Dr. Joyce Feist-Willis, Advisor

Fall Quarter is here and with it comes the exhilaration of new challenges, the excitement of renewing old and making new acquaintances, and the elation of being one quarter closer to graduation. As this new school year begins, I hope all of you are anticipating the new year at YSU and are looking forward to the enjoyable and challenging experiences awaiting you. To our new members, I express my heartfelt welcome to Eta Xi's chapter meetings and activities. To the veteran members, welcome back! Remember that it will take all of us, working together to succeed this year. I encourage you to commit to participating actively this year in your professional organization.

This summer, the officers and I have met to plan an interesting program of speakers for the monthly meetings, make decisions about fund-raising efforts, and discuss the Reading is Fundamental public service project. Many wonderful, interesting experiences are available if you become involved in your Eta Xi Chapter's activities. To all the officers and newsletter editors who attended these planning sessions and worked so hard, thank you! Of course, no amount of preplanning will bring the desired results if you, the members, do not participate actively. Your support at the meetings is necessary for maximum benefit to result. "What's in it for me," you ask?

1. Attendance at meetings provides relevant, on-target news and views from guest speakers who "know their stuff," know whom they are "stuffing," and then "stuff" you elegantly with their knowledge and views. Unique experiences, such as panel discussions with in-service rural and urban teachers and administrators or first year teachers, are generally not available anywhere else on campus. At Eta Xi's meetings, we strive to have experienced teachers and administrators from this area as speakers who will appeal to all of our members: elementary, secondary, and special education.
2. Attendance at two meetings and active participation in at least one fund raiser will entitle you to receive a gold Greek-letter lapel pin. This pin identifies you to educators throughout the country as someone who is willing to go "above and beyond" the required expectations. Worn at interviews, this pin tells potential employers that you are truly interested in your chosen profession and have already established a pattern of involvement in professional organizations.
3. Attendance at three or more meetings PLUS participation in at least one fund raising activity and the public service project (Reading is Fundamental) entitles you to a letter of recognition, signed by the advisor and the chapter president. This letter is suitable for placement in your portfolio. Potential employers notice materials in portfolios which evidence participation in activities "above and beyond" the required university experiences. Having official validation in your portfolio that you are a professional who exceeds expectations and who volunteers time to non-course-related activities makes you a more memorable interviewee.

CHAPTER SCHOLARSHIP: Every year at the Spring initiation in May, Eta Xi Chapter presents at least one $250 scholarship to a non-graduating, in good standing, actively participating member. (In the 1996-1997 school year, two scholarships were presented.) Application forms are available on the bulletin board outside the Department of Teacher Education. Completed applications must be returned by April 15, 1998 and will require you to describe all of the ways in which you have actively participated in Eta Xi's meetings and activities. Why not commit yourself now to applying for this scholarship and preparing yourself as a worthy recipient by becoming active in your professional organization?

Melissa K. Rentz, President

Fall is here and classes are about to begin. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome all of our new members and say "hello" to our returning members.

The new officers and I have been busy making plans this summer for the coming year. Our new secretary, Linda Watters, and the Speaker's Committee have lined up some very interesting and very informative speakers for this year. Jim Coffey, our vice president, is hard at work collecting special door prizes for our meetings, and our historian, Laura Kollat, has spent all summer taking pictures and organizing a portfolio/album of all of our activities and meetings.

Speaking of activities... Eta Xi had two already this summer. On July 26th, our organization held a picnic to celebrate the 45th birthday of Kappa Delta Pi. On August 9th, we held a rummage sale for a fund raiser. Both activities were a success and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the members who donated their time and effort to help out.

Even though our first two activities went very well, our future activities will only be successful if you, the members, help out. Our second annual Barnes and Noble fund raiser is scheduled for November 2nd and the organization will need people to volunteer time. If you have a few extra hours on this day, please call Dana Ciszewski at 793-6217.

The RIF committee will soon be making plans for donating books to children in our community. If anyone has any creative ideas for presentation programs, let us know.

Eta Xi is also conducting a T-shirt/ Sweatshirt Sale. Jim Coffey has many t-shirts available for anyone who wishes to purchase one. If sweatshirts are desired, an order will be placed into the shirt company on November 2. If you want a sweatshirt, please mail the attached order form before November 2nd.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please don't hesitate to drop me a line or give me a call. My address is 125 ½ Hager St., Hubbard, OH 44425 and my phone number is (330) 534-4678.

LuAnn Preusser

The good food abounded on July 26 as members of the Kappa Delta Pi society gathered to celebrate the forty-fifth anniversary of our chapter. Our Historian, Laura Kollat, hosted the picnic in her Canfield home. Approximately thirty members joined the festivities, and, boy did we eat hearty!

The table was laden with goodies that were sure to make several future teachers gain a few pounds. The kids enjoyed volleyball, and there were games and plenty of conversation to keep everyone happy!

