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DKG Practice/Program

S-T-R-E-T-C-H Your DKG Visibility

By Elaine Hendrickson and Mary Whitten

Maine State Organization offers a professional development opportunity for all
educators—members or nonmembers—across the state. Providing this event
promotes DKG as a professional organization of women educators and fills

a niche needed in the state. This article shares the history and details of the
“S-T-R-E-T-C-H Your Teaching” workshop, the challenges faced, and advice for
others considering a similar opportunity.

Out of strategic planning meetings and conversations on mezzanines at international events, members of
Maine State Organization (Maine SO) decided to provide a professional development opportunity for all
educators in the state. The intent of this event was and is to promote DKG as a professional organization
of women educators, thereby changing the stigma of its being perceived as a sorority. In addition, active
Maine educators believed there was a need for professional development beyond that provided by the
schools. In March 2017, S-T-R-E-T-C-H Your Teaching was launched. Since then, this professional
development opportunity for Maine teachers has been offered each year except in March 2020.

History
After meeting on the mezzanine of the Grand Ole Opry Hotel at the 2016 DKG International
Convention, a group of Maine SO members conceived a plan to host the state organization’s first annual
professional development statewide workshop in spring 2017. Providing professional and personal
growth for the educational community in Maine, no matter their gender or their DKG membership,
was and continues to be the goal of this workshop. Reaching this goal will allow Maine SO and DKG
International to be known as professional organizations. Maine SO’s first vice president volunteered to
coordinate the workshop. The name S-T-R-
E-T-C-H Your Teaching was inspired by the
work of DKG member Dr. Connie Hoag of
Iowa State Organization.
The first workshop was held at a high
school in the central part of the state with
easy access to the highway. Forty-one people
attended, with most of the attendees being
DKG members. Several high school students
were available to help with technology
needs. Knowing professional development
funds were limited in schools, the planners
kept registration fees low: $20 for DKG
members, $30 for nonmember early-bird
registrants, and $40 for nonmembers after
the early-bird cut-off date.
Not knowing how many people would Preservice teachers try a hands-on science activity at the
attend, the planners believed it was important S-T-R-E-T-C-H workshop.

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