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The NoDak News

Alpha Omicron State

North Dakota

Spring Issue April 2014

Volume 65, Number 2

Park River, North Dakota

Chapter News from Alpha Omicron members!

Beta Chapter

Beta Chapter awarded a SEE early educator award of $150 to Erica Hewitt, a teacher at Bennett Elementary. She shared her path to a rewarding teaching position at the February meeting.

Pictured at left are Debbie Boyer, Erica Hewitt and Jolyn Krab-benhoft.

Delta Chapter

Delta Chapter received a congratulatory letter from Delta Kappa Gamma Society International on the establishment of it's webpage. Check us out at www.northdakotadelta.weebley.com. Here you will find photos also. Sarah Francetich is a new Delta Chapter sister who transferred from Theta Chapter in Williston. Sarah teaches sixth grade comput-er literacy at Simle Middle School. In October, members met at the Heritage Center for a program about the North Dakota state archives and what information Alpha Omicron State has there. Individual chapters may also have items in the archives and this material can be viewed and studied by any Alpha Omicron State member Marilyn Johnson and Beverley Patch-Larson hosted the December Christmas social at Marilyn's home. The wonderful meal and commaradie helped to warm the cold, blustery evening. Sherry Heaton and Irene Hoffman had an entertaining program of Christ-mas games, a gift exchange, and carols accompanied by Yvonne Carlson at the piano. Community Service Committee members Peggy Hoge and Sharon Burion purchased educational gifts for the children who come to the Abused Adult Resource Center and Child Advocate Katie Oliver was present to accept the gifts, expressing thanks not only for the Christmas gifts but also for the backpacks provided in the fall. Members also donated $225.00 to help replenish the chapter's AARC fund. Donna J. Knutson, again volunteered at the AARC Seeds of Hope Thrift Shop Christmas Store. The store raised over $66,500, all from donated items, for programs of the AARC. If you are in Bismarck in November and December, visit the Christmas Store. You may never shop anywhere else for Christmas items again.

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Delta news continued: The January meeting was held at the Woodhouse Restaurant. Jennie Kuller, a Mandan High School special education teacher and Bruce Klootwyk, a sophomore at the University of Mary who has cerebral palsey presented a program "Dreams & Motion". Dreams & Motion is a non-profit organization that provides recreational and sports opportunities for the mobility and visually impaired from the ages of 2 to twenty-five. Participants are involved in activities as such as sled hockey, swimming, curling , wheel chair basketball and dance, just to name a few. Bruce and Jennie gave a history of the organization which is very active in western North Dakota.

Zeta

Andi Dulski-Bucholz and Carol Enger presented at the Area Teacher Professional Development Workshop on Martin Luther King

Day, January 20. Their presentation was 'Successfully implementing GRASPS tasks to meet Common Core'. GRASPS is a design

tool from Understanding by Design that incorporates authentic performance tasks.

Barb Gilbertson is enjoying a month in Texas out of frigid North Dakota!

Schela Gander traveled to Fort Myers Beach, FL for a 10 days stay with her daughter! They walked and

kayaked 7-11 miles every day! Exercise is easier

when you have the beautiful gulf view! Kayaking was in the bay areas around mangrove trees.

Nu

Nu members, Cheryl Nielsen, Brenda Demke, vocalists; Jeannie Sovak, vocalist and Renaissance Consort member; State DKG Pres-

ident Sandra Starr, member of the Renaissance Consort and Paula Simonson, chorographer, participated in the production of the

Minot Chamber Chorale Renaissance Feast held at the All Season’s Arena Theatre in December. Cheryl was the stage director, Jean-

nie was in charge of decor and on-stage food. Serving on the Board of Directors for the Minot Chamber Chorale are State DKG Pres-

ident Sandra, secretary; Cheryl and Jeannie are Members at Large.

Minot’s Jim Hill Middle School recently celebrated its 50th Anniversary. Leslie Barney, director of 7th and 8th grade bands, com-

missioned a former North Dakotan, Adam Hochstatter, to compose a concert band piece commemorating the event. The school song is, “I’ve Been Workin’ on the Railroad”, which honors James Jerome Hill, who was an early settler of Minot from the Great North-

ern Railroad. The piece penned, was a concert band arrangement for the 7th & 8th grade bands featuring much mallet & other per-

cussion instruments, as sound effects to imitate the push, pull, and chug in anticipation of the train coming into the “Magic City”. February 26th was the premier performance. Also during the celebration, Jeannie Sovak, 8th grade Social Studies teacher performed

“What A Wonderful World” in a vocal duet, at the school’s celebration.