Members also got their first chance to buy Kappa Delta Pi T-shirts.

If you weren't there, you missed a good time. But, hey, you might be a few pounds lighter for it!

Jim Coffey, Vice President

Hello! My name is Jim Coffey, and I will be serving as Vice-President of Kappa Delta Pi for the 1997-1998 school year.

On August 9th, the members of Kappa Delta Pi held a rummage sale. We were able to make $234.00 toward purchase of books to be donated to children attending schools in the Youngstown area. The members of our organization who donated their time toward this worthy cause were:

Items donated for the rummage sale ranged from a water bed to an outboard motor; antiques to toys; clothes to crafted articles; and much more. This was a learning experience for me because I had never been to a garage sale before. I was one of many purchasers who went away with great bargains.

A special "thank you" to Laura and Jim Kollat who were kind enough to let us hold the rummage sale at their house. Both Laura and Jim gave much of their time to make this rummage sale a success. These acts of generosity are greatly appreciated by the members and officers of Kappa Delta Pi.

The success of any future fund raiser depends on you, the current members of Kappa Delta Pi. Helping at our fund raisers gives one a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. Remember!! By helping out at fund raisers, you qualify for a gold pin and it looks great in your portfolio. Schools seeing that you are willing to donate your time for worthy causes involving children will give you extra consideration when you are looking for that first teaching position.

Make it a point to attend our October meeting. Great door prizes will be picked for those members in attendance.

On November 2, 1997, Eta Xi will be holding an in-store book sale at Barnes and Noble. On this day, we will receive a percentage of all the sales that go through a designated cash register. We need people to pass out informational fliers and volunteer time at the information table. Call Dana Ciszewski at (330) 793-6217 to schedule an hour time slot that you would be willing to work. We need your help to make this fund raiser a success!

Laura Kollat, RIF Co-Chair

Welcome to the new school year. It's hard to believe the Canfield Fair is over and fall is on the way. Did we actually have a summer this year?? It seems that if it wasn't raining, it was too cold to do anything anyway. Well, at least we can look forward to an exciting year in Kappa Delta Pi. The officers have been working hard this summer to plan activities that you would enjoy participating in. One of our main activities this year is our Reading is Fundamental (RIF) program.

Reading is Fundamental is a nation-wide program that was, at one time, funded by the federal government. The idea behind the organization is to encourage children, at an early age, to read for enjoyment. This is an essential skill for childhood (and adulthood) success. Unfortunately, however, the program lost its funding, but never its spirit. The national headquarters of RIF asked private organizations to get involved to continue this worthwhile goal. This is where we come in.

Several years ago, the national headquarters of Kappa Delta Pi asked all of its chapters to get involved in this program every spring. We at Eta Xi (the chapter you belong to), have heeded this call in a big way. Every year our program to promote literacy in the public schools continues to grow. Last year, we distributed over 500 books to students at Martin Luther King Elementary School in Youngstown. These were books that they selected and were allowed to keep as their own. In addition, each classroom teacher received a book and book tape to keep in their classroom listening centers. Also, we distributed eight classroom sets of books to the English teachers at Hayes Middle School, also in Youngstown. These books were kept by the teachers to use in their classrooms with their students. In addition to distributing books, we also developed and performed plays at both schools to promote the books being distributed. Overall, our RIF program was a BIG success!!!

We don't expect anything but a success this year either! But, in order to do this, we need help. This program is just too big to do with three or four members. If you have already signed up for the RIF committee, we thank you. If not, you still have a chance. There will be a RIF meeting on October 25 at 9:30 a.m. at the Austintown Denny's Restaurant. We hope to see all of you there. This will just be an informational and idea generating meeting. You really can help to make a difference.

Also, remember that it takes a lot of money to fund a program like ours. This is why several fundraisers have been planned for this year. One of them, the garage sale, was completed this summer. Thank you to all who donated items and helped work. The next fundraiser is on November 2. On this day, we will be holding an in store book fair at Barnes and Noble. Plan on working a shift. It's not a long day if everyone contributes. Last year, this fundraiser made the bulk of our money needed for RIF (over $2,000). Let's make this year's fundraiser the best it can be.

If you have any questions about RIF, feel free to call Laura Kollat at (330) 533-0115 or Wendy Love at (330) 793-5231 (Co-chairs of the Reading is Fundamental Committee). We are also looking for a motivated individual, who will be attending YSU next year, to work closely with us this year so that next year they can chair the committee. (It looks wonderful on a resume, but do it because you believe in the cause -- underprivileged students getting an early start at reading!)

Linda Watters, Secretary

Dear Kappa Delta Pi Member,

Hello! I would like to take a moment to introduce myself and tell you about the exciting year that Kappa Delta Pi Eta Xi has in store for its members. My name is Linda Watters, and this year I am serving as an officer of Kappa Delta Pi.

