This Leadership Workshop is dedicated in memory of the leadership of Jane Helman. Jane was a long time member of her local council NPRA and a KSRA board member for many years. She taught reading in the Tunkhannock Area School District and was the girls’ track coach for over 30 years.

Jane's second grade teacher told her to pick a book off the shelf and go to the front of the class and read aloud. Jane chose a book with a lighthouse on it. All of us who knew her were aware of how she loved lighthouses. She had visited relatives in New Jersey and was in awe of Barnegat Light. Jane had some background knowledge of lighthouses but ​not of islands. When she came across the word island when reading orally in front of the class, she mispronounced it "is land." The teacher stopped her and told her to sit down. That's when Jane decided to be a teacher and vowed she'd never treat her students like that.

The first KSRA conference Jane attended was Fran Russell's conference in 1990. In Fran's time, presidents ran their conferences as well as performing presidential duties. Jane became very involved in KSRA when Nancy Nagy, her department chair at Marywood University​, asked her to be editor of Pennsylvania Reads, Journal of the Keystone State Reading Association. Nancy was founder of the journal and Jane's boss. Jane didn't feel she could say no.

As Publications Chair, Jane attended board meetings and became a vital force in the organization. She was appointed Chair of the Conference and Meeting Advisory Committee. She dealt with different venue directors in securing the best accommodations for the best price and earned their respect and affection. This was clearly demonstrated by the beautiful bouquet of flowers sent by one of them. She was a tough negotiator but the people she worked with respected her honesty and negotiating skills.

When she became Vice President, she organized the annual conference. Her logo was Read and Shine and her icon - a lighthouse! Unfortunately the dates of the conference coincided with Hurricane Sandy. Despite speakers cancelling because they couldn't get flights and attendees not arriving or going home, Jane was calm and the conference successful. Main speaker Mary Bigler volunteered to speak four times​, making us laugh each time and never repeating her message. Attendees made it a point to seek Jane out and give her hugs and encouragement.

When Jane spoke to the KSRA board for the first time as president, she called them family. KSRA was family to her. She offered her lake house for conference committee meetings. She felt strongly about the organization's role and all of its members.

She would want us to continue to work together to make the Keystone State Literacy Association (as the organization is now recognized) an authority in literacy education, making sure we keep up-to-date on important issues that concern literacy and education, and continue our relationship with the PA Department of Education. She would also remind us to keep in mind that all individuals in KSLA are volunteers who love reading and literacy and work hard to ensure that KSLA is a viable organization.

Jane was a firm believer in making sure individuals were recognized for their contributions to literacy and the organization. She was always willing to listen to suggestions and discuss problems, trying to find a solution that would be beneficial to everyone in KSLA. She was never afraid to voice her opinion!

May we always keep Jane in our hearts, and when we have a problem that needs solving, ask ourselves, What Would Jane Say! Jane was certainly a large part of Literacy’s Legacy.