The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International for Key Women EducatorsWest Virginia State Organization
NEWSETTEVolume 70, Number 4 West Virginia Summer 2020
Inthisissue…
ANotefromthePresident...........Page2Musingsfromthe1stVP
Musingsfromthe2ndVP............Page3
NotesfromtheChapters.............Page4
WhiteRoses&Condolences.......Page5
Resilience
ByRebecha CatlettEtaChapter
FaithandOptimism
Propellingmeforward
AsIswim
Throughquicksandbefore
Traversingamountainto
Standatthesummit
Armsraisedhighabovemyhead,
Facetothesun,
Smiling.
Agenuinesmile
Deepandwide,
Cuttingawindingpath
Throughthehardplaces
Androughcrags.
Thesunrise,goldandcrimson
Meetingthestormclouds,
Undeniablycoldandgray.
Bluebellsshoutandtulipswhisper
Throughraindrops
Decidingtherainisperfectlywelcome.
Lighttradesplaceswithdarkness.
“It’sallaboutperspective,”
Thestarsremindme.
A Note from the EditorDuringatypicalSummereditionoftheNewsette youwouldbeseeingphotosandarticlesaboutWestVirginiaState’sLeadershipConference.You’dbereadingarticlesabouttheStateAchievementAwardwinner,PublicationAwards,andphotosofchaptermeetingswherenewofficershadbeeninstalled.
ThiseditionisnotthetypicalSummerNewsette.ThisSpring,theCoronavirus(COVID-19)spreadacrosstheworldandaffectedeveryone’slives.Noonehasbeenuntouchedbythispandemic.Graduationshavebeencancelled,weddingspostponed,schoolsconvertedtovirtuallearning,doctorsappointmentsheldoverthephone,andsomuchmore.
WestVirginiaStatememberswereaskedtocontributetothisspecialeditionoftheNewsette witharticles,poems,stories,andphotosthatrepresentDeltaKappaGammaduringtheCOVID-19pandemic.
Wehopethisisaone-of-a-kindNewsette,andwereturntoourtraditionaleditionsintheFall.
ConnieBoggsNewsette Editor
IslandByLangstonHughes
Waveofsorrow,Donotdrownmenow:IseetheislandStillaheadsomehow.IseetheislandAnditssandsarefair:Waveofsorrow,Takemethere.
From:LangstonHughes,SelectedPoems,NY:Knopf,1989.
PageTwo Newsette Summer2020
A Note from the President…
Author - Catherine M. O’Meara
Musings from our 1st Vice President…
Oneofthedefinitionsofresilience inmyWebster’sDictionaryis---theabilitytorecoverfromoradjusteasilytomisfortuneorchange.We,asanation,arefacedwiththedailyuncertaintyofaserioushealthcrisisthatimpactsourfamilies,friendsandourselves.Nomatterhowdireortragicmysituationmaybecome,Ialwaystrytofindsomepositiveeffectthiscrisismayprovide.Oneofmyfourth-gradestudentshadthisoutlookonthedayofSept.11th.MystudentswereintheirPhysicalEducationclassandIwaslisteningtotheTVgradingpapersasthetragedyunfoldedbeforemyeyes.Mysuperintendenttoldparentstheycouldtaketheirchildrenhomeiftheysowished.By11:00a.m.,Ihad5studentsleftinmyclasslookingveryapprehensiveandfrightened.Itwasdifficulttoreassurethemweweresafeatschool.Mylittleguy,Dallas,wantedtosharehispositiveoutlookwithusandsaid,“Hey,guys,thisjustmeansmorechickenfriesforusatlunch!”
MywishforallofourDKGsistersistheCOVID-19virusdoesnotdirectlyimpactyou.Mayyoufindapositivechangeinyourlifeasweexperienceournewnormal.Itmaybeorganizedclosets,bettercomputerskillsaswereachouttoourfamilyandfriends,achancetohelpourneighbors,orjustenjoyingthetimetoslowourhecticpacetoenjoythatbookwewantedtoread.Staysafe.
