All Our Triumphs

While attending the Florida Department of Education/Macy’s Teacher of the Year event that was held last month in Orlando, Anna Catherine Lahan Hull, Teacher of the Year for Bay District Schools in Bay County, Fla., received one of the state’s highest awards for teachers: the Mary J. Brogan Excellence in Teaching Award. This honor, given annually to one of the District Teacher of the Year Award winners, recognizes teachers who through their experiences demonstrate a passion for teaching and a compassion for their students that becomes an inspiration to other teachers.

As he presented the award, Frank Brogan, chancellor of the State University System of Florida, former Florida Commissioner of Education and husband of the late Mary Brogan, read a letter from the parent of two of Anna Catherine’s students whose father was deployed to Iraq. Anna Catherine incorporated this important event into unique learning experiences for the entire classroom. They kept in contact with the Army unit through video conferences learning about patriotism, cultural differences and current events. When the father was killed, Hull is credited with being a “miracle” to this family, helping them to “heal and move forward in a positive way.”

Along with her awards, Anna Catherine received a number of gifts, including a scholarship that will be given in her name to a student graduating from Gulf Coast Community College and entering Florida State University, Panama City campus, to major in education. Anna Catherine earned her bachelor degrees in elementary education and early childhood education from the University of Alabama where she was a member of Zeta chapter. She received her master’s degree in elementary education from Florida State University, Panama City campus. Anna Catherine is qualified as a National Board Certified Teacher and has her reading endorsement, ESOL endorsement and gifted endorsement for grades K-12. She teaches fifth grade at Patronis Elementary School in Panama City Beach where her favorite pupil in this coming school year will surely be her son, Carter Hull.

For the third consecutive year, a Kappa Delta was crowned Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival Queen. From left are: Kimberly Horne, Beta Lambda-Georgetown, who earned the title in 2008; Rachael Hunt, Delta Omicron-Eastern Kentucky, 2010 queen; and Megan McKay, also Beta Lambda, 2009 recipient. Rachael, who was also named 2009 EKU Homecoming Queen, was crowned by Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear during the annual event held in Pineville, Ky.

In June, Beta Theta alums, from left, Sally Browning Lionetti, Carol Ploesch Hankins, Jan Paluck Thompson, Rosie Kitzmiller Rainey and Jackie Myers Lapitsky returned to Pennsylvania State University for their 50th reunion where they all were inducted into the "Pioneers," a group for alumni of 50 years or more. The KDs received medallions and pins and had their picture taken with the mascot, Nittany Lion, who turned out to be University President Graham Spanier under the costume.

The Laguna Beach, Calif., Woman of the Year Luncheon, held in June, was a sold-out event with 120 in attendance and more on the waiting list. They came to show their support for the honoree, Carol Cunningham Reynolds, whose list of community service includes former chairman of the Laguna Beach Art Commission and member of the CSP Youth Shelter board, Laguna Beach Live, CREATE and the Pacific Symphony Guild. Her most recent and perhaps notable accomplishment was the start of "Fete de la Musique," inspired by the musical celebrations held in Menton, France, Laguna Beach’s sister city, which Carol visited three years ago.

Three KDs who are working to preserve the Southwest Florida environment gathered at the dedication of a preserve to cleanse water before it flows into the Caloosahatchee River. From left are: JoAnne Hiatt Fowler, Beta Upsilon-Susquehanna, Conservation Land Acquisition Advisory Board; Rae Ann Scholle Wessel, Alpha Nu-Wittenberg, Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation; and Linda Cook Mattos, Delta Eta-South Florida, River Watch.

Delta Upsilon-Tennessee Tech alumna Beth Robinson Cooper is the owner of 10 till 2, The Part-Time Placement Service, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Beth opened the 10 till 2 franchise one year ago with business partner Gina Kopera in an effort to fill a need created by current employment trends and to provide a workable option for college students, new grads and moms returning to the workforce. To read Beth’s blogs, visit www.MyTimePartTime.com and www.TheCompanyofPeople.biz, and for more information about her work, visit www.linkedin.com/in/bethcooper10til2.

Larisa Padovani Scarbrough, Sigma Phi-Georgia, serves as vice president and board member for the nonprofit Feingold Association, which helps children with learning/behavior problems. She has conducted workshops for parents in the Atlanta area about the benefits of eliminating artificial additives from their children's diets and recently addressed a class of upcoming occupational therapists at Brenau University in Gainesville, Ga.

When Sigma Sigma-Iowa State alumna Angela Morel, left, showed up for her first day on the job as a graduate assistant at the University of Missouri/Kansas City, she had a pleasant surprise: Her new boss is Kappa Delta Kari Murphy, Zeta Psi-Valparaiso, who is the university’s fraternity and sorority advisor. The two quickly discovered that sharing KD stories makes working together even more fun!