Jeannie Sovak, Brenda Demke, Cheryl Nielsen all vocal members & Rochelle Feldner, trombone participated in the Minot Chamber

Chorale’s Z Randall Stroope Celebration on February 22 held at Nelson Hall on the campus of Minot State University.

Leslie Barney and Rochelle Feldner participated in the Magic City Jazz Festival held on February 14. Leslie’s Mystic Jazz Band performed for 3 judges

and 3 of her students received scholarships based on their improvisation to attend International Music Camp to further their jazz studies. The Swing Band of Minot performed in the evening concert with Leslie playing alto sax and Rochelle playing trombone.

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Nancy Pearson, (pictured at left) Communication Arts instructor at Minot State University, recently at-

tended the National Communication Association Convention in Washington, DC. She also chaired a ses-

sion sponsored by the Interpersonal Communication Division, “Giving and Receiving Support.”

Barb Matteson, (pictured at right) SLD teacher at Surrey school, has

been a member of the Minot’s YWCA Board for 5 years. Barb brings

vast experience of helping women better their lives. She grew up in West Germany, graduated from a Dept. of Defense school and has memories of the Berlin Wall. She is a veteran of the US

Army and is active in Cub Scouts.

The Mouse River Players Community Theatre presented, “You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.”

Director, Holly Eidsness and choreographer, Paula Simonson brought the beloved characters to

life.

Many members of Nu Chapter shared the spirit of Christmas and went caroling to Trinity Nursing Home in Minot. After caroling

Linda Kumpf graciously opened her beautifully decorated home for fellowship. Pictured below are the Carolers.

Retired teacher Ann Latimer attended the Open House of Longfellow Elementary School, as it was totally renovated from the devas-

tating Souris River flood of 2011. The school boasts bigger classrooms, improved security and many ports for technology. The for-mer Longfellow campus was damaged in the Souris RIver Flood and the new addition replaces the former Lincoln Elementary,

which was devastated by the flood.

Patty Hildenbrands's 8th grade Advanced English class at Erik Ramstad Middle School, coordinated and sponsored a charity dodge-

ball tournament. Many students in the class, affected by the Souris River Flood in 2011, wanted to do something for the students who were flooded in Colorado. All the funds from the tournament were sent to Colorado, as the students understood the consequences of

losing their school.

Melissa Stanley, fourth grade teacher at Edison Elementary, recently taught an after school "STEM for Girls" class. The class was

funded through a grant from the Mid-Dakota Educational Cooperative. Many of the experiments were designed to encourage young girls to take an interest in science, technology, mathematics and engineering.

Nu members Patty Hildenbrand, language arts; Beth Rasch, vocal and 6th grade music; are enjoying a brand new Erik Ramstad Mid-dle School which opened its doors on December 2nd. The original school was devastated by the Souris River Flood of 2011. For the

past two years staff and students were housed in FEMA instructional housing at Minot’s City Auditorium.

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Pi

Our chapter does not meet during the cold and unpredictable winter weather months of November-February. In November we had an evening social. It was bring a friend or your spouse. We had a great meal at the Center Field in LaMoure. The group played a few table games, heard Donna Kratz give a talk about e-books, and we enjoyed drawings for door prizes.

In February, chapter members sadly participated in the funeral for a charter member, Donna Kratz. Chapter president Kalli Lehr gave an address and poetry reading while members laid white roses on the casket. Donna had a long time teaching career in LaM-oure. She retired in 2000, but continued to do substitute teaching for several years there after. Donna was a very active member in our Pi chapter. She was a gem, so loosing her to cancer has been very sad.

