P/N president October 4 ............................................................................. Yom Kippur October 5 ................................................................ World Teachers Day October 9 ..................................................................................... Sukkot October 10 Canadian IndigenousThanksgivingPeoplesDay October 15 ...................................... Chapter Needs Assessment deadline Proposals for Bylaws Amendments and Resolutions to chairmanappropriatedeadline S/P/N Bylaws or S/P/N Official Policy Statement to the International Bylaws Chairman deadline Deadline to submit proposals for the next Int'l Altruistic Project Regional Mini-Scholarship deadline 990-N E-Postcard deadline October 22 .......................................................... Make a Difference Day October 31 NovemberNOVEMBER.............................................................................Halloween1....VolunteerapplicationsforInternationalCommitteesandInternationalConventionCommitteesdeadlineDiadelosMuertosNovember11.......................................................................VeteransDayNovember15..................................................InnovationGrantdeadlineNovember24......................................................................Thanksgiving A∆K Dates and Deadlines
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