The Journey
A newsletter for chapter advisors, chapter officers, and
regional officers.
November/
December 2000
Issue
Hallmark Awards: Spotlighting the Stars
The Hallmark Awards Program recognizes excellence in programs and projects that promote the Phi Theta Kappa Hallmarks of Scholarship, Leadership, Service and Fellowship. Individual and chapter award winners are selected annually based on award entries submitted to Headquarters each spring. Awards are presented throughout the annual International Convention.
|
Resources at the Ready | Deadline
Details |
| Avoid Disqualification Despair |
| Leadership |Service | Scholarship | Fellowship |
Resources at the Ready
Hallmark Awards Brochure
- Contains all you need to plan your chapter’s participation
- Included in the Advisor and Officer Resource Packets
Hallmark Awards Program Guide
- Mailed to all advisors and chapter presidents in November
- Contains entry cover sheets
- Hallmark Awards Brochure on line
- Sample award-winning essays
- Sample chronological list
Deadline Details
- Friday, February 16, 2001, at 5:00 p.m.
- All eligible entries must be delivered by the deadline - not postmarked
- Choose a guaranteed delivery service
- Avoid the Last Minute Frantic Panic - plan to mail early
Avoid Disqualification Despair
- Advisor signature on each cover sheet (cover sheets are found in the Hallmark Awards Guide)
- Double check entries for all required elements
- Submit two entire copies of each entry
- Make sure your package arrives on time
Leadership
Chapters competing in the Leadership Hallmark category should focus on leading by example. Winning entries often describe how members of the chapter have taken leadership roles on their campus, in their community and the region.
Award-winning chapters start at home by building the leadership skills of their members, but expand the reach of their leadership by reaching out to involve the student body of their colleges and the members of their communities in opportunities for leadership skill building.
Highlights from 2000 Leadership Hallmark Award Winners
Alpha Beta Chi
Chapter
Pima Community College
Tucson, Arizona
- Designed the chapter’s first officer orientation and leadership workshop to train new chapter officers
- Created standardized operating manuals for future leaders of the chapter
- Hosted a college-wide financial aid forum that allowed students to voice their concerns with the college’s financial aid process and provided administrators an opportunity to respond to students’ concerns
- Partnered with the League of United Latin American Citizens to conduct leadership workshops for ethnic junior and high school students
- Collected supplies for a domestic violence shelter, Kosovo refugees, and Mexican flood victims and joined Mothers Against Drunk Drivers in their educational efforts
- Initiated a regional book drive benefiting children within their region and abroad
Alpha Epsilon Omicron
Chapter
Trident Technical College
Charleston, South Carolina
- Sponsored a leadership development workshop for middle and high school students and involved members from sister chapters as facilitators
- In cooperation with their college president’s literacy initiative with the area Rotary Club, the chapter organized a literacy program to promote reading skills in area elementary schools
- Organized an opportunity for elementary school students to visit an area nursing home to fellowship and read with residents
- Guided fellow chapters in participating in the Five-Star Chapter Development Program
- Co-hosted a regional workshop to guide chapters in preparation of regional and international Hallmark Award applications
Service
Enter the Service Hallmark category, and your chapter will be represented among many greats because service is the most popular category of the Hallmark Awards Program.
There are two key components to making your chapter’s application stand out in this competitive crowd. First, place considerable focus on the International Service Program, “America’s Promise - The Alliance for Youth.” Second, find innovative ways to implement programs that allow members to give their time and talents to the community – the greatest level of service that no amount of money can replace.
