Camden County College became the first two-year institution of higher education in the world to establish a chapter of Kappa Delta Pi Education Honor Society when it received a charter from the national KDP organization in 2003. Ten years later, CCC’s Alpha Alpha Psi chapter also became the first community college chapter to receive a National Program Award.
KDP was founded in 1911 and has more than 600 university, college and alumni chapters throughout the world. It is dedicated to honoring students who are pursuing education as an occupation and helping educators develop the resources they need to grow throughout their careers. To apply for membership, students must achieve a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or better for at least 15 credits of education coursework.
The National Program Award recognizes chapters that demonstrate exemplary programming with one of the five components of chapter activity: membership, service, professional development, fundraising and communications. Alpha Alpha Psi was recognized for its community service initiatives, which include annual Lunch with Santa, Alex’s Lemonade Stand, Ronald McDonald House meal-preparation and Literacy Alive! events.
Structured around a pirate theme, the 2013 Literacy Alive! program included reading centers, games, crafts and lunch along with books and a backpack to take home. It was conducted for young English as a second language students from Lindenwold. A previous version of the event, featuring an outer space theme and conducted for elementary school students from Winslow Township, was lauded nationally as one of KDP’s 2011 Inspirational Projects.
A delegation from Alpha Alpha Psi accepted this year’s National Program Award during KDP’s 49th biennial convocation in Dallas, Texas. The student representatives were Alexis Diering, vice president; Theresa Meininger, membership representative; Alaina Burch, president; and Micaela Tortella, past president.
Also attending was Professor Jane Weber, who coordinates Camden County College’s Elementary/Secondary Education Program and serves as faculty counselor to Alpha Alpha Psi. During the convocation, Professor Weber – who led the establishment of the CCC chapter -- was honored for her 10 years of faculty counselor service. She previously had received KDP’s 2011 Community College Counselor Award for representing the mission and ideals of the honor society and for her dedication and excellence in guiding students as they pursue studies and careers in education.
