2025 New Orleans Conference
The 2025 International Conference was held in New Orleans, LA.
Indiana members Nancy Durham, Stephanie Walsh, Simone Nance, Tiffany Ingles, and Carol Herzog
|
Simone Nance participating in the State Officer Leadership Training (SOLT) to prepare for her new role as Indiana State 1st VP and Educational Excellence Chair
|
Simone Nance and Tia Neal (LA) at SOLT Training
|
Some Indiana members with some New York friends visiting the WW2 museum
|
Indiana member with Flat Annie
|
One of the many amazing sessions by the Japanese members, this one by Momoko Doi about drawing with young children
|
Our lunch table with representatives from Louisiana, Indiana, Germany, and Finland
|
A beautiful evening on the river boat.
|
Simone Nance introducing the Educator Book Award winner, Norina Bentzel
|
Norina Bentzel, author of Glorious Sadness
|
(L-R) Pia Nyman (Finland), Tina Wolfe (LA), Taina Hokkanen (Finland), Tia Neal (LA), and Simone Nance (IN) on the riverboat
|
Author of Living Life Without Limb-Its: A Story of How to Embrace Change, Persevere Tough Times, and Live Life to the Fullest and motivational speaker, Merlyna Valentine
|
DKG International President Beverly Hall-Maughan
|
Indiana Members attending the DKG International Convention
|
President Beverly Hall-Maughan, Educator Book Award winner Norina Bentzel, and Educator Book Award committee members Maureen Watt and Simone Nance
|
2025 European Forum Conference
The 2025 European Forum Conference was held in Brighton, United Kingdom July 18-20. Beta Alpha chapter members Simone Nance and Jennifer Nance joined members from around Europe and the U.S. to learn and connect.
We happened to see International President Beverly Hall and State President of Ontario, Canada, Stephanie Allen on the Brighton Pier the day we arrived.
The Conference booklet
We attended a bbq dinner on Day 1, complete with learning line dances!
|
U.S. members attending the forum from Indiana, California, Washington, and Maryland.
A representative from each of the 8 European member countries of DKG (UK, Germany, Finland, Estonia, Norway, Iceland, the Netherlands, and Sweden).
Jennifer with Louise Evans, author of 5 Chairs 5 Choices.
|
Table 7 at dinner, with members from the U.S., Finland, and the Netherlands.
Simone with Marika Heimbach, winner of the International Achievement Award.
The keynote speakers were wonderful, including this presentation by longtime member and Finnish award winning educator, Jenni Korte.
|
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS FROM THE TRIP
(click to enlarge)
(click to enlarge)
2025 Indiana State Conference
The 2025 Indiana State Conference was held in Fort Wayne, IN April 25-27th. It included a tour of the DeBrand Chocolate Factory on Friday, a variety of sessions and activities on Saturday, and a Brunch with awards and a remembrance ceremony on Sunday.
Past State President and Current International Second Vice President, Carol Herzog
|
The incoming 25-27 State Officers
Simone and Jennifer presenting a session titled "How AI is Changing Education"
|
The 23-25 State Officers
Greenleaf Scholarship award winner and Travel Award winner, Jitka Nelson. Jitka presented a session on her trip to Prague and had received the scholarship to help fund her doctorate degree. As of April 2025, she is Dr. Jitka Nelson!
The 2022-2024 Golden Key Award Winners
|
2024 Janet O'Neal Conference
The Janet O’Neal Leadership Conference was chaired by Beta Alpha President Dr. Simone Nance and held at the University of Southern Indiana. It included a keynote address by Evansville Mayor Stephanie Terry. Mayor Terry set the tone for the day by talking about important educators in her life and about how she is addressing education concerns in our community. We had a second keynote by member Kim Fidler, who discussed what we, as educators and Indiana citizens, can do to support public education in our state. In the final session, we mixed up the attendees and had discussions about the state of the profession and the direction it is headed for current and preservice teachers. The 50+ attendees consisted of 24 DKG members. Overall they included preservice, current, and former educators. Session presenters included 1 DKG member along with 4 USI Teacher Ed faculty and 1 Occupational Therapy faculty, plus 2 presenters from the local education community, 6 undergraduate preservice teachers, and 6 current or former USI Educational Doctorate students.
|
|
|
2024 International Convention: National Harbor, Maryland
Members Simone Nance and Jennifer Nance attended the International Convention in National Harbor, Maryland (DC area) in July 2024. The conference had approximately 800 attendees!
The attending Indiana delegation.
Catching up with Tia (Louisiana)!
Jennifer's turn during the presentation.
|
Keynote speaker, Margot Lee Shetterly, author of Hidden Figures, signed books afterwards.
Standing room only for Simone & Jennifer's presentation, "How AI is Changing Education"
Simone's turn presenting!
|
Sightseeing from the top of the National harbor Wheel
Super fun night for everyone at Bobby McKeys Dueling Piano Bar!
Ready for a promotion!
|
2023 International Conference: Tampere, Finland
Members Simone Nance and Jennifer Nance attended the International Conference in Tampere, Finland in July 2023. The conference had 178 attendees from 8 countries, including 52 attendees from the United States and 6 from Indiana.
