Ten new members from school districts in Bradford, Susquehanna, Wayne, and Wyoming Counties were initiated into the Beta Rho Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International at their October meeting in Montrose. The initiates included Judy Ambrose, Title 1 math teacher at the Lackawanna Trail Elementary School; Megan Bent, Reading Specialist at the Susquehanna Community Elementary School; Heather Dunn, second grade teacher at Bushkill Elementary School; Meghan Gilleran, middle school teacher at Wayne Highlands School District; April Jones and Gretchen Warner, fourth grade teachers at Lathrop Street Elementary School; Ann Marie Leber, retired kindergarten teacher at the Susquehanna Community School District; Donna Porter, high school counselor at the Mountain View High School; and Allison Wilson, middle school art teacher in the Tunkhannock School District. Barbara Kelly, retired assistant business manager in the Mountain View School District, was initiated as an Honorary Chapter member.
Pictured (l-r) are the initiates: front row - Barbara Kelly, April Jones, Donna Porter, Ann Marie Leber, Allison Wilson, Megan Bent; back row - Heather Dunn, Judy Ambrose, Meghan Gilleran, Gretchen Warner.
Newly elected chapter co-president Jeanette Saulo conducted the business meeting and gave an overview of her vision for the biennium. Co-president, Sheri Wolfe who will conduct the December meeting, gave a report on the orientation meetings she had for the new initiates. Carol Goodman, retired fifth grade teacher from the Northeast Bradford Elementary School and supervisor of student teachers at Keystone College, was awarded the Beta Rho Achievement Award which is the highest chapter recognition. Following the business meeting, Dr. Annie Webb Blanton, founder of the Society and portrayed by Cindy G. Reynolds, gave an informative presentation of the history of DKG and Beta Rho Chapter.
Just prior to dinner, a lovely candlelight initiation ceremony was conducted by membership chairman and second vice president, Dr. Nancy Simon. Each of the initiates was escorted to the presentation table by her sponsor where Dr. Simon, Dr. Annie Webb Blanton, and co-presidents, Jeanette Saulo and Sheri Wolfe conducted the initiation ceremony. The backdrop for the ceremony was the beautifully designed quilted banner of the symbols of the Society. The new initiates lit a red candle, signed the chapter register, and received their membership certificates and key pins. Their sponsor presented them with a lovely single red rose, which symbolizes friendship, loyalty and helpfulness—the work of each for all. The group sang “Symbols of Delta Kappa Gamma” and “The Delta Kappa Gamma Song” and welcomed each new member.
A delicious dinner followed the initiation in The Tea Room, after which Projects Chair Carol Goodman drew tickets and distributed the baskets of school supplies for the S.E.E. Alpha Alpha State Project. Each of the three baskets will go to an early career educator to offer support.
The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International is a professional honor society for women educators with more than 82, 000 members in seventeen different countries around the world. The Society defines its mission as promoting professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education.
The Beta Rho Chapter is one of sixty-three chapters in Pennsylvania whose members are key women educators in Bradford, Susquehanna, and Wyoming Counties. The Society offers more leadership training opportunities for women educators than any other professional organization. These include scholarships for both active and retired members, stipends for educational projects, and online courses for professional growth.
The next Beta Rho Chapter meeting will be at Faith Mountain Christian Academy in New Milford on December 6th at 9:30 AM. Lois Frantz, principal at the academy will present the program about her private Christian school.