2013 National Historic Landmark Photo Contest

The first building in Jud, ND, that was built in 1905 has been in Deanna Dagen’s family since 1911. Her family “bought it” by ex-

changing their farm by Berlin, ND. Recently there was a photo contest for National Landmarks and her building was one of the en-

tries! It was submitted by Andrew Filer. Although it didn’t win any awards, it is special to Deanna because it is in the National Reg-

ister of Historic Places in LaMoure County. It became part of the register in 2005 when the building turned 100 years old. Deanna

grew up in the store and has only known it to be a grocery store, but when it was first built part of it was a Post Office and then it

was a hotel. The Dagen family opened the grocery store which also had many other items. Her aunt gave birth to her two oldest sons

there, on her father’s side of the family, and relatives have told her that she learned to walk in a walker going up and down the aisles

of the store. The store was open for 80 years. After teaching since 1965 in LaMoure, ND and working weekends at the store in Jud,

she closed it the 24th of August, 1991, only to continue teaching August 26! Deanna still enjoys the building, living upstairs, in the

summer months. Deanna retired from teaching May 19, 1996.

The main floor of the building is currently a museum. It is as it was when in

closed in 1991. It is open during the summer months. If you are interested in checking it out contact Deanna Dagen: 701-685-2282. (Article written by

Kallie Lehr)

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Sigma

Here are a few newsworthy notes from Sigma chapter. I have recently taken over as Communications Committee Chair due to the resignation of our chairperson. I was under the assumption that the due date for the newsletter was mid-February and was glad to

get the forwarded email informing me that the deadline was March 1st so I still had time to send in a few article of interest.

At our recent meeting, members of Sigma Chapter were making plans to award our Sigma Educational Scholarship for 2014. This

is on ongoing chapter project. Publication of the scholarship is currently underway, and applications will be accepted until April

7, 2014. A committee will then make award decisions.

As a service project, Sigma Chapter also is continuing to host a reception for parents, new inductees and Honor Society members to

honor newly inducted Mandan High School Honor Society members. The tea was held March 17th immediately following the Honor Society's induction ceremony.

For the past few years in lieu of a traditional December meeting Sigma members have attended a seasonal cultural event . This year the group enjoyed a December performance of Six Appeal, a popular regional accapella group followed by dessert and coffee.

Sigma chapter recently voted on new member proposals and is looking forward to inducting new members at our Founders Day Dinner in April which will also feature an annual performance by the Mandan High School Speech team.

As another service project, Sigma Chapter will be collecting sample size toiletries and current magazines to donate to the Adult Abused Resource Center in Bismarck at their March meeting. The chapter has been doing this for the past ten years, and it is a

well received project.

Tau

It was an honor to have Sandy Starr, state president, visit the Tau Chapter Feb. 18, meeting. The meeting was held at Kristi Nor-dick's home. Sandy took part in the meeting discussion by lending suggestions for recruiting new members. Everyone felt it was a successful meeting and they all enjoyed visiting with Sandy. Kristi Nordick and her husband, Dean, are mentors to Jessi Cost in Richland-Wilkin Kinship Program. The Kinship code is "Mentors are ordinary people, doing ordinary things that produce extraordinary results." As a nonprofit, money is raised for gifts for holidays and birthdays. Every bit of extra helps the children know that people believe in them and makes a huge impact for people to see just what one person who cares can do. The Kinship holds a group event once a month. The March 25 meeting will be held at the NDSCS Nursing Center with Barb Diederick as presenter. She will be showing members around and speaking about the "Nursing Program".

Phi The Phi Chapter has had a great start to the year. In September, the Phi Chapter visited Touch of Honey in Linton, ND and learned all about bees and observed how they extract honey from the hives. Then in October, our group assisted with a worth-while Bis-marck charity by serving a free meal to those in need.

November was an exciting month for our chapter as we initiated a new member, Emma

Schauer. Emma has taught at Mandan Middle School and is currently teaching busi-

ness at Wing Public School. She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree from the Uni-

versity of Mary and is seeking a degree in counseling from University of North Dakota.

We are grateful to be adding Emma to our group.

On February 1, Phi chapter met at the North Dakota Heritage Center and had a very in-sightful tour of the expansion project. We encourage other groups to call and schedule a

tour of the remolding. The Phi Chapter hopes to have an even more eventful rest of the

year.

Photo of Wanda Mehlhoff, Phi President and new initiate, Emma Schauer.

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Epsilon Mu

Epsilon Mu and their guests Zeta Chapter hosted President Sandy Starr at their annual Valentine

Brunch. President Sandy shared words of wisdom about the Society and then members got to work on

plans for the State Workshop. Please join us in

Grand Forks June 18-19 for a time of renewal and growth in Society information and personal enrich-

ment.

Faye Miller wishes to extend many thanks for the messages, cards and get well wishes as she recovers

from surgery.