Many of the U.S. attendees
Simone with Eygló Björnsdóttir, the European Achievement Award recipient for 2023
With Tia Neal (Louisiana) and Hanne Escalante (Norway) during a session to meet with others with similar teaching positions
At the Grand Dinner, the Finnish members used three characters to represent teachers in various time periods in Finland's history.
|
All of the Indiana attendees (L to R): Lois Vogel, Jo Jones, Simone Nance, Jennifer Nance, Roni Embry, and Carol Herzog
Simone & Jennifer happened to see Marika Heimbach (European Regional Forum Director, Germany) and Janny Kisteman (Netherlands) at a cafe in Helsinki the day before leaving and had a wonderful chat before they flew to Spain!
At the closing ceremony, we had a beautiful remembrance for all those members who have been lost from our European chapters.
When they said "coffee break" between sessions, they meant it!
|
At the Grand Dinner on the final night of the conference. L to R: Connie Rensink (International 1st VP, TN), Simone Nance, Jennifer Nance, Lynn Caruthers (TN), Beverly Hall (International 2nd VP, TN)
Jennifer talking music with Nancy Davis (Tennessee) and Shelia Wilkinson (Kentucky)
Members from many different countries attended the session to learn some Finnish words!
A wonderful, yet serious, conversation this morning with International President Dr. Debbie Leblanc about the sustainability of our organization and the importance of our work. It was a reminder that change begins at the chapter level.
|
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS FROM THE TRIP:
(click to enlarge)
(click to enlarge)
2023 Indiana State Convention
The Convention was hosted in Evansville in April 2023. We had two days filled with DKG members from around the state.
Sunday Remembrance Ceremony
|
|
Installation of the new officers for the
2023-2025 biennium |
Angie made the beautiful boat decoration that everyone wanted a picture with!
|
Simone created a poster to display all of the amazing things our chapter has done this past year!
|
Women's Equality Day Luncheon
Several members were FINALLY able to attend the Women's Equality Day Luncheon held in Evansville at the Old National Events Plaza in August (after being postponed due to Covid). Simone, Marcia, Barb, Carolyn, and Carol were all able to hear the amazing Mae Jemison speak as part of the event.
First In-Person Meeting!
Our Executive Board was SO EXCITED to be able to meet in person finally! One of the members attending has been unable to participate in the virtual meetings, so this was extra-special. We were able to have a small lunch gathering to plan out our chapter's meetings and social events for the upcoming year!
State Convention Basket
Our State chapter, DKG Indiana, invited all of the chapters to bring a basket for a silent auction in June to the State Convention. The purpose was to raise money for the DKG Emergency Fund. The event was definitely a success! Our chapter chose to include only local products, such as Donut Bank coffee, Dewig Meats jerky, books by local authors, artwork by a local artist, jams from a local farm market, Lib's chocolates, Marx BBQ sauce, and MORE! You can see a list of the contents HERE ! This was a fun way to support our local shops and artists in addition to DKG. A special thanks to chapter member Darlene for assembling and delivering the basket for us!
|
|
YWCA Support
Our Chapter is helping support the YWCA with both monetary and supply donations. Here are a few of the ways our members have helped:
Member Darlene and a friend put together a basket for the silent auction, which was held in the days prior to the YWCA live presentation for the fundraiser. It sold for $375!
|
Kathy put together this trunk full of items to deliver to the YWCA herself!
|
Simone put together a few bedding sets to donate.
|
Carolyn snapped this picture while dropping off her YWCA donation.
|
Zoom Meetings!
|
|
Chinese Cooking Class
|
|
Member Mei shows our chapter how to make some traditional Chinese dishes at home.
Self - Defense Workshop
The group is warming up and having a talk with local officers before our "Wonder Woman 2.0" self-defense workshop at SICTC.
SICTC Tour
|
|
Member Gwen gives the chapter a tour of the newly opened Southern Indiana Career and Technical Center (SICTC), an EVSC school that includes students from 5 area counties.
Mixology
The chapter had a meeting with dinner and a mixology lesson at Comfort by Cross Eyed Cricket.
Golden Key Award
Angie and Darlene accept the Golden Key Award certificate for our Chapter at the Alpha Epsilon State Convention in 2017.
Women's Suffrage Presentation PLUS the Benefits of Wine and Herbs Wine Tasting
|
|
|
We had a meeting at Darlene's house, where she presented information about the health benefits of wine. Multiple wines were also available for tasting, as well as information about basic wine tasting etiquette. During the meal, Lorie presented information about the women's suffrage movement.
Breakfast Meeting
Members met at Comfort by the Cross Eyed Cricket before a planned tour of the LST.
Certificates
|
|
Certificates are given to members for years of service to the organization. Angie (above, left) received her 15 year certificate, and Vickie (above. right) received her 20 year membership certificate.
Pound Auction
|
|
Our annual Pound Auction fundraiser is a highlight of our year. Carol (above, left) has been our auctioneer for many years.