LindaArbogast,1st VicePresident
Dear Ladies,
It has come to my attention that some of our chapters have already been working on scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, and the like in anticipation of turning them in this year at our Leadership Convention (which didn't happen). Glenda suggested that you save them and add more to them to turn in to the Convention next year in Charleston.....April 23-25. We'll be happy to see them then.
May you all be safe and healthy in the next few weeks. Take care of yourselves and your families!
Christy Groves, ChairmanPublication Awards Committee
Herewasashortanecdoteaboutmyvirtualexperiencesduringthispandemic;
Insteadofplanningforretirement,thispandemichasleadmetobecomeavirtualteacher.Myfirstzoommeetingwithmyfourth-gradeclassfoundmeononesitewithmystudentshavingaballfortenminutesontheoriginalzoommeetingsite.Myfirsttextmessagewasalsomemorable. Itexted mycolleague,"Howmany pumpkinsdowe needforalatitude/longitudeprojectforfourclasses?" Partofhertextmessageinreturnread,"Ineed2.I"withtherestofthemessageonthenextline.Ireadthisas21,soIcamehomefromthefarmer'smarketwith21largebasketball-sizedpumpkinsinsteadoftwo.
PeggyGrantham,EtaChapter
Summer2020 Newsette PageThree
Musings from our 2nd Vice President…Pastor,author,motivationalspeaker,andtelevangelist,RobertSchulleroncesaid,“Toughtimesneverlast,buttoughpeopledo”.Neverinourwildestdreamswouldwehavethoughtthatsomethinglikethiscoronaviruswouldhitourworldandchangeourlivesforever.Whoknowswhatourfuturewilllooklikeoncethispandemicisover?It’sahumblingthought.Inmywildestdreams,IwouldhaveneverwishedI’dboughtstockinofallthings,“toiletpaper”!Oh,butIwishIhad!Thetimeswearefacingareunprecedented,butasDKGmembersweareresilient.Weare“tough”andwewilllast.
Thesepastfewmonthshavebeenachallengeforallofus.Manyofushavemissedmanywonderfulopportunities.ImissedatriptoNorthCarolinatocelebrateanuncle’s80th birthday.Friendsmissedcelebratingbirthdayswiththeirgrandchildren;otherspostponedweddingsandsadly,funerals.Forthefirsttime,thatIamawareof,wewerenotabletoholdaWVStateLeadershipConference.HowsadforoursistersofDKG.President,Dr.GlendaWaitheldashortZOOMmeetingand41peoplejoinedtohearwordsofencouragement.
Asnewpresidentsareelected(nowfromadifferentplatformthanourtraditionalmeetingformat)theywillbeginyetanotherbiennium,oneofhopeandpromise.Somechaptersarestrugglingwithmembershipandwithfillingoffices.TheStatemembershipcommitteeisheretohelp.Ifyouneedassistancewithmembershipconcerns,pleasereachout([email protected]).OneideaworthsharingistheideaofaDKGbuddy.Wehadelectronicbuddiesforourmemberswhodidnotusethecomputer.Wemadesureeachmemberhadalltheinformationbeingtransmittedthroughoutthechapter.Thisideacanbeexpandedtolinkveteranmemberswithnewmembersasaformofmentorship.Thebuddyrolecouldbethenewmembersponsororsomeoneclosetothenewmember(schoolcolleagueorfriend).Bycalling,emailing,writingencouragingnotes,etc.,anewmembercanbemadetofeelvaluedandwanted.Isn’tthatwhatweallwant,tofeelvaluedandwanted?Let’sjoinourheartsandmindstogetherinfulfillingthosesevenpurposesofDeltaKappaGamma,thefirstofwhichis:“Tounitewomeneducatorsoftheworldinagenuinespiritualfellowship”. Wewilllast!
ByVickiJenkins
NuLikemanyotherorganizations,
ourin-personmeetingshavebeenputonholdbecauseofthe“SaferatHome”restrictions.Ourmembershavestayedintouchwithoneanother,BettyMcMillionremarkedthateachdayshehasfriendscheckingonher.MegAshbyandMargaretMcCutcheonhavesewnmasksforfamilyandfriends.Severalmembershavevolunteeredtodistributefoodboxestofamiliestoreplacethebreakfastsandluncheschildrenwouldhavereceivedatschool.LaurenJarroll hasbeenvideotapedreadingstoriesforthechildren’slessoninworshipservicesatSummersvillePresbyterianChurch.