With summer winding down, it is time to think about some of the ways you can be an active member of the best honor society in Education. Over the past several months, the officers have been working hard to plan interesting and worthwhile events for you to participate in this year. Please be sure to mark all the important dates on you calendar. Remember, it is only through the participation of our members that we can be successful.

I, personally, am looking forward to "RIF" -- Reading is Fundamental. This is a program where we go to the surrounding schools and distribute books for children. For some of the children, this is the first book they can call their own. This is a very rewarding and integral activity of our chapter. In order to support this great event, we need all members' help with fundraising. The children look forward to our coming and we as members look forward to bringing good quality books to them. This is a rewarding experience and it is hard to find words that explain the importance of activities like this.

We also have a great panel of speakers that will present the latest information on education at our meetings. This year there is a field trip being scheduled at a Teacher Education Center in the area so that you get the latest on technology in the classroom. You won't want to miss this "hands-on" opportunity!

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please don't hesitate to call me at (330) 637-3122.

Have a great year!

Sincerely,
Linda Watters,
Secretary

DATE	TIME	SPEAKER	TOPIC	PLACE
Tues., October 7	4 pm	Marla Dull, W.S. Guy Middle School, 7th Grade Science John Hudson, W.S. Guy, 7th and 8th grade L.D.	Team Teaching and Inclusion	Kilcawley Center Gallery
Wed., November 5	4 pm	Mr. Blankenship, Beaver Local School District Superintendent	Education at the Turn of the Century	Kilcawley Center Gallery
Tues., January 6	4 pm	TBA	TBA	TBA
Wed., February 4	4 pm	TBA	TBA	TBA
Tues., April 7	4 pm	TBA	TBA	TBA
Tues., May 19	4 pm	TBA	Initiation	Ohio Room

Linda Watters

This past year, I had the opportunity to take part in two great education experiences--TEC and Student Teaching.

My TEC was located at W.S. Guy in Liberty. This experience prepared me for student teaching in ways that I could not measure or understand at the time. The information provided by my professors plus the experience allowed by Liberty's elementary and middle school were invaluable to me. When you are in the midst of TEC, it is difficult to see beyond the lesson plan due dates and material preparation. When you are preparing for and delivering a lesson during student teaching, you soon realize the tools and skills that you learned in TEC are a necessity.

Following my TEC experience, I felt more confident about and better focused on lesson objectives and presentation. My professors demonstrated skills and techniques as well as guided me to do the same in order to be successful.

TEC is an opportunity for elementary education majors. TEC is about choices. You can get as much as you want and more from TEC, or you can get very little. The difference rests in how much you are willing to put into it and how receptive you are to what others have to offer. You have to be willing, ahead of time, to approach TEC as a professional stepping stone, not just "requirements" for your degree. You can gain a wealth of information and immeasurable guidance and direction for your future as a teacher from your peers, other teachers and staff at your cooperating school, and most of all from your professors, who truly want you to succeed. First, though, you have to want to be successful, and second you have to put action behind your desire to be the best you can. The children are depending on future teachers, and TEC is a critical step in meeting their needs as well as your own.

Mandy St. John, Fall Newsletter Editor

Laura Kollat, Historian

Welcome to the new school year. My name is Laura Kollat and I am the Historian for the 1997-1998 school year. There are many advantages to my job, but the best is that I get to attend all the chapter functions and document those who are there with pictures. However, since I am taking the pictures, I don't have to be in them!! So, when you come to an Eta Xi function, be prepared to smile.

At each monthly meeting, I will have doubles of the pictures taken for our records. These doubles are for you to keep. Take them and place them in a place of honor (your portfolio is nice). Take pride in your involvement.

As historian, my job this summer was to go through old records (some from 1956) and discard those things that were no longer needed. (Space has always been at a premium for our organization). I did, however, find something interesting. This is a poem written for the October 29, 1975 newsletter. It was written by Dennis Gilida, President of Kappa Delta Pi and a member of the Executive Council. Its words still have meaning to us twenty-two years later. Here they are:

DO YOU JUST BELONG?

Are you an active member, the kind that would be missed-
or are you quite content that your name is on the list?

Do you attend the meetings and mingle with the flock,
or do you stay at home to criticize and knock?

Do you take an active part to help the work along-
or are you quite well satisfied to only just belong.

Do you ever take a stand for things you think are right-
or leave the work to just a few and talk instead of fight?

Think it over, member; you know what is right and what is wrong-
are you an active member, or do you "just belong?"

These words are not just to help you think about the involvement in our organization, but in any organization that you belong to. It is not enough to say "I am a member of Kappa Delta Pi". After all, what does that membership really mean if you never participate? Are you really a member if you're not involved?

Get involved!!! I promise you will be grateful that you did!!