The UNC Charlotte chapter of Kappa Delta Pi (KDP), the international honor society in education, was named the top chapter in the world for 2017. The Omicron Pi chapter was presented the 2017 Florence B. Stratemeyer Award for Chapter Excellence. This honor is given each biennium to the highest-achieving chapter from more than 650 national and international KDP chapters.
“Our Omicron Pi Chapter upholds the mission and vision of Kappa Delta Pi by growing our teacher education candidates professionally as they prepare to teach all learners. We strive to continuously build bridges to quality learning for all,” said Misty Hathcock, Cato College of Education faculty member and chapter counselor for KDP.
For three consecutive biennia (2013, 2015 and 2017), the Omicron Pi Chapter has received the ACE Award for Achieving Chapter Excellence. Established in 1995, the ACE Awards Program recognizes Kappa Delta Pi chapters that exhibit outstanding programming in support of the society’s mission and strategic goals. 2017 marks the first year Omicron Pi has received the award for the overall top chapter.
Service-learning is a priority for UNC Charlotte KDP, and chapter members are provided the opportunity to make an impact in the community and gain real-world experience with local students. Members also attend professional development workshops focused on trending issues in education.
“Kappa Delta Pi has provided me the opportunity to grow and learn to be the best educator I can be while being alongside others who share the same passions,” said Omicron Pi chapter president Madison Hopper, a senior elementary education major.
In 2009, the chapter created the Literacy Alive Read-In as an annual service project. For the past five years, Omicron Pi has partnered with Nathanial Alexander and Newell Elementary schools for the project. Literacy Alive takes place for three days starting in the fall with UNC Charlotte educators in training visiting the school to read to students, followed by a day-long visit to campus and an additional trip to school to conduct a reflection writing activity in the spring.
The campus visit includes a tour of UNC Charlotte, a STEM activity, campus life panel and interactive read-aloud. At the end of the visit, each student receives a book bag a variety of gifts including a new book to read. Since 2013, the Omicron Pi Chapter has received a KDP award each year for its work on Literacy Alive.
To prepare candidates for a successful transition into careers in education, the Omicron Pi chapter also provides one-hour bi-weekly professional development workshops. Topics for Teacher Toolbox Tuesdays (TTT) have ranged from classroom management to culturally relevant teaching, active engagement strategies, teacher wellness, and how to get apply and interview for a job. Since 2012, 250 workshops have been delivered to more than 1,750 pre-service teachers.
Kappa Delta Pi was founded in 1911 to foster excellence in education and promote fellowship among those dedicated to teaching. For over a century, the society has consistently grown, starting with a local chapter to become an international organization with an initiated membership that exceeds 1.2 million. The Omicron Pi chapter at UNC Charlotte was established in 1981.
Photo (left to right): KDP chapter advisor Misty Hathcock, chapter president Madison Hopper, chapter past-president Megan Kuspky and chapter Literacy Alive coordinator My’Asia Jaaber