Wehaveelectedournextbiennium’sofficerselectronically,aswellasselectingtherecipientofourRecruitmentGrant.RothaYounghasbeenelectedtobeNuChapter’sPresident.ShewillbeassistedbyDr.MarilynRogers,PeggyCrowe,RamonaBeverage,CarolMarsh,LindaTaylor,SharonLipps,andLaurenJarroll.Weareplanningtohavepicnicthissummer,to“wrapup”anyunfinishedbusinessofthe2018-2020biennium.
PageFour Newsette Summer2020
News from the ChaptersAlphaBeta
OnMonday,March9,HarrietTubmanvisitedthefourth&fifthgradersatBuckhannonAcademyElementarySchoolinBuckhannon,complimentsofAlphaBetachapter. Ms.IleneEvans,incoordinationwiththeHistoryAliveprogram&VoicesfromtheEarth,performedasHarrietTubman.Usingsinging&studentparticipation,MissIlenetoldthestoryofHarriet'sinvolvementwiththeUndergroundRailroad.
AlphaBetachapterishappytosponsorthisopportunitytobringthelifeofthisamazingwomantothestudents. DeltaKappaGammacelebrates&encourageswomentobeleaders:thisprogramdefinitelyshowsastrongwomanleadingothers.
MuMuChapter’sMarchmeeting
washeldonMarch7th atSpencerElementarySchool.MembersenjoyedabrunchpreparedbyRoaneCountymembers.TheprogramwasaSpringcraftmakeandtakeledbyDorisWeekley.
AmberTaylor,ErikaHarper,andDorisWeekley makewashclothbunnies.
EtaEtaChaptermemberscontinuedtocompleteimportantandinspiringworkduringthisunprecedentedtimeofchallengeanduncertainty. InApril,EtaChapterawarded$700Grants-In-AidtothreeverydeservingwomenpursuingdegreesineducationatShepherdUniversity. TheGrants-In-AidCommittee,co-chairedbymembersLauraRichmondandJuliaLinaweaver,plannedandorganizedextremelysuccessfulANDFUNfundraisers,includingtwothemedauctions,inordertomaketheseimpressiveawardspossible($2,100total). LauraRichmondworkedcloselywiththestaffatShepherdUniversitytoensurethattheawardswouldbegrantedtotherecipientsinatimelyfashion,inspiteofthechallengesposedbyCOVID-19.EtaChapter'slongstandingGrants-in-AidprogramservestosupportlocalEarlyCareerEducators.
EtaChapter'snextmeetingwillbeinSeptemberinBerkeleyCounty. Atthattimethenewmemberswillbeinductedandofficerswillbeinstalled. Memberscan'twaittobetogetheragain!
AlphaBetarecognizes
BeaBurnside- Buckhannon-UpshurHighSchoolTeacherof
theYear
KaylaYocum - UnionElementarySchoolTeacherof
theYear
AlphaEpsilon
ThreemembersofAlphaEpsilonarecelebrating50yearsofmembershipinDeltaKappaGamma. TheyareMelva Hess,DarleneFink,andVeraGraham. Theywillreceive50-yearpinsfortheirdedicationtoDeltaKappaGamma.
AlphaKappa
Asthingsareslowlygettingbacktonormal,wearehopingthatwewillbefullybackbyOctober.Hopefully,wewillbeabletohaveasummerexecutiveplanningcommitteetoplanournextbiennialsothatwecangetourhandbooksready.
Wehaveselectedofficersbyinternetandhavesubmittedthemtostateandnational.WeareencouragingeveryonetopaytheirduesbyJune1,havecollectedmoneyfortheThirstforLearningProject,andwearestillcollectingitemsfortheDomesticViolenceShelter.Inaddition,wearecollectingWVUitemsfortheWestVirginiaSchoolinArgentinastartedbyRubyAlvaro’sexchangestudent.
MadisonWilkinsfromHampshireCountyreceivedthechapterscholarship.RosanneGloverwasselectedasaCWUKeyWomanandinDecembersheaccompaniedoneofherformerstudents,MindyCookmanRatcliff,assheperformedataprivateeventattheWhiteHouse.
