Orange Leader, Bauer honored for work in education

Special to the Leader

July 26, 2008 08:12 pm

— The Orange Leader and its publisher Eric Bauer were honored at the 79th annual convention of Alpha State, Texas of The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International. The convention was held in June at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center.
Local newspaper awards, called the Key Award, are presented in recognition in two areas: excellence in overall coverage of educational news and excellence in coverage of local chapter news. Divisions include metropolitan dailies serving a population of 250,000 or more, city dailies serving a population of up to 250,000 and weekly newspapers with no population limit.
Metropolitan area chapters served by the same newspaper may make a joint recommendation; thus, the three Orange area chapters – Theta, Theta Psi and Theta Omega – nominated The Orange Leader. Two incoming presidents, Sue Harris from Theta and Ruth Hancock from Theta Omega, accepted the award during opening night festivities at the convention.
“The staff of the Orange Leader and I are very honored by this award,” said publisher Eric Bauer. “Newspapers are supposed to be a vital part of education and we hope to continue supporting all areas of education and thank all of the educators for their hard work.”
Other local chapter members attending the convention included Ann Copelin, Area II
coordinator, Joy Holland, Susie Riedel and Betty Jo Spence, Theta; and Olga Graham, Theta Psi.
Other newspapers earning awards for their local chapter news coverage were Snyder Daily News, The Countywide, Beeville Bee-Picayune and The Port Lavaca Wave.
The three local chapters also received honors in other areas. In a quest to promote better communication, not only at the chapter level but also with the state organization, a goal for the past two years has been to increase the number of chapters publishing newsletters and to see more chapters attain the “Five Star Award.”
To be eligible for the award, a chapter must submit a minimum of five chapter newsletters of at least two full pages of pertinent chapter news. The newsletters must include a variety of elements that enhance chapter communications. Each of the three local chapters received the “Five Star Award.”
Each chapter is also responsible for publishing a yearbook that must encompass 30 required items of information in six different sections. Chapter yearbooks are judged as excellent, outstanding, very good and good.
Additional recognition, known as the Early Bird Award, is for those chapters whose yearbooks are postmarked by Nov. 1 and sent to the area coordinator, the state yearbook committee chairman and the Alpha State headquarters. The final deadline for submission is Dec. 1.
The yearbook for Theta Chapter received the maximum number of points and was mailed before the Nov. 1 deadline, qualifying it for both an Exemplary Award and an Early Bird Award.
More than 1,100 Texas women educators attended the June state convention. With nearly 14,000 members in Texas, this honor society promotes excellence in education and personal and professional growth.
The international organization with approximately 120,000 members in 16 countries, gives scholarships to members, both on the state and international levels, and offers opportunities for leadership development to members.