DKG's Future

Sarah Sladek
Author and CEO of XYZ University

Sarah Sladek, CEO of XYZ University, and author of several books including, The End Of Membership As We Know It, will be the opening keynote speaker at the 2014 international convention in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Monday, July 28, 2014.

 Sladek says, " For 85 years DKG has proudly served women educators and impacted education worldwide. The 2014 international convention is a perfect occasion to celebrate DKG's success and also an opportunity to explore and plan for its future."

An expert on demographic and marketplace shifts and the impact of both shifts on membership associations, she will provide valuable insight into the present and future opportunities for DKG.

Get ready to become more knowledgeable of the impact of generational differences on our organization, and definitely to be inspired!

One Spark Ignites a Fire!

Rachel Wear, (left) Arizona State Organization President, installs
daughter, Darby Downs as president of Alpha Rho Chapter.

Darby Downs will have her baby July 2, 2014. Her mother, Rachel Wear is the state organization president of Arizona. 

In an email to Heidi Chadwick, Southwest Regional Director and the Society Rep to Arizona, Rachel shared, "We are all getting excited.  It is going to be a girl. I recently had the privilege of installing Darby as Alpha Rho (our chapter) president, at our chapter May Breakfast. It made me cry, and then to think that the little angel inside her tummy could one day be a DKG member and be installed by her mother - what a dreamer I am, huh? "

Wear went on to say, "We installed new officers at that meeting -  five out of seven are young active educators.  How cool is that?  Darby can get a great deal of credit for this happening.  See, as we all keep saying,  it just takes that one spark to ignite the fire in these chapters."

Listen to Leroy!

Leroy, the Leadership Guy

Margaret Church, North Carolina, is a faithful follower of our tweets, blogs, emails, newsletters, etc. She  submitted the following for posting on my blog.

"In my chapter, and as part of the state organization leadership committee, we provide leadership tips through a third person, Leroy, the Leadership Guy.  At our upcoming state convention, Leroy will be there with various sayings provided by members of the leadership committee.  On the back side of his sign will be a QR code that will take you to his website that has been created by chapter president, Sherry Willis.  The website address is www.leroytheleadershipguy.weebly.com 

 

He has some painted on clothes but also some clothes a member of my church made for him. Leroy will not only add some humor but his tips will make people stop and think   “I can’t do everything but I can do one thing.” 

 

We purchased the rights for this character from Shutterstock to ensure that we did not violate any copyright laws. I may post it 250,000 times with my license and I am happy to post it via your blog." 

Pat Taylor, North Carolina State Organization President, reported, "The impact of Leroy the Leadership Guy, a brainchild of our own Margaret Church and the Eta State Leadership Development Committee, has been creative and refreshing in helping members to take a look at the many facets of leadership through the eyes of "Leroy." The quotes and advice from this little guy have been shared in state and chapter newsletters as well in my presentations throughout the state.  Eta State is very proud of this positive and unique way the Eta State Leadership Development Committee has implemented to encourage the growth of state and local leaders."

Davis - Maintaining Viability

Dr. Vicki T. Davis

In the May/June 2014 issue of the DKG NEWS, I asked members to share their ideas as to the one thing they believe would make the most difference in our organization and maintain our viability into the next century. I have received numerous responses even though many members have not yet received their print copy. The responses will be the content of my last article as international president and the subject of many of my future blogs.

Below is the suggestion from Dr. Vicki Davis, Chair, International Golden Gift Fund Committee. She has held numerous offices at the chapter, state and international levels. She was the Texas State Organization President in 2009-2011. Recently, she was elected to a six year term on the Eunah Temple Holden Leadership Fund Committee.

 

 "The one thing that will make DKG viable in the 22^nd century is our ability to simplify our processes and procedures. Sometimes called voluntary simplicity, members will evaluate using data and prune with the heart. Adherence to this principle will re-shape the whole, accelerate new growth and cultivate opportunities to bloom perennially without denying our own patterns."

 

Touching lives for 100 years!

Nellie Rea Gordon, right, with Wanda Roe,
at the Southeast Regional Conference
 in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1985.
Wanda was outgoing and Nellie was
 the incoming state organization president.

     Anna Gordon Burns wrote the following about her mother, Nellie Rea Gordon, a current DKG member in Georgia, and a past state organization president in Arkansas.

 

     In finding two letters  from students of her mom, Burns shared,  "One letter was from a student in her Latin I and then Spanish I class in the mid 70s. She wrote that when asked to prepare a speech presenting an award in a post-secondary class, her speech presented “the Teacher of the Year Award at Prescott High School” to mother because of the impact she had on her life.   

     The second letter was from a former student-turned-fellow teacher who said, “You dear lady, have been a great inspiration to my life...As a fellow teacher, your acceptance of me as an equal was humbling, and your praise of me and your encouragement provided much needed confidence for some difficult times. Your enthusiasm for teaching and zest for life itself was always contagious. Speaking from my heart, whenever I hear the word, ‘teacher’ you come to my mind. You are one of the reasons I became a teacher.”

      In her 100 years Nellie Rea Gordon taught and touched numerous lives.  Both Nellie and her sister,  Addie Belle Sledge Harper, were teachers and members of DKG. Addie Belle served as Alabama state organization president (1973-1975), and in 1985, Nellie served Arkansas as its state organization president.

 

Nellie is now a member of Upsilon Chapter in Georgia, and celebrated her 100th birthday on May 18, 2014.

Human Trafficking Deplorable

The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International supports the return of the Nigerian girls.

 

Education is extremely important. Human Trafficking is deplorable and criminal.

Russian educators join Estonia

DKG educators and guests at National Art Museum in Tallinn, Estonia.
From left, Valeria Bespalchaya, Russia, Janny Kisteman, The Netherlands,
Anu Ariste, President, DKG Estonia, Alla Lyutikova, Russia,
Marika Heimbach, Europe Regional Director,Germany,
Viktoria Bedareva, Russia, and Urve Laanemets, Estonia DKG Vice President.


      Prompted by Carol Hughes, Illinois, three educators from Novgorod, Russia were invited by Anu Ariste, state organization president of Estonia, to join the members from Estonia at the annual DKG state organization convention in Tallinn.

     One of the educators, Alla Lyutikova, wrote to Carol, and with enthusiasm and appreciation, described the opportunity to be involved  with the Delta Kappa Gamma Society Conference!  They learned much and met many "key women educators."  The members of Estonia made them feel "just at home."

    Alla Lyutikova wrote, " The Conference was a success! Of Course I'm not a judge but I enjoyed the company of amiable, clever professional educators! The Conference was so well-organized, so thoroughly thought through, interesting, informative, at times, entertaining. We enjoyed such a good care that we felt ourselves just at home!"