Summer2020 Newsette PageFive
White RosesDr.EstherGailDryer(AlphaBeta)February2,2020
RebeccaCuster(EtaChapter)inthedeathofherson,ChristopherCuster.
AnnaFlint(MuChapter)inthedeathofherhusbandinApril.
JackieMcDaniels (AlphaBeta) inthedeathofherbrother,Jeff.
CarolynHarper(AlphaKappa)onthedeathofherhusband.
RosanneHarperGlover(AlphaKappa)onthedeathofherbrother.
PeggyHigh(AlphaKappa)onthedeathofhersister.
Bett Sims(EtaChapter)inthedeathofherfather,KenSims.
Condolences
ThoughtsAbouttheCoronavirus
VickieSkavenski
Ourpresident,GlendaWait,saysthatwemustberesilient.IthinkWestVirginiateachershavealwaysbeenresilient,andafter34yearsinthepublicschoolsystem,Iamconvincedthatweprobablyhavedonemorewithourstudentswithlessresourcesthananyotherstate.Wedidn’talwayshaveeverything,butwemadesurethatourstudentsdidn’tsufferifwehadtotakethemoneyfromourownpockets.
Istillhave80rosesuckersfrozenthatwillappearsomewherealongtheway,andifyouareinterestedinapaintingprojectnextyearatthestatemeeting,letmeknow—Ihaveareallynicehomecanvasreadythatwedidn’tuseatourjointmeetingwithEta.
Thatsaid,Iwouldliketolookatsomeofthepositivethingsthatweretheresultofthisvirusandourperiodofisolation.
• Lifesloweddownformostofus.Wewerenolongerrushingtomeetingsandpreparingpresentationsformeetings.Wejusthadtimetostopandbreathe.
• Closetsthathadnotbeentouchedinyearswerecleanedbecausewesuddenlyhadthetime.Goodwill,theSalvationArmy,andThriftstoreswillgreatlybenefitfromthis.AlphaKappaissavingslightlyusedbraswhichweplantocollectinOctoberalongwithfeminineproductsfortheDomesticViolenceShelter.
• Ourflowerbedshaveprobablyneverlookedbetter,andwehavehadtimetopaintandfixthemanyitemsonourlists.
• Judgingbythelackofflourandyeastinstores,Ithinkthereisawholenewgenerationlearningthejoyofbakingyourownbread.
• Manybeginnershavepickedupcrocheting,embroidery,andquiltingbyorderingkitsonline.
• Wehavelearnedtocallandcheckonourneighbors.• Wehavemademaskswhichhavebeendistributedtolocal
businesses,thenursinghomes,churches,fireandrescuesquads,localtruckingfirms,etc.Thisnotonlygaveustheopportunitytohelpothers,butitcleanedoutallthosepiecesoffabricthatwehadstashedaway.
• Finally,ifyouarelikeme,youthoughtaboutadaythatyouwouldquitcoloringyourhairandjustgonatural.Theonlybadthingwasthatyoudidn’twantpeopleseeingallthedifferentstages.IhadmyhaircutshortinJanuaryandsincenoonehasreallyseenmethatmuch,youwillbesurprisedatthisnewshade.Ihopemanymoreofyoutookadvantageofthistime,too.
NEWSETTEConnie Boggs, Editor50 Fire House Rd. Fairmont, WV 26554
The Newsette is published four times a year:
Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer
by the West Virginia State Organization of The Delta
Kappa Gamma Society International.
Deadlines are September 1, December 1 , March 1, and June 1, respectively.
Please send correspondence to
Connie Boggs, Editor50 Fire House Rd.
Fairmont, WV 26554Phone – 304-376-3197
Blast from the Past… Summer 2000Here’saphotographfromtheSummer2000editionoftheNewsette featuringStateAchievementwinners.Atthe2000StateConvention,CarolWatsonwashonoredwiththeaward.Inthearticle,Carolsaid“Thehonorofreceivingthisawardcannotbestated… Somanypeoplehavehelpedtobemyguidesandtobemymentors.TheSocietyanditsmembershavegivensomuchtome.”
