Leading this organization is a privilege and I am honored to accept the office of president. I feel the weight of your expectations and my own to lead SC Alpha Delta Kappa well, and I am humbled by your trust.

One of the first things I was asked to do as President – Elect was to begin working on a theme and logo for my term as President. This was not any easy task. AT ALL. So, I set myself the task of interviewing those who had come before me in SC.  That was the absolutely the best thing I could have done.  And one of those conversations, with Past State President Rita Confer, lit the idea for the first word, and the rest just followed.  What word describes me? I’m an advocate. And being a sister in Alpha Delta Kappa all these years has nurtured that calling in me as it does in all of you. Because I, you, WE are ALL advocates and champions of education.  Every meeting, every program, every fundraiser, every time we donate our resources, every scholarship we award, all we do is in furtherance of these goals – advocating, championing, educating. We are ACEs in all we do, and the logo reflects that.

We are a three-district state – separate but together. And what holds us together as one are our sisters around the state – “the pearls” of SC.  There were 656 of us in SC when I checked the numbers on Wednesday and each one is invaluable.  The violets – four for our founders – Agnes, Marie, Marion, and Hattie. How did they know in 1947 that recognizing and supporting the professional efforts of outstanding women educators would still be vital and relevant all these years later?  Look at the women at your meetings. At the women across the room at the next district workshop. Look at the woman you met for the first time at the last Alpha Delta Kappa event you attended. And imagine having never met because this network didn’t exist.  What they did, traveling around the country to every state, organizing women educators, bringing them together for a purpose is truly as remarkable today as it was then. Seven more violets that we work together as chapters to earn each year through our efforts advocating, championing, and educating in our districts, for others and ourselves. Alpha Delta Kappa will take you places – professionally and personally. Travel with me this biennium as we work to reach our goals: Sustaining and growing our sisterhood by increasing engagement and sister-focused initiatives. Each of you plays a part in building a better and stronger SC together.