Highlights from 2000 Service Hallmark Award Winners
Pi Kappa Chapter
St. Louis Community College - Florissant Valley Campus
St. Louis, Missouri
- Organized Read-A-Thons for children at two economically challenged elementary schools where Peter Pan, Tinkerbell and Captain Hook made guest appearances to encourage the children to read
- Donated books for area elementary schools and played an instrumental role in helping raise funds for additional books
- Gave gifts of books to the first 50 New Year’s babies born in St. Louis
- Conducted monthly storytelling sessions at the college’s child development center
Eta Nu Chapter
St. Petersburg Junior College
St. Petersburg, Florida
- Collected school supplies for the “Teachers Make-A-Wish” program at a local school
- Partnered with an area newspaper to provide an entire third grade class with newspaper subscriptions to promote development of reading skills through the use of current events
- Recorded readings for the blind
- Volunteered with local service organizations including Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House, and the Salvation Army
- Assisted the college administration with campus events including the Welcome Back Bash and College Night Open House
- Served as tutors in various study labs on campus
- Served as Student Ambassadors to area schools
Scholarship
Searching for scholarship strategies to set your chapter’s Scholarship Hallmark entry head and shoulders above the rest? Award-winning chapters know that building a strong scholarship program starts with the current Honors Study Topic. Fortify your comprehensive scholarship program with a healthy dose of activities that implement the topic, “In the Midst of Water: Origin and Destiny of Life.”
In addition, strengthen your scholarship program with activities that recognize scholarship among students and faculty. Your chapter may also develop programs that serve other students and promote scholarship within the community.
Highlights from 2000 Scholarship Hallmark Award Winners
Alpha Kappa Alpha
Chapter
Normandale Community College
Bloomington, Minnesota
- Implemented a project to document the history of Normandale Community College by compiling and organizing college photographs and artifacts, establishing a permanent display of photographs and establishing a historical archive research site
- Took residents of a local children’s home to the zoo for an educational adventure where small groups gathered information on the habit, diet and social structure of certain animals and reported their findings to the entire group
- Recognized outstanding college faculty for their excellence in education with the “Golden Apple Award” at their induction ceremony
Alpha Kappa Psi
Chapter
Kapi’olani Community College
Honolulu, Hawaii
- Hosted an honors week on campus which included an honors speaker series which exposed the entire campus to exploration of the Honors Study Topic
- Organized a week-long “Quiz Bowl Challenge” which allowed teams of students, faculty and administrators to test their knowledge on the Honors Study Topic
- Co-sponsored a training session for facilitators of the Millennium Young People’s Congress which brought together young people from across the globe to discuss world issues
- Developed a scholarship workshop which guided students in choosing the right schools and applying for scholarships and financial aid
- Served as mentors to area students who were poorly prepared for college
Fellowship
For many chapters, fellowship means food and fun, but when Hallmark Award time arrives, judges are searching for much more. Winning chapters know that implementing a comprehensive fellowship program requires taking a step beyond the social activities to scholarly fellowship.
To build a solid scholarly fellowship program, chapters are encouraged to design programs that assist chapters in need and bring chapters together to discuss and implement Society programs. Chapters are also encouraged to focus on events that promote campus and regional unity as well as programs that showcase the chapter as a vital part of the community surrounding the college.
Highlights from 2000 Fellowship Hallmark Award Winners
Alpha Delta Tau
Chapter
Northern Virginia Community College
Woodbridge, Virginia
- Designed and implemented the use of e-mail and web pages to promote communication within the chapter and give members more ownership of the chapter which increased involvement in chapter activities
- Hosted a faculty appreciation coffee giving members the opportunity to build a bond with faculty by thanking them and educating them on the benefits of membership and the accomplishments of the chapter
- Attended Millennium Series lecture based on the Honors Study Topic along with a sister chapter and incorporated Honors Study Topic speeches into their general meetings
- Worked with other groups on campus to coordinate a Breakfast with Santa where they conducted activities for disadvantaged kids and talked with parents about opportunities for tutoring
Omega Omicron Chapter
Cleveland State Community College
Cleveland, Tennessee
- Hosted Honors Study Topic movie nights and live theatrical performances which were followed by scholarly discussions
- Provided assistance to the Nevada/California Region as they hosted the 1999 International Convention
- Hosted the Regional Honors Institute H Stressed the importance of scholarship by hosting a scholar bowl and foreign language festival for high school students
- Served as tutors at a local elementary school
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